Main Fire Control Panel

By Darma Sentosa (02/9/2011)

Main Fire Control Panel (MFCP) or often referred to as a Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) is an electrical panel which is a control component of a fire alarm system. The panel receives information signals from sensors designed to detect any changes associated with fire, monitor the operational integrity and provides automatic control equipment, and transmits the information necessary for fire fighting facilities according to a predetermined sequence. The panel also provides electrical energy for operation of the associated sensor, control, transmitting or relay. Some types of alarm control panel is: Coded Panels, Conventional Panels, Addressable Panels, and Multiplex Systems. Coded Type Panels is the earliest type of fire alarm control panel, which consists of sound codes for each zone. Conventional Panels type is the type that has been using an electronic circuit connected to the sensor but with a limited range. Panels Addessable type is the type who have used the microcontroller to detect a fire protection equipment based on the number of loops or a Signaling Line Circuit (SLC). Type Multiplex System is a modern transition between conventional and addressable systems, this type serves a large building with complex systems including HVAC, security, electronic door locks, etc. The block diagram of the Main Fire Alarm Control as follows: