- This topic has 7 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated February 24, 2025 at 10:58 am by Michael Burrell.
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When trying to specify a zone type on the bus input expander as a fire zone eol, the system returns a message saying that the type is incompatible. The details are that this would be a passive heat detector with an end of line resistor. Why is this combination not allowed?
Michael Burrell
John,
Are you specifying the Zone Definition as FIRE and the Input Type as 4/W – 4 Wire Smoke? When you click Save in the app on the XIN Configuration screen, the system will check all 16 inputs on the XIN and compare them to the assigned Zone Definitions. If the Zone Definition is FIRE and the Input Type is not 4/W, the system will generate an Incompatible Error. The error message should also indicate which input is causing the issue.
Due to how the system is designed, this validation occurs only when saving on the XIN or Main Input Configuration pages. Please note that if you change a Zone Definition after the input has been configured, the system does not currently revalidate the input configuration when saving changes on the Zone Settings page.
The differences between EOL and 4/W input configurations are as follows:
- EOL (End of Line): Normal when it detects the resistor; triggers an Alarm on a Shorted Condition or an Open Condition (EOL Resister missing).
- 4/W (4-Wire Smoke): Normal when it detects the resistor; triggers an Alarm on a Short but a Trouble on an Open Condition (EOL Resister missing).
Let me know if you have any questions or if this doesn’t resolve the error you’re experiencing.
Thanks,
MikeMichael BurrellYou can really do it either way, but when you do it how you did it, it just doesn’t provide you the message let you know it is not the correct input configuration for the Fire. It will work with a regular EOL configuration, but you lose the Fire Trouble function. Losing the EOL Resister will result in a Fire Alarm if you use the regular EOL instead of the 4/w configurations.
When you save the Bus Device Inputs, it checks it then which resulted in telling you had an incompatible configuration with the Fire Zone.
Michael BurrellJohn,
- EOL (End of Line): Normal when it detects the resistor; triggers an Alarm on a Shorted Condition or an Open Condition (EOL resistor missing).
- 4/W (4-Wire Smoke): Normal when it detects the resistor; triggers an Alarm on a Short but a Trouble on an Open Condition (EOL resistor missing).
- 2/W (2-Wire Smoke): Normal when it detects the resistor; triggers an Alarm on a Short but a Trouble on an Open Condition (EOL resistor missing). Requires use of Main Board input 14, 15, or 16 with the board jumpers in the proper position.
These are the functions of the different input configurations. Other panels automatically adjust this setting when you select a Fire Zone Type instead of a Burg Zone Type. We opted to give our installers more control over the inputs but wanted to alert you when an incompatibility arises.
The incompatibility only pertains to the requirement for a Fire Trouble on a Fire Zone Type. Because our system allows full customization by assigning Physical Inputs to Logical Zones, the installer must manually select the input configuration. Since EOL and EOL with Fire Trouble have different functions, we labeled them according to the most common application. Essentially, 4/W is just EOL with Fire/CO Trouble.
The 4/W (4-Wire Smoke) label is primarily used to clarify its function. However, we need to come up with a new label in the short term—perhaps EOL (Fire/CO) since that’s its primary use.
Admittedly, this setup is confusing for many installation companies because it differs from what they are accustomed to with other systems. The other issue is the “incompatibility” check only happens when you edit the input side of the configuration, we currently do not have the ability to check when you edit the Zone settings. Since we program the 16 main board inputs from the factory as EOL. It becomes more confusing when you change one of these Zones to Fire and it works as intended. Which it will, just with out a Fire Trouble option. Shorting the loop gives an Alarm, removing the resister would give an Alarm as well for Fire or any other 24 hour zone with just EOL as the input configuration.
We are aware that this is confusing and we are working on configuration updates based on this type of feedback. Future updates will allow full configuration from the Zone Settings page, so at that time you can will select the input assignment and configuration as well as the Zone Definition and settings. This not only speeds up the configuration but it addresses this type of confusion issue we created. Additionally, we will automatically select the required input configuration when a specific zone type requires it, such as for a Fire Zone Type or Power Supervision, etc.
In reference to your examples, a passive heat detector programmed as FIRE would require 4/W as the input configuration. The same applies to a pull station, waterflow detector, or any other type of fire zone. The 4/W designation was meant to describe the type of life safety detector rather than limit what can be connected.
I understand the confusion, and I’ll work with engineering to see if we can update this label in a future release.
Michael BurrellCorrect. In the future, we are going to resolve this by possibly eliminating the need for a separate configuration for FIRE zone types. I talked with engineering this morning and we are discussing being able to have the EOL auto configured for Fire and CO. This is to resolve this confusion as it is impacting allot of installers. I will update this when we make a final decision.
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