One of the key objectives during commissioning of new buildings is to verify the effectiveness of fire protection equipment. Smoke ventilation testing is a standard part of these procedures. However, not every test goes smoothly — there are cases where the expected results simply are not achieved.
Smoke ventilation testing on site — a standard element of fire protection commissioning.
When dealing with technical systems, you have to accept that things can go wrong. That is not the end of the world — what matters is whether you have an action plan ready for such situations.
Is everything working as expected?
First, it helps to know whether all devices that should be activated during a given test are actually operational. Then, whether those devices (e.g. fire dampers) have been correctly activated — whether they have transitioned from their resting state to the state required for that specific scenario.
Confirming correct activation of fire dampers — a key diagnostic step during commissioning tests.
Once you have confirmed that everything is operational and has responded according to the design assumptions, it may turn out that the activation sequence needs adjusting — or, in more challenging cases, that the entire control sequence needs to be redesigned.
The FPM+ control panel as a safety net
A great deal of unnecessary stress and complications can be avoided by using a specialised control panel such as the FPM+ to manage fire protection devices. The FPM+ allows you to run a series of independent tests on each device individually, as well as on complete control sequences. It is worth noting that while the fire alarm system is still being commissioned, the FPM+ control panel can simulate the signals that the fire alarm system should send to its inputs.
In the worst case, when the control sequence — known as the control matrix — needs to be changed, this can be done efficiently using the FireMATRIX configuration software.
Testing during installation
Mechanical faults can occur during transport, storage or installation. There is no need to wait until the last moment — it pays to save time during later testing. For dampers equipped with BELIMO digital actuators, highly accurate testing is possible using the Ela-compil damper tester.
The Ela-compil damper tester — precise testing of BELIMO digital actuators.
In this and every other case, it helps that the FPM+ control panel modules can be started as standalone devices, allowing you to test individual devices locally before connecting everything into a complete system.