Wireless fire detection systems offer numerous benefits over their traditional hardwired counterparts, most notably easy installation, flexibility and enhanced integration capabilities.
The many advantages of wireless technology, as well as ongoing advancements in the field in terms of battery-life, reliability and scalability, make wireless fire detection systems like Wi-Fyre Xenos an increasingly popular choice for both residential and commercial applications.
Wi-Fyre Xenos
Perfected over many years, our flagship wireless fire detection system, Wi-Fyre Xenos, is a highly capable wireless fire detection system that offers vastly reduced installation time and cost-efficiency compared to hardwired systems.
- Surveying
- Xenos system survey technology which allows you to define project parameters through an easy-to-use smartphone application, prescribing the wireless infrastructure required to create an optimised wireless fire detection system. Not only does this give installers and end-users peace of mind when it comes to cost, but it means that the full system can be pre-programmed and tested off-site prior to installation.
- Long Battery Life
- Xenos delivers high performance with minimal disruption, which continues long after the system has been established. Xenos’ robust battery management in particular is among the best on the market, offering a long 10-year battery life for inputs, sensors and call points, and up to 5-year battery life for outputs, sounders and VADs.
- Expandable
- Should circumstances for a property or complex change over time, Xenos Expander modules can be easily integrated to scale the wireless network through mesh communication technology. Each expander can extend the range of the wireless fire detection network up to 1km in open air delivering unprecedented reliability and performance.
- Mesh Technology
- Mesh technology enables Xenos wireless fire detection devices to operate more efficiently and effectively while conserving battery power and enhancing range by finding the optimal signal route. Distributed routing capability reduces the need for individual nodes to transmit data over long distances or through obstacles, which can consume more power. If any expander in the chain fails, the transmission path dynamically finds an alternate route, ensuring continuity. The self-healing capabilities of mesh networks in particular help to prolong battery life and enhance the reliability of wireless communication systems in various applications.
Battery Technology
The advancement of battery technology has been crucial in the success of wireless fire detection, with the capabilities of modern batteries revolutionising the performance and reliability of wireless systems like Xenos and their adoption.
Stability
Improved temperature stability is a notable advancement in terms of supporting wireless fire detection; wireless fire alarm devices need to maintain their performance regardless of location so a battery that can withstand exposure to varying environmental conditions and temperatures is vital to the reliability of a system.
This, coupled with efficiency, energy density and reliability improvements, has l paved the way for wireless technology to fast become the first choice for many fire detection applications, particularly those where cabling and sensitive property considerations are a barrier.
Energy Efficiency
While advancements are continually being made, the ability of batteries themselves to retain energy for longer periods is not the only factor to consider here; improvements in energy-efficiency and energy-saving protocols, such as mesh networking and low power-consumption tech, have been crucial to expanding the expected life of the batteries used to power our devices.
That said, the batteries you choose to power your devices do bear on the overall reliability of a system. For superior longevity and performance of Xenos systems and devices Eurofyre recommends the VARTA Lithium CR123A battery.
VARTA Lithium CR123A Battery
History of VARTA
Known for their long history of battery innovation, VARTA have been manufacturing portable batteries for over a century, serving a diverse range of industries and building a reputation for excellence.
Initially developing batteries for early automobiles at the start of the last century, with the backdrop of World War 1, VARTA soon moved into military applications, supplying submarines and other vehicles. By mid-century, they were developing the first button cells and expanding globally. Over the last 50 years, as technology rapidly advanced and the digital age approached, so did the batteries VARTA were producing, leading them to introduce rechargeable batteries as well as storage solutions.
Derived from the German for “Distribution, Charging, Repair of Portable Accumulators” (Vertrieb, Aufladung, Reparatur Transportabler Akkumulatoren) the VARTA name has become synonymous with reliability as they continue to develop new and innovative products to power modern technologies.
CR123A Battery
Xenos wireless fire detection devices use CR123A lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are principally used for wireless devices, providing significant benefits over other battery compositions. Lightweight and boasting high-density energy capabilities, lithium-ion batteries are the preferred choice for high-performance devices which need to be reliable across varying environments.
VARTA CR123A batteries utilise lithium-ion chemistry to great effect with fast 3V output, a 1430mAh capacity and a wide temperature range of -20° to +70°C. In addition, they boast a guaranteed 10-year shelf-life meaning you can safely stock up.
Wi-Fyre Xenos Battery Key Performance Indicators
Battery Life
With EN54-25 requiring a minimum performance of at least 3 years for every device, a critical development enabling the wider adoption of wireless detection devices has been in battery life, in other words how much energy a battery can hold and for how long.
Utilising VARTA CR123A batteries, Xenos devices well exceed the threshold for EN54, achieving a 10-year battery life for sensors, call points and inputs and a 5-year battery life for more energy intensive devices including outputs, sounders and VADs.
Availability
Specialised battery technologies, such as those that power other wireless fire detection systems on the market, pose challenges for consumers in readily procuring replacements and spares. In contrast, Xenos utilises CR123A batteries, which are conveniently available to purchase in various retail stores such as supermarkets, grocery shops and technology based shops.
Product Design
The use of CR123A batteries has meant that the overall size of devices such as detectors, call points and sounders have not increased leaving them aesthetically pleasing in the majority of applications.
Reduction in battery size, the amount of energy batteries can hold and consistency of output are all factors that have advanced wireless fire detection. As battery technology advances the size of batteries may remain the same but their capacity will only increase, further enhancing the longevity of Xenos devices.
Logistics
The supply and transportation of batteries is heavily restricted due to the dangers posed by their chemical composition. Improper storage and handling can exacerbate risks including short circuits, chemical leakage and thermal runaway whereby in extreme cases damage or exposure to high temperatures can cause a rapid release of energy in an explosion. Failure to follow safety guidelines and packaging requirements can result in fines and delays.
Eurofyre are approved dangerous goods suppliers with DHL, meaning we have been trained to pack and ship products that contain lithium batteries appropriately.
Why Choose Eurofyre?
- Complete System Supplier
- Eurofyre are a complete system supplier, offering the full Xenos wireless fire detection system, including expanders, detection devices and outputs, as well as programming software, survey tools and suitable fire alarm panels.
- After-Sales Support
- Eurofyre’s team of fire detection specialists are experts in wireless fire detection. We pride ourselves on our excellent after-sales care and support which is available via telephone or email to partners who have installed or are maintaining a Xenos wireless fire alarm system at no additional cost.
- Demonstration & Training
- Free training is available to Xenos partners, ensuring a high level of competence and that you have all the knowledge you need to install wireless fire alarm systems correctly. We offer training either remotely or at our sophisticated training facility where we offer demonstrations and expert training on a range of systems, including Wi-Fyre Xenos wireless detection systems.
- 5 Year Warranty
- All Xenos wireless devices are supplied with a limited 5 year warranty relating to faulty materials or manufacturing defects, effective from the production date indicated on each product.
For more information about Wi-Fyre Xenos, or to discuss any of the other products that Eurofyre have to offer, please feel free to get in touch either by phone on +44 (0) 1329 835 024, by email to [email protected] or via the online enquiry form situated on our contact page.
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