Gamewell-FCI by Honeywell (NYSE: HON) has developed the IF600 Retrofit Kit to upgrade legacy Gamewell IF602 and IF610 Series fire alarm control panels to the latest technology of an E3 Series® Expandable Emergency Evacuation System from Gamewell-FCI at minimal expense. While providing an easy means for upgrading systems to meet code, the Retrofit Kit also allows for a cost-effective phase-in of advanced capabilities such has emergency communications (a.k.a. mass notification).
The Retrofit Kit includes the internal components of a new E3 Series fire alarm control panel and a panel door, all sized to fit the original head-end panel’s backbox. The E3 Series compatibility with nearly all IF600 Series peripherals enables the majority of these retrofits to integrate seamlessly with existing detectors and notification devices, eliminating the expense of additional labor and materials.
Brian Rebello, service manager for Signal One of Tempe, Ariz., proclaims to have already performed a number of upgrades using the new Retrofit Kit.
“We’ve used it in several places, a large Hensley distribution center, a couple retail facilities, a produce packing plant…our biggest to-date was the Scottsdale W Hotel,” says Rebello.
The large scale of the W Hotel could have proven challenging. However, the ease of installation and technological advancements facilitated by Gamewell-FCI’s Retrofit Kit made upgrading a 15-year-old IF610 fire alarm to a high-tech E3 Series system simple for Rebello’s team and cost-effective for the hotel.
“The hotel is large, but we completed the whole upgrade in a day. For the most part, it was a whole head-end replacement with no new devices or new wire needing to be pulled,” says Rebello. “Not only is the cost to upgrade really reduced, but you’re also extending the longevity of your current system by upgrading to the latest and greatest technology,” Rebello exclaims.
According to Rebello, recent renovations at the W Hotel made it necessary to upgrade the entire facility’s fire protection to meet the 2007 Edition of NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code requirements currently enforced by the city of Scottsdale.
To discuss fire alarm upgrade options with a local Gamewell-FCI Engineered Systems Distributor, contact a regional sales man ager. For more technical details on the E3 Series of fire alarm and emergency communications systems, visit www.gamewell-fci.com.
