Beam smoke detectors are typically used to detect smoke over wide expanses. Places you might expect to see this kind of smoke detection include exhibition centres, churches, aircraft hangers, warehouses, factories and even casinos.
In a standard beam smoke detector kit you would usually find a beam transmitter with an infra-red light source, a receiver with a photosensitive sensor and a control unit to analyse the data from the the detector and communicate with the fire alarm system control panel.
Reflective beam smoke detectors work similarly to this however the transmitter and receiver are housed in the same unit and the infra-red beam is bounced back to the unit using highly reflective panels. This method is much more cost-effective to install and maintain as there is less wiring and only one power supply required.
Beam detectors work on the principle of light obscuration, much like standalone optical smoke detectors. In simple terms, the receiver monitors the beam of light for any anomalies (the presence of smoke particles scatters the beam of light meaning the receiver’s photosensitive sensor picks up less light on the beam’s return).
Recommended as a low-cost alternative to multiple standard smoke detector units over large expanses, reflective beam smoke detectors are capable of covering distances of anywhere from 5 to 100 metres. Usually, reflective beam detectors come in different price points with different amounts of reflectivity, this allows businesses to make the most economical choice. For example, the Zeta Reflective Beam Smoke Detector comes as standard with a range of 5 – 40 metres but has two range expansion kits that allow you to increase the range to 40 – 80 metres and 80 – 100 metres respectively.
Modern reflective beam detectors are intelligently designed to minimise false alarms and the need for re-calibration. In the past, the reliability of this type of smoke detection was fairly poor as even tiny building changes like heat expansion would cause the beam to become misaligned. Installation and commission was time-consuming too, not to mention time wasted on false alarms and maintenance.
Today these issues have been overcome by the use of motorised head units. These initially auto-calibrate the IR beam with the reflective panels at the commissioning stage and automatically adjust the beam thereafter if required ensuring no loss of contact with the beam of light, dramatically reducing faults and false alarms.
Discount Fire Supplies stock the aforementioned Zeta Reflective Beam Smoke Detector as well as the expansion kits that allow you to increase the beam range up to 100 metres. Please visit our Reflective Beam Smoke Detectors category to see the full product range.
Discount Fire Supplies sell a range of fire alarms, fire alarm accessories and much more. Browse our online shop or contact us for a quote today.
