Hyfire wireless devices commissioned for landmark London towers

With up to 25 floors, the Elektron Tower, the Proton Tower, the Neutron Tower and the Switch Tower form a landmark development on the banks of the Thames in Tower Hamlets, comprising a total of 497 apartments. With fire system upgrades required outside the normal schedule of improvements to the buildings, ‘wireless’ was an obvious choice, helping to limit time spent on site and reducing the impact on the fabric of the buildings.

Jamie Dawson, director at Gemini AMPM, commented: “The original schedule to install the 2,000 individual detectors, Call Points, sounders and other wireless devices was six weeks, but we managed to complete the whole process in just four thanks to the ability to pre-programme devices off-site and install them in minutes, with around 90% less cabling required.”

Dawson added: “Our installers worked seamlessly with members of the Hyfire team, who helped us to pinpoint the exact number of devices required and where they should be located. The on-site property managers from FirstPort helped to facilitate us working across the four buildings and liaised with residents, ensuring that we could gain access to 99% of the apartments within the four-week schedule.”

Step-change

Taurus is an entirely new range of high-performance wireless detection, control and alarm devices, all based on a new protocol that offers “unprecedented capabilities, quality and reliability”. Combining “unrivalled performance” with the user-friendly TauREX survey, installation, commissioning and maintenance software, Taurus brings a step-change to the wireless sector.

The range is fully certified to EN54 and fully compliant with BS 5839 Part 1. Standard addressable or conventional fire panels are wired via a loop to translators, from which wireless devices can then be used on their own to build fully wireless systems of virtually any size, or otherwise mixed with Hyfire wired products to provide seamless hybrid solutions, thereby offering total flexibility for specifiers and installers.

Ollie Murray, regional sales manager at Hyfire, told Fire Safety Matters: “Since the launch of Taurus earlier in 2021, more and more installers have been discovering the benefits that wireless fire devices can offer. This is just one example of a project where fire system installations are made simpler and quicker, which is particularly beneficial in situations where buildings remain occupied. Whereas the upfront cost of the unit may be a little higher, the savings on the running of wiring loops and ‘making good’ post-installation are also considerable. The cost-benefit analysis in favour of using wireless is highly favourable, and that’s before you even consider the other benefits.”

All of Hyfire’s products are developed in Trieste, “the global centre” for wireless fire device design. The Taurus range includes all devices required to build a fully wireless commercial fire system, including optical, multi-criteria and heat detectors, manual Call Points, wall sounders, sounder bases and output/input modules.

The Taurus translator can process up to 128 devices, with expanders that can extend the range of the system by up to 1 km in open air. This effectively means that the scale of the system is limited only by the number of devices that the fire panel can handle.

Extensive operation

Tony Ulasi, development manager at FirstPort, said: “Installing a new fire system across these four landmark towers is a huge operation. We needed to work closely with a trusted supplier that could provide a cost-effective solution, while going ‘above and beyond’ to minimise disruption to our tenants during the pandemic. From the beginning of the project, Gemini AMPM ticked all the boxes, from product selection through to design and installation. As a result, we have been able to prioritise safety, while achieving considerable cost savings.”

Hyfire was launched in 2007, bringing to market some of the first commercial wireless detection and alarm devices fully certified to EN54. Since then, the Hyfire brand has become synonymous with quality, reliability and innovation in the commercial fire sector.

Hyfire’s Taurus devices are available for Advanced or Kentec fire panels and are supplied with a five-year warranty, backed up by a dedicated partner programme, in order to ensure the best survey, installation and commissioning, as well as excellent after-sales service and exceptional technical support.

*Further information is available online at www.hyfirewireless.com