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Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance Tips for Scorpion ASD

Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance Tips for Scorpion ASD

Posted in: Testing Product Support Training
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Safe, compliant, and repeatable ASD testing relies on the proper installation and commissioning of the Scorpion ASD remote smoke detector tester.

Whether you’re an experienced fire alarm engineer or new to Scorpion, the following tips will help guide you with your Scorpion ASD installation when used in conjunction with the Scorpion Manual.

1. Cabling

  • Always use solid 4-core cable for connecting Scorpion head units and components. Cable doesn’t need to be fire-rated; standard data cable, like Lapp-J-Y(ST)Y (or equivalent) works well.
  • Using data cable is not only cost-effective but easier to dress.
  • 1.5mm or 1mm diameter cable will give the maximum 100m cable run.
  • Note that only 3 of the 4 cores are used for Scorpion connections.
  • Ensure the user manual is followed to enable correct connections between the various Scorpion components.
Scorpion_Cabling.PNG

2. Cable Clips

  • Avoid plastic cable clips. Instead, opt for clips with a high melting point and fire resistance.
  • Recommended distance between cable clips is every 300mm on horizontal cable runs and every 400mm on vertical runs.
  • Competent installers should be familiar with these requirements.
  • Proper cable management ensures safety and compliance.

3. Fire Stopping

  • Whenever a cable passes through a wall, ensure appropriate fire stopping.
  • Compliance with local standards and regulations is crucial.
  • Fire stopping maintains fire compartmentation and prevents the spread of fire and smoke.

4. Understanding Transportation Time

  • Installer and Commissioning engineers of Scorpion Aspirating Smoke Detection (ASD) head units, need to understand what the transportation time for the given ASD system is. 
  • The ASD system designer carefully plans each installation to ensure optimal performance and having a basic  understanding of transportation times will help with correct choice of Scorpion ASD presenter during installation.
  • Transportation time refers to the duration it takes for smoke particles to travel from the sampling point to the ASD unit.
  • Scorpion presenters are ASD pipe attachments that are included in the Scorpion head kits and enable Scorpion to present smoke to one of two points on the ASD pipe run without interfering the ASD systems ability to detect smoke.
  • Typically, the system designer provides one transportation time, usually measured from the last sampling hole to the detector.
  • However, in some cases, an additional calculated transportation time is given from the maintenance point.
  • Certain makes of ASD systems do not have a maintenance point at the end of the pipe run.
  • The maintenance point will be further from the last sampling hole, resulting in a longer transportation time.
  • Installers must know the reference point for the given transportation times to ensure correct Scorpion ASD presenter installation.
  • The designed transportation time is confirmed during commissioning and should be recorded in the fire safety logbook.

5. Installation of the Scorpion ASD Head Unit

Follow the Scorpion Manual:

  • During this stage, the installer should meticulously follow the instructions provided in the Scorpion manual.
  • These guidelines ensure proper installation and functionality.

Keep the Head Unit Level:

  • Before attaching the Scorpion head unit to the mounting bracket, remove the smoke travel plug.
  • Once the smoke travel plug is removed, maintain the Scorpion head unit level with the ground.
  • This precaution prevents accidental spillage of the test fluid.

Sealed Head Units:

  • Scorpion head units are sealed, and smoke fluid cannot be refilled.
  • Each unit contains enough smoke fluid for 240 tests, typically covering the life of the smoke detector being tested.

Handle with Care:

  • Always handle the Scorpion ASD head unit without the travel plug carefully.
  • Spillage of smoke fluid during installation phase may necessitate a new Scorpion head unit and could render the Scorpion unusable.

ASD pipe diameter:

  • Scorpion ASD brackets and attachments are designed to be used on pipes with a diameter of 25mm or 3/4".
  • Scorpion ASD is not compatible with 6mm Microbore ASD systems or 100mm ADS N-12 HDPE.
Installing_the_Head_Unit.PNG

6. Which Scorpion ASD smoke presenters to use?

  • When installing a Scorpion ASD head unit, ensure the correct smoke presenter is fitted to present smoke to last sampling point or maintenance point in accordance with the ASD designers given transportation time measurement point.
  • The Scorpion ASD includes two smoke presenters
  • If the given design transportation time is from the last sample point, use the sampling point presenter.
  • If the transportation from the maintenance hole is also given, consider using the end cap presenter.
smoke_presenters.PNG

7. Dirt/Debris, Impact on Transportation Time

  • As an ASD pipe run is use over time, it can gradually accumulates dirt and debris around each sampling hole and throughout the length of the inside of pipe.
  • When dirt and debris accumulate in the ASD pipe or around the sampling hole, it can increase the transportation time.
  • Once transportation time exceeds the recommended limits (+/- 15% or +/- 3 seconds, whichever is the greater, compared to commissioning), the systems requires cleaning and service.
  • If a system filter is in place, it can also collect dirt and debris and requires regular maintenance.
  • Regular service and maintenance of an ASD system ensure correct and compliant performance, Testing with Scorpion will give repeatable, safe and compliant transportation time times and easily monitor the limits compare to commissioning. If it is outside limit, ASD manufacturers cleaning and service procedures will need to be followed.

8. Scorpion Controler - Smoke and Clear settings

  • The default Scorpion smoke generation and clear times are set to 15 seconds within the Scorpion controller.
  • The portable controller only has one set of figures that can be changed as it is connected to one Scorpion ASD at a time and can require change as it is used to test different ASD systems with different transportation times.
  • The fixed wall controller can hold up to 8 Smoke and clear time values, once set are saved. There should not be any reason to make changes after is commissioned correctly.
  • Adjustments to these values can be made to give optimum performance.
  • Try to use the minimum of smoke to generate an activation.
  • Smoke duration can be changed between 5 and 90 seconds and Clear can be changed between 10 to 60 seconds.
  • Longer pipe runs may require longer durations of smoke to cause activation.
  • When Commissioning a Scorpion ASD system that uses the portable controller, it is useful to display both the Transportation time and Smoke, Clear durations on a label attached to the appropriate Scorpion Access point for the give ASD head unit.  This information should also be included in the Fire Safety Logbook. This will assist with correct and compliant annual maintenance.

By following these tips and the instructions in the Scorpion user manual, you’ll achieve a compliantly installed and commission Scorpion ASD installation, that will enable safe, easy and repeatable transportation time tests to be carried out by the maintenance engineer for the life of the ASD system.

References

  • Scorpion Manual
  • FIA Design, Installation, Commissioning & Maintenance of Aspirating  smoke Detector (ASD) Systems Code of Practice
  • Detectortesters technical support: support@detectortesters.com
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