Douglas Krantz - Technical Writer - Describing How It Works

When Should Fire Alarm Batteries Be Replaced?

The average life of a battery used to keep a fire alarm system going in case of a power failure is 5 years. That means that half of the batteries are useless at the end of 5 years. Batteries should be replaced long before that.

When should standby batteies be replaced in a fire alarm system? Every Year? 2, 3,4, 5 years? Only when dead?
The NFPA Code indicates when to replace the batteries, but the NFPA Code only indicates the worst case scenario.


By Douglas Krantz

The 2007 NFPA72 shows in Table 10.4.4, Item 6(d)(1), that the sealed lead-acid batteries used for battery backup in fire alarm systems need to be replaced within 5 years of manufacture. The NFPA wants the batteries replaced because the battery capacity is down to about 80% by that time.

Battery capacity, the amount of amphours in a battery, changes over time. In the first few months after manufacture, the amphour capacity of the average battery increases a few percent. For several years, this capacity doesn't change much. Near the end of the battery's useful life, the amphour capacity starts to taper off. At 5 years, it's down to about 80% of rated capacity.

If the NFPA requires replacement at 5 years, why do most fire alarm service companies replace the batteries after 3 or 4 years?

The answer is timing.

At about the same time each year, fire alarm systems are inspected. Because the battery's stamped date code is the manufactures secret, the service company has to go by the date of installation, not by the date of manufacture.

The trouble is, after manufacture, it's usually a month or two before the batteries are installed in the first place. This month or two gets added to the NFPA's 5 years, making the total time more than 5 years from the date of installation.

Rather than figuring out the date code stamped on the battery, and then trying to time the replacement at exactly 5 years, most fire alarm service companies decide to replace the batteries after 3 or 4 years of service. That way, usually, the batteries are replaced before they go bad.




facpdoug@gmail.com
Index
Residential
Life Safety
Descriptions
Electronics
Maintenance
Suppression
This website uses cookies. See Privacy for details.
Fire Alarm Q&A Articles



No Charge - Unsubscribe Anytime


Make It Work Series of Books by Douglas Krantz
Free - Click and Download
Make It Work Series of Books by Douglas Krantz
Make It Work Series of Books by Douglas Krantz