When trying to troubleshoot, keep in mind that all troubles are caused by shorts (or partial shorts) or opens (or partial opens). With the lightning hit, it sounds like there are many shorts and many opens.
Both the shorts and the opens can be in the cable of the SLC (Signaling Line Circuit) itself, but because the addressable devices have delicate electronics in them, lightning damages the devices. The devices may look OK, but inside the electronics, the devices are often damaged by lightning.
Also keep in mind that the trouble lights and trouble display on the fire alarm control panel are great to determine that there is a trouble, but won't be any real help determining where the trouble is located. Until there's voltage on the entire SLC building-wide circuit, use your voltmeter on the wires of the circuit.
When troubleshooting, use a voltmeter. An ohmmeter won't work with most troubles on the SLC. OK, an ohmmeter can tell you if there's a metal-to-metal short, but most other shorts on the SLC can't be detected by an ohmmeter because most shorts on the SLC, when there's been a lightning strike, are non-linear shorts. And the ohmmeter is totally useless when trying to see if an addressable device is shorted; the electronics inside the device is by far too complicated to be tested with an ohmmeter.
The SLC circuit carries signals between the panel and the addressable devices connected to the SLC, but one of the main purposes of the panel's SLC output is to supply power to the addressable portion of the devices. When troubleshooting the SLC, this power supply voltage is what you are looking for.
It's important to note that the SLC power supply in the control panel is very, very weak. It can be shorted out with a wet finger.
Troubleshooting a Lightning Struck, Building-Wide Fire Alarm System
Start by dividing the system. Separate the fire alarm panel from the rest of the building's SLC circuit. Sometimes, loose terminal screws on the panel prevent accurate readings on the voltmeter, so, for now, tighten the panel's SLC output screws. Because both ends of a Class A circuit connects to the panel, if the SLC is a Class A circuit, disconnect the Class A return for the SLC.
Also, some panels have a built-in delay between the time the short is removed from the SLC and the time the SLC power supply turns on its power. When there's zero voltage on the SLC while testing for voltage on the SLC, wait :30 seconds to a minute before assuming that the SLC is shorted out.
Check the Voltage on the SLC Output of the Panel
The first test is whether the control panel will even power the circuit. Disconnect the Class B wires, and the Class A wires (if they're there). Because sometimes loose screws give false results, tighten the SLC Class B and Class A screws on the panel.
Measure to see if there's voltage. If there's voltage, like 10 volts to 28 volts, the SLC power supply probably is working.
A properly working, two-wire SLC circuit will have extremely unstable voltage. Don't worry, it's supposed to be that way. The unsteady voltage means that data is being transferred between the panel and the devices.
If, after a minute, the voltage appears on then SLC, then at least the panel is providing power on the SLC.
From your point of view, though, getting the voltage from the panel to the devices is the important part.
Reconnect the SLC circuit to the panel, even if it shorts out the SLC. Then, starting near the panel, measure the voltage on the SLC circuit; look for voltage.
Remember, above all else, most of the lightning damage on the SLC is in the electronics of the devices. Not very often will lightning damage the wires of the SLC, only often enough to keep you on your toes.
Most of the rest of the troubleshooting will be powering-up the circuit: one section at a time, sometimes a single device at a time.
At any device location, if there's no voltage, split the circuit. Assume anything can be bad: the input wires, the device, the output wires. With lightning damage, just keep plodding along. Eventually, you'll get voltage to every device, all along the circuit.
Don't Mix Up the Devices
Each device is addressed so the panel know the location of each device. For the firefighters when the come to put out the fire, make sure each device stays in place so the panel can display the correct location.
Full Test of the Fire Alarm System
Once you've found and fixed the entire lightning damaged system, perform a full test, just like you would when first installing a fire alarm system. You want to know everything is working again, test everything because lightning can destroy so much.
Douglas Krantz
