For many Fire Alarm companies and DAS Installation companies, the end of the year sees a slowdown. In fact, for most construction and in-building integration companies there tends to be a slowdown in business, projects and opportunities. End of year budget reviews, next year planning, colder weather and winter holidays all play their part in this reduction in activity. So, what can you do to supplement this drop in business to help close your year on a positive note?
As an ERCES provider, one of the things you can do is your annual inspections. Every ERCES needs to be inspected yearly for a few data points, and this is a great time to catch up on these inspections, many of which have certainly been pushed back to accommodate the completion of other projects. While these may not require a multitude of staff to complete, it will at least fill out the work schedule as other factors reduce activity.
Annual inspections are laid out and specified in NFPA 1225 20.3.10.2.3.2 and includes eight data points. Conducting one quantitative DAQ (delivered audio quality) test on each floor is one of the points. If the floor is larger than 128,000sqft, more than one point must be tested.
The BDA, called "signal booster" in some code language, must be tested as well. This test is meant to verify that the gain of the BDA is the same as it was during the initial installation or set to optimize the performance of the system. This can be checked via the software interface of the BDA. On the Guardian series, this would either be a Web GUI or the Sentry Client software, with a laptop being required on site for both methods. This is NOT a test to check if the output power of the BDA, whether uplink of downlink, is consistent with what it was upon initial installation. For a test like that, you would need a spectrum analyzer, inline attenuators and end-or-line resistors with at least enough resistance for the BDA's maximum output power.
The batteries of the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) or Battery Backup (BBU) need to be tested as well. The batteries, according to NFPA code, need to be tested under load for a period of one hour.
If your ERCES is an active system, including fiber and remote units (RU), the active components will also need to be tested. The code lays out that these active components need to be checked to verify their operation is within the manufacturer's published specifications. These specifications can be found on most manufacture websites, or possibly on your distributor's product pages.
The ERCES does include connections to the building's fire alarm panel, so upon annual inspection, the alarm triggers must also be tested. There are five or six alarms to be tested depending on an active or passive ERCES being deployed. Antenna Failure, BDA Failure, Battery Charger Fail, Low Battery, AC Power Fail, System Active Component Failure and Active RF Component Failure are the alarms called out in NFPA code. Be sure to refer to the manufacturer's specifications to verify how these alarms should be triggered.
You'll need a spectrum analyzer to check for spurious emissions that might have grown during the year. Spurious emissions are unwanted radio signals that are broadcast by a transmitter and may be amplified by the BDA. Utilizing a spectrum analyzer will help you identify if any spurious emissions are present on the RF spectrum.
An isolation test must also be performed to ensure that there is still at least 20dB of antenna isolation in the ERCES. The isolation must be at least 20dB greater than the gain setting on the BDA. The ensures that the system does not create feedback or oscillation which negatively impacts the entire public safety radio network that the BDA is meant to support.
The final test isn't so much a "test" as it is an observation. According to code, an inspection shall be made to evaluate if the building structural changes or alternations that have been made impact the communications coverage of the system. So, if additions to the interior structure have been made, a full grid test may be required to verify that the building still has adequate coverage with these inclusions accounted for.
As we close out the year, there is still work to be done. Annual ERCES tests are a great way to fill up your schedule and diversify your work load. PotterERCES provides NICET prep, GROL certification and Manufacturer's Certification and our schedule for 2026 is posted and available for registration. Find our schedule at the link below. Happy Holidays from Potter ERCES, and may 2026 be full and prosperous.
