Long Recalled Chemetronics 601 Series Fire Alarm Heat Detectors . Thousands of them still out there causing issues becuse they will not activate a fire alarm.

When a Smoke Detector can not be used in certain rooms and areas  the trusty Heat detector is used instead.

Unfortunately one very popular brand Heat Detector  at the time made in1980s thru 90s and by the thousands  by Chemetronics Inc.  has a very dangerous flaw to it where it allows the terminals where wiring is attached to pop off its mounting base and then no protection is the result often time the Fire Alarm Panel is not even made aware of the dangerous condition.  as the circuit is not broken to allow a trouble condition at panel.

http://www.globalfirecontrol.com/media/uploads/product/12348b0cd802d3bd3d6e61d611cdf299.pdf

 

As can be seen in the photo above the brass connector plate for wiring has popped off by itself and
in this case was causing a false alarm every time a train came by this factory on Neville Island Pa.  and vibrated the brass connection against the steel beam .

Part of the problem also is these where private labeled and sold under many different names . Chemetronics is no longer in business and may have been bought out. 

Needless to say every one of these units will be changed in this plant ,but there are thousands more out there with this same potential and when called on will not cause an alarm condition.
I notified the Consumer Products Safety Commission  about these units almost 20 years ago . and not only are these units still out there thousands of an earlier version of Chemetronics heat detectors where recalled back in mid 90s and I am still finding them on jobs and removing them took 2 out last year.

https://cpsc.gov/Recalls/1997/cpsc-chemetronics-caribe-inc-announce-recall-of-heat-detectors

But this is not the only problem there are many smoke detectors and smoke alarms on recall as well siting in homes and business still being used as well. 

Big ASS Fans a new trend in Warehouses and Auditoriums that requires careful code conciderations

Big Ass fans as they are commonly known and one company actually sells them under that name  are a popular way to move large amounts of air to help keep large spaces cool in summer and warm in winter . think of a paddle fan but these units have 6 foot blades on them and operate on 230 to 480 volt Three Phase power .Like the unit in Picture below.

 One of the problems with these big fans is because of the amount of air they move they need to be shut down during a Fire Event so most have a built in jumper you remove and connect in a relay from fire system to shut it down and lock it out when fire alarm activates.As you can see in picture below the red fire wire connected to the Power Flex " Variable Frequency Drive " which I recently wired in at a warehouse .

Because of the extreme force these fans produce careful consideration must also be made to insure personnel do not get close enough to be struck by the blades even though they do not move real fast they do have a lot of power behind them and I do not know if they have a break away clutch feature.
But you can bet as effective as they are the word is spreading and you will be seeing more of them in the future .