Fire Alarms

Fire Alarm Control Panels

Monaco offers a number of Fire Alarm Control Panels that are customer configurable to meet your specific applications. All are easily expandable, Factory Mutual Approved, and compatible with Monaco’s radio alarm system transceiver product lines.

See the Addressable Products section of our Web Site for information on the M-1 and M-2 Analog Addressable Panels.

Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panel


The Vulcan is a low voltage fire alarm control panel designed for use in local, auxiliary, remote station or proprietary signaling systems. This panel is easily expandable to meet your zone reporting needs. It has many outstanding features including:

  • Two Class B or one Class A zone with expansion capability 26 Class B or 13 Class A zones
  • Powered auxiliary output for each zone, turns on in alarm
  • Two Class B bell circuits, separately fused (see optional equipment for Class A modules)
  • Subsequent alarm feature provides bell circuit reactivation
  • Filtered power for two-wire and four-wire detectors and bell circuits
  • Municipal box or water flow alarm circuit
  • Form C auxiliary alarm and trouble contacts for connection to Monaco’s BT2 Transceivers or hard-wire transmitters
  • Includes battery charger; battery connection and ac to battery transfer relay supervised
  • Flush or surface mount options

Vulcan I Optional Panel Components

The Vulcan I was designed to allow you to easily customize it to meet your job requirements. Our standard optional panel components are identified here.

Zone Expansion Module

The Zone Expansion Module is used to expand the number of zones in the Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panel. Each module provides either two Class A or four Class B zones. By using the maximum number of Zone Expansion Modules possible (six modules), the Vulcan can be expanded to a total capacity of 26 Class B or 13 Class A zones.

  • Two Class A or Four Class B zones provided by each module
  • Up to six Zone Expansion Modules can be used in a Vulcan panel enclosure

Four Zone Alarm Interface Module

Used to provide individual detection loop alarm signaling to Monaco’s Radio Alarm System BT2 Transceivers. It mounts behind and receives signals from a Zone Expansion Module. The Vulcan I common auxiliary alarm contact is not used. The auxiliary trouble contact may still be used to signal zone and control panel troubles to a BT2 zone input. A Four Zone Alarm Interface may be field installed behind any Zone Expansion Module in a Vulcan I enclosure; the mounting hardware is provided with the Interface Module.

  • Provides alarm signaling to a BT2 for each Vulcan I Expansion Module zone
  • Mounts behind connected Zone Expansion Module – no additional enclosure space required
  • Can be added to existing Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panels

Zone Expansion Module and Four Zone Alarm/Trouble Interface

The Four Zone Alarm/Trouble Interface Module is used to provide individual detection loop alarm and trouble signaling to Monaco’s Radio Alarm System BT2 Transceivers. It mounts behind and receives signals from a Zone Expansion Module via a cable assembly soldered to the circuitry of the two Modules. The Interface Module includes an auxiliary trouble output for each zone to match the alarm device output provided on the Zone Expansion Module. The Zone Expansion Module and Four Zone Alarm/Trouble Interface Module must be installed as a set. They may be used to add zones to an existing Vulcan I, provided there is room, or to replace an existing Zone Expansion Module.

  • Provides alarm and trouble signaling to a BT2 for each Vulcan I Expansion Module Zone
  • Includes zone trouble auxiliary device outputs
  • Expansion Module and 4 Zone Alarm/Trouble Interface integrated into a single board set

Verification Module

The Verification Module is designed to prevent nuisance alarms which are initiated by smoke detectors due to transient conditions. It is connected in series with Vulcan I Zone Expansion Modules. All alarms for zones on Zone Expansion Modules after the Verification Module will be verified before they are indicated and reported. The zones on the Vulcan I main PCB assembly and on Zone Expansion Modules between the main PCB assembly and the Verification Module are not verified. This flexibility allows some zones or areas of a building to have alarms verified without affecting the immediate activation of alarms for other zones.

  • User adjustable reset and confirmation intervals
  • Does not affect alarm initiation on non-verified zones
  • Verifies loop powered and non-loop powered detectors
  • Allows unverified and verified Zone Expansion Modules on one Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panel
  • May be added to existing Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panels

Class A Audible Circuit Module

Class A Audible Circuit Modules may be connected to the Vulcan I Class B bell circuits to convert them to Class A circuits. (One module is required for each circuit.) Up to one amp of current is available for each Class A circuit. The Class A Audible Circuit Modules are mounted in the Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panel. When indicating appliances (bells, horns, strobes, etc.) are connected to a Class A Audible Circuit Module, they will remain operable with a single open or ground condition in the circuit. A trouble results from either of these conditions or a wire-to-wire short. A circuit supervision end-of-line resistor is provided on the Class A Audible Circuit Module.

  • Provides Class A (NFPA 72 Style Z) indicating appliance circuit operation
  • Circuit supervision end-of-line resistor built in
  • Connection to Vulcan I is supervised
  • Includes all hardware and interconnecting wiring for field installation

BT2 Transmitter Disconnect Switch

The Transmitter Disconnect Switch is mounted in the Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panel and connected between the auxiliary alarm/trouble relays and a BT2 zone input. (It may not be used with individual zone reporting options.) During normal operation, the Disconnect Switch is in the AUTO position. When transmissions to the D-700/D-500 Plus need to be inhibited during Vulcan I testing or maintenance, the Transmitter Disconnect is manually switched OFF. This disconnects the circuit between the Vulcan I and the BT2 zone input; supervision of the circuit remains intact with the end-of-line resistor that is included in the Transmitter Disconnect Switch. A panel trouble exists while the loop is disconnected.

  • Prevents transmission of signals during local alarm system testing and maintenance
  • A trouble is reported when the switch is activated
  • Easy manual override of auxiliary alarm and trouble signals to Radio Alarm System BT2 Building Transceivers

Drill Switch

The Drill Switch is mounted in the Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panel and connected in one of the two Class B bell circuits. During normal operation, the Drill Switch is in the AUTO position and does not affect bell circuit operation. Moving the Drill Switch to the DRILL position routes Vulcan I auxiliary power to the bell circuit; turning on the indicating appliances on the circuit without placing the control panel in alarm. The circuit remains active as long as the Drill Switch is held in the DRILL position; when the switch is released, the circuit automatically returns to normal operation. During activation, a panel trouble exists.

  • Easy manual activation of one bell circuit
  • May be used for fire drill procedures and/or circuit testing
  • A trouble is reported when the switch is activated
  • May be added to existing Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panels

HVAC Disconnect Switch

The HVAC Disconnect Switch is mounted in the Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panel and connected to the auxiliary alarm output which interfaces the panel to the HVAC controls. The HVAC control relay is also connected to the Disconnect Switch. During normal operation, the HVAC Disconnect Switch is in the AUTO position, and does not affect operation of the signaling line circuit to the HVAC controls. During system testing or maintenance, the Disconnect Switch may be moved to the OFF position. This prevents the control relays from changing state during an alarm condition. While the signaling circuit is bypassed, a panel trouble exists.

  • Easy manual override of auxiliary alarm signal to HVAC control equipment
  • Prevents shutdown of air handling systems, exhaust fans, door and elevator controls, etc. during alarm system testing or maintenance
  • A trouble is reported when the switch is activated
  • May be added to existing Vulcan I Fire Alarm Control Panels

Battery Enclosure Assembly

Monaco’s Battery Enclosure Assembly provides for housing batteries separately from the control panel when there is insufficient space in the control panel enclosure and/or when additional battery capacity is needed. This enclosure is 18″ H x 12″ W x 6″ D and includes two each 12 Vdc, 26 AH batteries.

  • 26 ampere hour battery capacity
  • For use with control panels to provide storage location for batteries and/or to provide additional standby battery back- up
  • Utilizes battery charger circuitry from control panel or other sources
  • Includes locking door to prevent unauthorized access to batteries

Remote Power Supply

The Remote Power Supply is a compact, cost- effective, 6 amp power supply with battery charger. It may be connected to any 24 volt fire alarm control panel or may stand alone. Primary applications include Notification Appliance (Bell) Circuit expansion (to support ADA requirements) and support of 24 volt system accessory devices. The power supply provides regulated and filtered 24 Vdc power to four notification appliance circuits. Alternately, all outputs may be used in any combination of resettable/non-resettable power outputs. The power supply also contains a battery charger capable of charging up to 7.7 amp hour batteries (ordered separately).

  • Fully supervised power supply, battery and notification appliance circuits
  • Selectable AC trouble report – immediate, 8 hour delay, 16 hour delay
  • Capable of powering 4-wire smoke detectors
  • Output power circuits may be configured as resettable or non-resettable
  • Two Class B notification appliance circuits
  • Two additional circuits may be individually configured as Class B notification appliance circuits
  • Two input/control circuits (from control panel notification appliance circuits or jumper permanently on)