Kentec’s new K-Mesh wireless technology installed in Chester Cathedral

K-Mesh, a wireless fire detection technology from Kentec Electronics, has been installed in Chester Cathedral, a building that can trace its roots back to 1093.

Brad Parker, Founder of Charles Thomas Heritage Fire Protection, was tasked with specifying and upgrading the wireless fire detection system previously installed in the Cathedral.

He opted for Kentec’s K-Mesh system, which claims to use self-healing and configuring Mesh technology to deliver optimum levels of reliability and performance. This, allegedly, makes it easy to use, install and commission – ultimately providing assurance that fire incidents and detected and communicated immediately.

A wireless translator module, which sit at the centre of the K-Mesh system, is hard-wired to the fire alarm control panel loop, and communicates with the wireless devices. Sensors are supplied in three variants: optical; thermal; and multi-criteria, with the optical and multi-criteria sensors featuring signal processing and double dust traps to prevent false alarms.

Thermal detectors can respond to a fixed temperature threshold or detect a rate of rise in temperature. Wireless sounders, call points and testing kits are also available within the range.

According to Kentec, K-Mesh has a 7–10-year battery life and is fully expandable and configurable.

Brad explains: “With the latest MESH technology, rather that one expander, we can have three, four or even five redundancy paths and the signal connects itself automatically to the strongest expander to create the MESH.”

Operations Manager at Charles Thomas Heritage Fire Protection, Byronn Alty, said: “The cathedral has an outbuilding with an old bell tower, so there needed to be a link between the two. This was an initial design challenge for us, but the new wireless MESH is just plug-and-play, and it was just great to see it working.

“Even having used it only once, my confidence with installing, programming and commissioning is now on a high, and proves how easy it is to use.”

Kevin Swann, Managing Director at Kentec Electronics, concluded: “We are very pleased and excited about our new K-Mesh system, and seeing it installed in such an important landmark is and honour and confirmation of our best practice.

“It is fast to install and less invasive to a building’s structure and all of us here at Kentec are committed to helping protect our heritage buildings and assets of national importance.”

If you’d like to find out more about Kentec Electronics’s fire safety range of products, be sure to visit stand FI1840 at FIREX International this 17-19 May at London’s ExCeL! Register for your free ticket, here >>

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