Elevator Recall Programming for Fire Alarm

Are you up to speed with fire alarm systems in relation to elevator recall and elevator shunt trip? If not, check out this article titled Elevator Recall and Shunt Trip Basics.

Easy Way to Breakdown Elevator Recall and Shunt Trip Programming

Now that we know what elevator recall is all about, lets move on to programming basics for fire alarm systems.  The best way to start this process is to write down all of your fire alarm devices associated with the elevator recall functions.  Make a list running vertical (top to bottom) of all the smoke detectors and heat detectors used for these functions.  Example below:

1 - 1st floor elevator lobby smoke detector
2 - 1st floor elevator machine room smoke detector
3 - 1st floor elevator machine room heat detector
4 - 2nd floor elevator lobby smoke detector
5 - 3rd floor elevator lobby smoke detector
6 - 4th floor elevator lobby smoke detector
7 - Elevator hoistway smoke detector
8 - Elevator hoistway heat detector
9 - Designated elevator recall relay
10 - Alternate elevator recall relay
11 - Shunt trip relay
12 - Elevator battery back-up relay
13 - Elevator fireman's hat light relay

Now that we have all of our fire alarm devices associated with the elevator recall functions written down, it's time to place them in groups or zones.  This is the process that tells the fire alarm control panel what to do in the event one of these devices is activated.

As stated in one of our previous articles,  we know that the smoke detectors on all floors other than the first floor will send the elevator the the 1st floor.  We also know that the smoke detectors on the first floor will send the elevator to the second floor.  And last the heat detectors will activate the shunt trip and battery back-up and the elevator hoistway and elevator machine room smoke detectors will activate the fireman's hat light or visual warning per NFPA 72 2016 21.3.13.3.  To make this simple we are going to use 5 different zones (1 = general alarm, 2 = primary elevator recall, 3 = secondary elevator recall, 4 = shunt trip/battery back-up, and 5 = fire fighters hat light).

With that said, take your list above and write down the zones or groups for each point next to the device description.  Also make note of which devices are inputs and outputs.

Elevator Recall and Shunt Trip Programming Zones

1 - 1st floor elevator lobby smoke detector (input) -------- 1,3
2 - 1st floor elevator equipment room smoke detector (input) -------- 1,3,5
3 - 1st floor elevator machine room heat detector (input) -------- 1,4,5
4 - 2nd floor elevator lobby smoke detector (input) -------- 1,2
5 - 3rd floor elevator lobby smoke detector (input) -------- 1,2
6 - 4th floor elevator lobby smoke detector (input) -------- 1,2
7 - Elevator hoistway smoke detector (input) -------- 1,2,5
8 - Elevator hoistway or pit heat detector (input) -------- 1,4,5
9 - Designated elevator recall relay (output) -------- 2
10 - Alternate elevator recall relay (output) -------- 3
11 - Shunt trip relay (output) -------- 4
12 - Elevator battery back-up relay (output) -------- 4
13 - Elevator fireman's hat light relay (output) -------- 5

Now that you have it all written out it makes it a lot easier to program.  Hope this helps.  If you have questions regarding elevator recall be sure to post a comment or email us.