VESDA VESDA-E VEA - Walk Test

Commissioning Guide VESDA-E VEA
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This step satisfies NFPA 72 smoke test requirement of testing longest tube on an ASD system. It is not
necessary to test every sampling point for smoke test as explained in section 3. Ensure that the transport
time is within the limits specified in VESDA-E VEA Installation Sheet (Document # 27679), reproduced
below:
Transport time is determined by the length of the microbore tubes used on the detector. There is no
provision for the user to adjust the transport time and there is no tube modelling tool required for VEA.
The transport time is given in the table below for various tube lengths.
Maximum Tube Length
Longest Transport Time
30m (98ft)
40 seconds
40m (131ft)
46 seconds
50m (164ft)
53 seconds
60m (197ft)
60 seconds
70m (230ft)
67 seconds
80m (262ft)
74 seconds
90m (295ft)
82 seconds
100m (328ft)
90 seconds
3. If any specific performance test is required by the local authority having jurisdiction, design an
appropriate test in consultation with Xtralis.
4.4 Walk Test
The Walk test function allows the user to quickly perform a smoke test for a selected series of sampling points.
Using Walk Test to perform a smoke test on a number of tubes is faster than using the detector’s normal
operating mode. Walk test on a VEA is similar to a fire panel walk test when each sampling point is required
to be smoke tested.
When VEA is protecting many individual physically separated locations Walk test is recommended during
commissioning to ensure that sample points are correctly mapped to the VEA tubes. This is a one time process
and does not need to be repeated until the mapping between the sampling points and the tubes is changed.
As an example if the VEA tubes are configured as shown in the table below, it is important to ensure that when
there is smoke event in either Office 1 or other sampling point locations it is correctly reported. Walk test is the
only way to ensure that this mapping is correct and sampling point location and tube numbers are not mixed
up. For instance, during Walk test if smoke is entered in to Office 1 sampling point and if VEA raises alarm for
Tube 2 it is clear that the mapping of Tube 1 to Office 1 sampling point is wrong.
Tube Number
Tube Name
1
Office 1
2
Office 2
3
Meeting room 1
4
Office 3
5
Office 4
6
Meeting room 2
7
Board room
8
Reception
On the other hand, if a VEA is protecting single large open space where addressability is not important Walk
test is optional and Smoke Test in section 4.2 may be sufficient.
Refer to the relevant product guide on how to perform this test.
Note: Walk test is only available in VEA firmware 5.30 or above, for previous firmware smoke test under
normal operation is the only mechanism available to ensure correct tube number to sampling point
location mapping.