Cabling Guide of GST Fire Alarm System
V1.0
This user guide is only to provide onsite assistance of system commissioning. This is
NOT an OFFICIAL document of GST. In case of any conflict with other documents, the
documents officially issued by Gulf Security Technology co. ltd. shall prevail.
CONTENTS
1. GST Cabling system................................................................................................................ 2
2. Network ................................................................................................................................... 2
3. Loop ........................................................................................................................................ 4
4. RS485 Line.............................................................................................................................. 5
5. RS232 Line.............................................................................................................................. 6
6. Conventional outputs and 3 rd party integration ......................................................................... 6
1
1. GST CABLING SYSTEM
The cabling system of GST intelligent fire alarm system includes: Network cabling, loop cabling, RS485
cabling, RS232 cabling, conventional output and 3rd party integration.
2. NETWORK
The network links multiple panel together. Each panel can work individually. The alarm and fault
messages will be shared. Commands can be sent from one panel to others for reset, silence, disable
and enable operations.
2.1 Network topologic
GST network is Class-A type, to ensure messages and commands can still be transferred even there
is cable break among network. In case the Class-A connection cannot be achieved, the link from the
first panel to last panel can be removed.
Branch connection is not accepted. If required, a HUB can help.
The distance between neighbor panels for CAN network is 3000 meters. It is 1000 meters for RS485
network.
Any part of the network can be replaced by Fiber-optic cable to transfer signals in fiber-optic type. A
converter is required in both ends. There isn’t special requirement on the converter and fiber-optic
cable, usual products can be found from local market are suitable.
2
Below schematic is based on CAN network. The RS485 network is similar.
CAN Class-A Network
CAN Fiber-optic Network
Panel 1
CANL CANH
Panel 2
CANL CANH
Panel 3
CAN Hub
CANL CANH
1H
H
1L ……
L 2H
2L ……
......
Panel n
nH
nL
CANL CANH
CAN Hub Branch Connection
3
2.2 Points
2.2.1 The network distance and communication quality depend on line impedance matching,
insulation and environmental electromagnetic interference. The recommended cable is slow-
twisted twisted-pair cable with a cross-section above 1.0 mm 2. If there is shield layer, single
end grounding can be used to improve communication quality. The nominal distance is 1000
meters for RS485, 3000 meters for CAN.
2.2.2 The GST network is peer-to-peer mode, with no master-slave division.
2.2.3 Insulation requirement: higher than 200MΩ between cable and earth, higher than 20MΩ
between the cores.
3. LOOP
3.1 The Loop Topologic
The GST intelligent loop is Class-A type to ensure communication reliability. Branch connection (T
junction and other type of branches) is also acceptable, but the circuit other than the main ring cannot
obtain the advantages of Class-A connection, so unless limited by the environment, only one ring
connection is recommended.
3.2 Points
3.2.1 The loop length and communication quality depend on line impedance matching, insulation
and environmental electromagnetic interference. The recommended cable is slow-twisted
twisted-pair cable with a cross-section above 1.0 mm2. Less device quantity and thicker cable
cross-section can increase the loop length. The nominal loop length is 1200 meters.
3.2.2 Insulation requirement: higher than 200MΩ between cable and earth, higher than 20MΩ
between the cores.
4
3.2.3 Resistance between 2-core of the loop depends on device types and quantity. Usually it should
be no less than 1kΩ.
3.2.4 The loop load capacity is 300mA. The P-9903 loop relay can be used to extend loop load
capacity and loop distance.
3.2.5 All GST addressable devices are sitting on the same loop. Usually the terminals are marked
as “Z”. Most devices are non-polarized type, the terminal marks are Z1 & Z2. For polarized
devices, the marks will be Z+ & Z-.
3.2.6 The most frequently problem for the loop is unstable device register, irregular false alarm of
fire and fault. In most cases, this is due to poor insulation caused by line to line or line to ground
immersion. Generally, it can be determined by measuring the positive and negative
impedances between lines and between line and ground. If the difference between positive
and negative impedance is higher than 30%. Please check the cable conditions. Below sheet
is for reference (if there are isolators in the loop, please bypass the isolators).
Impendence between Red to Black Black to Red
lines
Impendence between Red to Ground Ground to Red
line and Ground
Impendence between Black to Ground Ground to Black
line and Ground
4. RS485 LINE
GST intelligent fire alarm control panel connects repeaters through RS485 Class-B line.
RS485 repeater line capacity is 64 (10 for GST200 series panels). All repeaters in same line should
take different addresses.
GST-IFP8 panel requires a repeater card to provide this line, well other panels contain integrated
repeater port.
This line is Class-B type, nominal distance is 1000 meters. The recommended cable is slow-twisted
twisted-pair cable with a cross-section above 1.0 mm 2.
5
5. RS232 LINE
The intelligent fire alarm control panel connects computer through RS232 cable. The pc can be used
for system commissioning (GST-DEF software) and/or graphic alarm display (GST-GMC software).
The current communication cards provide a RS232 port and a USB port, both can communicate with
pc. Due to the protocol issue, the USB port is not suitable for 7*24 continuous monitor communication.
It may cause failure of automatic recovery after communication break, so the RS232 link should be
used when connecting GMC. If there is no COM port on the computer, USB to serial converter can be
applied.
6. CONVENTIONAL OUTPUTS AND 3RD PARTY INTEGRATION
GST fire alarm control panel contains several outputs for connecting conventional notification devices
and/or firefighting equipment. Some ports for 3rd party integration are available. These ports usually
provide 2 types of connections, single or both.
Dry-contact output without line monitor, NO/NC contact.
Active output with line monitor function. When this type of output not activated, the connected line will
be monitored for fault of open circuit and short circuit. The detection method is to apply a reversed
voltage on the line. Due to the existence of end of line resistor, a feedback voltage will be presented
on the output port, it will be used to determine the circuit status. For non-polarized and low resistance
equipment (such as relay coil), a diode needs to be connected in series to "transform" it into a polarized
equipment. The schematic is shown as below.
4.7K
The recommended cable is cross-section not less than 1.0 mm2 with length no more than 100 meters.
The recommended diode is 1N4007, by which reverse voltage not less than 50V, allowance current
not less than 5A.
