TIL hotel lobbies need way more sensor coverage than I thought

I did a site walk at a Marriott in downtown Nashville last week and saw how they had their alarm zones laid out. The lobby had something like 15 glass break detectors because of all those floor to ceiling windows. It made me rethink how I scope commercial spaces for coverage instead of just throwing one sensor per wall. Anyone else find that open areas with big glass need a totally different strategy?

2 comments

2 Comments

markc841d ago

That bit about 15 glass break detectors for the lobby is exactly what I ran into last month at a Hilton garden inn. I was helping a buddy rough in his system and we had to triple the sensors compared to what I originally scoped because of those big windows and the open ceiling. The echo alone in those spaces messes with regular motion detectors so you end up needing way more coverage than you'd think. It's crazy how one open area with glass can totally change your whole plan from what you'd do in a normal office or apartment lobby.

the_dylan22h ago

Wait, were those 15 glass break detectors all in one lobby area? I thought glass break sensors could cover a pretty wide radius up to like 20-25 feet depending on the brand and how the glass is mounted. Maybe you could have gotten away with fewer if you positioned them right near the biggest panels and relied on good coverage from the rest.