SA-6 Area Alarm

Medical Gas Pipeline Area Alarm System

Features

The SA-6 Area Alarm is a simple, robust and proven medical gas monitoring system designed for long-term reliability and ease of installation.

• Monitors high and low pipeline pressure (low only for vacuum)
• Cable integrity monitoring between pressure switches and alarm panel
• Compatible with termination boards or direct connection
• Configurable for operation with or without termination boards
• Master–Repeater capability (up to 2 Repeater panels)
• Fully HTM 02-01 compliant
• Backwards PCB compatibility across product generations
• Designed for long service life and ease of maintenance

Since its introduction over 30 years ago, the SA-6 Area Alarm has been re-issued on a number of occasions. Each revision has maintained PCB compatibility with previous versions, ensuring continuity for installed systems.

With over 30,000 units installed worldwide, the SA-6 is widely regarded as the industry standard for ward-level gas monitoring. Shire Controls continues to manufacture and support the SA-6 with no plans to de-list the product.

Application

The SA-6 Area Alarm is used to monitor medical gas pipeline pressure within wards, theatres and clinical areas.

Pressure switches are installed downstream of the final AVSU and monitor:

• High pressure
• Low pressure
• Vacuum (low pressure only)

The system continuously monitors the integrity of the cabling between the pressure switches and the alarm panel. A cable fault will result in:

• A system fault alarm
• The affected gas condition(s) entering alarm state

Connection

The simple analogue design allows inputs to be connected via end-of-line termination units or directly from contact sources.

A multi-core cable is run from the end-of-line transmitter (or pressure switch) to the alarm panel, comprising:

• One common core
• One core per alarm condition being monitored

The SA-6 can be configured to operate:

• With termination boards (for cable integrity monitoring)
• Without termination boards (for installations where switches are local to the panel)

Please specify configuration requirements at time of order.

Termination Boards

To enable cable monitoring, a termination board must be installed as close as practical to the pressure switches.

Termination boards are supplied as:

• Bare PCB (standard supply – enclosure required on site)
• Optional boxed assembly
• Optional boxed assembly pre-fitted with pressure switch cables (reduces site installation time)

When the SA-6 is installed within a zone module or AVSU enclosure where the pressure switches are located in the same enclosure as the alarm panel, cable monitoring is not required, and termination boards are therefore not necessary.

Master–Repeater Configuration

The SA-6 supports a master–repeater configuration:

• Maximum of 2 repeater panels per master
• 3-core screened cable (minimum 0.5mm²)
• Maximum system cable length: 100 metres

If two repeaters are used, the wiring must be:

Master → Repeater 1 → Repeater 2

Installation Requirements

Installation must be carried out by competent personnel in accordance with HTM 02-01 and local regulations.

Electrical Supply

• 230V AC supply
• Fused at 3 amps
• Fed from the essential (emergency) supply

Signal Cabling

• Screened cable (minimum 0.5mm²)
• One core per alarm condition plus common
• All cable screens must be earthed at BOTH ends

Optional Equipment

• Termination Boxes (available as optional extra)

Equipment Warranty

Standard Warranty
Alarms returned to our works which have failed due to faulty parts or manufacture will be repaired or replaced without charge for parts and labour.

10-Year Compatibility Warranty
Install the SA-6 with confidence. Equipment will remain available to modify or extend the system for at least 10 years from installation.

Compliance

HTM 02-01 ✔
ISO 13485 ✔
EN ISO 7396-1 ✔
IEC 62304 (Class A) ✔
UK MDR / EU MDR ✔