This is a quick walkthrough of how to properly connect your laptop computer to the Gamewell 600 Series
addressable fire alarm panel via
Hyperterminal. This is a great tool to use when testing since you can capture the data and save it to a text (.txt) file. When your fire alarm inspection is complete you simply print out the text file and away you go. For a video demonstration click
here.
Hyperterminal is also a great tool to use if you need to pull additional information out of the Gamewell 600 Series addressable fire control panel. For example; today I connected my laptop to the SIM card on the fire control panel and was able to upload all of the sensitivity reports for the photoelectric smoke detectors. This is a great diagnostic tool and is a nice piece of information to provide to your customer.
Before you connect the laptop to the fire control panel via the SIM 232 card you must remove the fire alarm annunciator and SANs cards if applicable. Once connected, open up Hyperterminal on your laptop and select the Hyperterminal Profile you have created for the Gamewell 600 series addressable fire alarm control panels and hit enter on the computer.
The laptop should have a display like the picture shown here. Hyperterminal basically displays the control panel's view directly to your laptop screen. From here you can control the fire alarm panel with the keyboard on your laptop.
The Gamewell 600 Series addressable fire alarm panel will show the following display: "Programming Mode Entered Remotely Please Wait For Release".
Once you have successfully connected to the panel you can select "transfer" and then "cature" on the top tool bar in Hyperterminal. This will save all of the on screen data to a test file in your designated location.
The proper Gamewell 600 Series, FCI 7100 Series and FCI E3 Series settings for
Hyperterminal can be found here.
Related Posts : FCI E3 with Hyperterminal,
gamewell 600 series,
Hyperterminal,
Hyperterminal Settings
how to build an upload cable?
ReplyDeletethanks in advance
I will creat a post on this topic soon. Thanks for the suggestion. Keep checking back for more info. I also have a Facebook page titled "Fire Alarm Answers" You can find a lot of great info there as well.
ReplyDeletethanks for your response and congratulations for your blog
ReplyDeleteCan you use this software to make programming changes?
ReplyDeleteThank you in advance
HI!
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I was looking for! I am still a bit confused though...can you tell me the physical connection? From your laptop to what port? I am working on an IF610. and I have a usb to serial converter is this ok? If you would be so kind...let me ask some other things...Do I remove the annun. and other board then power up system with laptop connected?
maybe run thru this for me again? Thank you so much.
The serial to USB connector is fine. Gamewell recommends the Keyspan brand. Always disconnect anything on the communications portion of the IF610 (RAN annunciator, SAN LED driver, etc.) before connecting the laptop to the panel. Connection is from laptop serial port to the IF610 232 port. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeletewell Fire Guy I am close, but not there yet. Today I tried to connect and all I could get was trash on my screen. I will see if I can go thru this and you let me know if you see any thing I may be missing. First of all I am using the usb to serial adapter I use for my Napco panels. I then have the serial to 6-pin phone connection. I then plug a cord from there to J5 on the board. Now J5 is right next to the annun. plug. It is like a rj11 plug only smaller. A telephone handset cord fits this perfectly. This board also has a ribbon cable from the CPU board and a ribbon cable from a board with 4 slc ckts. on it. I removed the annun. and the ribbon cable to the slc board. Is this good so far?
ReplyDeleteI have com1 set for 8-N-1 xon/xoff.
I have hyperterminal set up the same, 8-N-1 xon/xoff. with terminal Emul. at VT100. What am I missing or doing wrong? Better drawings from Gamewell would help but I don't have them. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
It sounds right other than the ribbon cable to the slc board. You do not need to disconnect that cable. Simply remove the plug for the annunciator (lower left corner) and plug in your gamewell programming cable. Double check your hyper terminal settings and you should be golden. What operating system are you running on your laptop?
ReplyDeleteI'm running XP...I don't have a Gamewell programming cable. can I make one? ...are you telling me to plug into where the annunciator was? or the little phone jack beside it...right in the corner? I really Thank you for your time and help....this is one of those things that I know will work, I just have to get all the ducks in the right order in the row!!! and it has become a thing with me!!
ReplyDeleteXP is perfect as it is standard with Hyper Terminal. If using newer Windows software (Vista or 7) you would need to get a stand alone hyper terminal type program. Yes you can make a cable for gamewell if you know the correct pin call outs and yes you need to insert the programming cable into the phone jack type connector next to the annunciator plug.
ReplyDeleteNo....I don't know the pin call outs....can I order a cable from you? It sounds like this is my problem cause all of the programming seems correct. Or do you know the pin layout?
ReplyDeleteI have a couple extras at my shop. The part number is 71332 and I get you one for $50.00. You can pay throught the donate section of this site located at the top of the page. Make sure to include your shipping address. Or just email me your paypal address and I'll send you an invoice.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds great...I will contact you again on Monday when I get back to the office...on the way to Chattanooga for another NICET exam Sat. I really like your blog...it has tons of great info!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the support and good luck with your NICET exam. What level are you going for? Have you seen my NICET CD packed with great info? Also please help me spread the word on this new blog. If you have any co-workers or friends that are into this field let them know. Thanks again and try not to have too much fun in that exam!
ReplyDeleteThis exam I took Sat. should get me level 2- but it had lots of level 3 elements as well, so my next exam ought to get me all of 3 and most of 4.
ReplyDeleteI just made that donation for the gamewell cable (71332)
I put the shipping address in there to. If you need anything, just send me an email.
Thanks!
Well Fire Guy I am back at my Gamewell 610 panel and I need some help! I lost yer email address when my computer crashed.... :(
ReplyDeleteI have sucessfully coonected to the panel but my problem starts there...it says in yer blog that you can control the panel from your keyboard. I do not know what to type in to do that....how do you enter the progam mode? how to enter the password: 4444? If I do it on the panel it says 'remote program entered, please wait'.Status:FAULT 04/08/11 09:04
Remote Annunciators Not Responding
?
Status:ACK 04/08/11 09:04
System Acknowledged
?
Programming Mode Entered Remotely
Please Wait For Release
Status:RESET 04/08/11 09:05
Commencing System Reset
?
Status:NORMAL 04/08/11 09:05
System Idle
P44?
Status:FAULT 04/408/11 09:07
Remote Annunciators Not Responding
Status:ACK 04/08/11 09:07
System Acknowledged
So this is what I see.....what now?
can you respond to : Puterjoe@gmail.com
Thanks!
You should be able to hit the enter key on your laptop and enter the 4444 factory default code. If you are getting the ? and no success then I recommend flashing the panel with the newest firmware and trying again. Also make sure you are using a Key Span USA-19HS USB to Serial adapter.
ReplyDelete