How To | Integrate MP-M with Fire Alarm Contact Closure

Learn how to connect a MP-M system to a Fire Alarm Contact Closure for seamless alarm integration.

Updated at May 11th, 2023

Procedure


MP-M Integration with Fire Alarm Contact Closure: MP-M80 / MP-M40 / MP Install

The MP-M has two GPI (General Purpose Input) connections. Each connection has an "OPEN" and a "CLOSED" state. This is meant to be wired to a fire alarm panel that has a contact closure. The alarm will have either a "Normal Open" or a "Normal Close" state meaning that the contact on the alarm panel will either be open or closed in normal operation. The intent is that when the alarm is triggered, the contact closure on the alarm panel changes from its "Normal" state to the opposite state and therefore triggers the GPI to respond to the new state.
 


What this means for the MP-M

Since there are two GPI connectors and two states for each connector, there are a total of four possible options that can occur. Decide which GPI connector you want to use (GPI1 or GPI2) and figure out what the normal state is for the fire alarm panel. You then need to save a scene that can be recalled during the "Normal" state and then a scene to be recalled when the alarm is triggered and the contact closure changes states.

 

To save the scene on the MP-M...

  • Set the mixer up for normal operation
  • Navigate Menu > Scene and click Save / Save As
  • Enter a name for that scene... example... "Alarm OFF"
  • Select which channels are to be affected by the scene.
  • Click Save to save the scene.
  • Set the mixer up for when the alarm is active.
  • Repeat the Save Process... change the name to "Alarm ON".

Once the scenes are saved, assign those scenes to a GPI position. As an example, the alarm panel may have a "Normal Close" position. Therefore, you will want to assign the scene titled "Alarm OFF" to the GPI1 or GPI2 CLOSE. Next, assign the scene titled "Alarm ON" to the same GPI connector used but use the opposite state... GPI1 or GPI2 OPEN.
 

To assign the scene to the GPI connector...

  • Navigate Menu > GPI Setup
  • Select the appropriate GPI connection on the top of the screen. 

    Note

    The same GPI connector should used for the OPEN and CLOSED states.

     
  • Enable the RECALL function for the selected GPI 
  • Title the GPI function
  • Select the Scene to be recalled.
  • Repeat for the Second scenes

You can now test the GPI states by shorting the associated GPI pin to ground to verify that the scene assigned to the CLOSE is being recalled correctly. Once the scene is recalled, you can now separate the GPI pin from ground creating an OPEN. Verify the scene assigned to the OPEN is being recalled correctly.