The short version
- FireShield doesn't build a small system and a big system. It builds one system and sets it up for each house.
- A single FireShield controller handles up to 36 zones. Many controllers of this type top out at around 6 to 8 zones each.
- That matters because two controllers on one water supply don't know which zones the other is running, and they end up competing for the same water pressure.
- Foam and extra manifold sections can be added later without redoing the wiring or the plumbing. Satellite comes standard, as a module that can be upgraded later.
- If you're comparing systems, ask what changes if you add zones later.
This article is about how the controller is built, because that affects what it can do for you later.
The two ways to cover every size of house
Some houses need a few zones and some need many. There are two ways to cover all of them.
Build several models. A small, a medium and a large controller, each with its own parts and software. If you outgrow yours, you buy a different one.
Build one, and set it up for each house. One circuit board, one enclosure and one version of the software. What changes from house to house is the settings: how many valves there are, how they're grouped into zones, and what order they run in.
FireShield does the second one, and what that means for you as a homeowner is covered in a separate article. It's the first claim in FireShield's patent: the controller reads a configuration file at runtime and determines from it the number of valves, their grouping into zones, and the activation sequence — "independent of any modification of the executable firmware."
Every FireShield controller is built the same. Only the settings change from house to house.
What this means for you
One spare part. When something needs replacing years from now, there's one part to stock, not an old model nobody carries anymore.
One version of the software. Every FireShield controller runs the same software, so a fix tested on one works on all of them.
A mistake is fixed with a setting. Installers care about this one most. If a valve is wired backwards or a run time is wrong, the fix is a setting change, not a new software release sent to a life-safety device. FireShield's patent is explicit that this "removes the delay and the risk of introduced defects that a firmware change to a life-safety device entails."
Adding zones is simpler. New zones need their own valves and pipe, but not a new controller.
The 36-zone number, and why it matters
Here's a specific claim in FireShield's patent that's easy to skim past.
A single FireShield controller can run up to 36 zones. For comparison, the patent notes that controllers of this general type conventionally manage on the order of 6 to 8 zones per device — which means a larger property needs several of them.
The patent then explains why that's a problem, and it isn't about tidiness.
Two separate controllers on one property don't know about each other. Each one only knows which of its own zones are open, and both draw on the same household water supply. So both open zones at the same time, and — in the patent's language — they "starve the discharge devices of the pressure required to operate."
Neither controller is broken or badly made. They just don't know what the other one is doing, and they share the same water.
A single FireShield controller knows about every zone and checks the water pressure, so it runs only as many zones at once as the pressure can support.
If a property needs more than one controller, for example for separate buildings, FireShield controllers talk to each other so they don't run at the same time.
The parts you add later
The same idea applies to add-ons.
Foam. A FireShield system can be installed without the foam assembly, with the port capped. Add it later and — per the patent — it goes on "without modification of the controller wiring, the firmware, or the fluid layout." Then foam is turned on in the settings.
Satellite. The satellite radio comes standard. It's a separate module with its own processor, so it can be replaced with a newer one in a later version without redesigning the FireShield controller. That helps, because satellite technology changes quickly.
More manifold. Another manifold section can be added at the end.
Other equipment. FireShield can trigger other devices, like a siren, and accept signals from accessories, like a panic button or camera. Both are set up in the settings.
Why this is about safety, not just manufacturing
This isn't only about fewer parts and simpler inventory.
The bigger reason is how little has to change when something needs fixing.
A company with several models has many versions installed in homes, and a fix for one may not apply to another.
FireShield has one design. Everything else is settings, which can be checked and corrected quickly.
For a device that has to work correctly on one unpredictable day after years of sitting unused, that makes a real difference in reliability.
What to ask before you sign
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| How many zones on one controller? | FireShield: up to 36. Ask how many zones one controller can run before a second one is needed. |
| What if I add zones in two years? | With FireShield it's new valves and pipe plus a settings change, not a new controller. |
| If I need two controllers, do they coordinate? | FireShield controllers talk to each other so they don't compete for one water supply. |
| Can I add foam later? | FireShield caps the port at installation and adds foam later, with no rewiring or replumbing. |
| Can the satellite hardware be upgraded? | FireShield's comes standard and is a separate module that can be replaced without redesigning the controller. |
Ask FireShield and other companies these questions.
Because FireShield builds one controller, a system can be corrected without a service visit, expanded without a new controller, and fixed the same way everywhere.
Next in this series
- The Setting You Can Change in Ten Seconds — The controller's settings, from the homeowner's side.
- Why Wildfire Controllers Fail on the Hottest Day — The cooling fan and the computer, and why FireShield has neither.
- Skip the Zones You Don't Need — Watering only part of your property, and why you might want to.
- What Actually Has to Work When Nobody's Home — The whole system, start to finish, in plain English.
About FireShield — FireShield builds automated exterior wildfire defense systems for homes across Southern California. The system described here is covered by FireShield's patent. See the wildfire defense system or talk to us.