A fire alarm pull station is a manual initiating device: a red wall-mounted box with a handle that a person pulls to send an alarm signal to the fire alarm control panel. Once pulled, it stays latched until someone resets it with a key or hex tool.
The four part numbers people most often compare belong to one family. The Fire-Lite BG-12 and BG-12L are conventional dual-action stations with a hex lock and a key lock. The BG-12LX is the addressable version for Fire-Lite addressable panels, and the NBG-12LX is the addressable version for Notifier intelligent panels.
What is a manual pull station, and where is one required?
Notifier's installation sheet describes its NBG-12 stations as non-coded manual pull stations that give the fire alarm control panel a single alarm initiating input signal. In a conventional station that signal is a normally open switch that closes on an initiating device circuit. In an addressable station, an interface inside the housing reports the switch state to the panel over the signaling line circuit, so the panel can show which station was pulled.
Where stations are required, and how many, is set by the building and fire codes your jurisdiction has adopted and by NFPA 72, not by the manufacturer. The data sheets used here do not restate those rules, and neither do we. What they do state:
- The stations meet UL 38 and the ADA maximum of 5 pounds of pull force.
- They are to be installed within the limits defined by the ADA or by national and local requirements. Notifier's 2003 installation sheet cites ADA reach heights of 48 inches for a forward approach and 54 inches for a side approach; verify the height against the current ADA standards and your local code, since that sheet is more than twenty years old.
- Installation must follow applicable NFPA standards, local codes and the AHJ.
Single action vs dual action: what is the difference?
A single-action station is activated by one motion, a single pull-down of the handle. A dual-action station takes two motions: push the handle in, then pull it down. The data sheets say the mechanism is designed to prevent false alarms when a station is bumped, shaken or jarred. In this family the BG-12S and NBG-12S are single action; the BG-12, BG-12L, BG-12LX and NBG-12LX are all dual action.
On every model the handle latches in the down position and the word ACTIVATED shows in yellow at the top, so an operated station is easy to find.
BG-12 vs BG-12L vs BG-12LX vs NBG-12LX: how do they differ?
| Model | Brand | Type | Action | Lock / reset | Works with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BG-12 | Fire-Lite | Conventional, SPST normally open switch, screw terminals | Dual | Hex lock (9/64 in. hex key 17007) | Fire-Lite panels and other manufacturers' controls, on an initiating device circuit |
| BG-12L | Fire-Lite | Same as BG-12 | Dual | Key lock (keys 17003) | Same as BG-12 |
| BG-12LX | Fire-Lite | Addressable, two-wire SLC connection, bicolor LED | Dual | Key lock (keys 17003) | Fire-Lite addressable panels; the data sheet gives address ranges for the MS-9600 Series, MS-9200UDLS and MS-9050UD |
| NBG-12LX | Notifier | Addressable, two-wire SLC connection, bicolor LED | Dual | Key lock (keys 17021) | Any Notifier intelligent panel except FireWarden series panels and the NSP-25 |
Other details from the data sheets:
- Address capacity. BG-12LX addresses run 1 to 159 on the MS-9600 Series, 1 to 99 on the MS-9200UDLS and 1 to 50 on the MS-9050UD. The NBG-12LX allows up to 159 stations per loop in FlashScan and 99 in CLIP.
- Conventional switch rating. 0.25 A at 30 VAC or VDC.
- Environment. The BG-12LX and NBG-12LX are for indoor use in a dry location. For outdoor work the conventional line has the BG-12LOB, which carries an outdoor listing and includes the backbox and gasket.
- Mounting. All four mount semi-flush on a single-gang, double-gang or 4 inch square box, or on the surface with an SB-10 or SB-I/O backbox. The BG12TR trim ring is optional.
- Construction. Molded polycarbonate with Braille text on the handle.
The conventional line has more variants than the two in the title: the BG-12S (single action, pigtail leads, hex lock), BG-12LSP (FIRE/FUEGO labeling), BG-12LA (auxiliary contacts) and BG-12LPS (pre-signal). Notifier's conventional equivalents are the NBG-12 (hex lock) and NBG-12L (key lock).
Can a BG-12LX go on a Notifier panel, or an NBG-12LX on a Fire-Lite panel?
Do not assume so. The two stations take the same backboxes and trim ring, but each data sheet names only its own brand's panels: the BG-12LX is for Fire-Lite's addressable panels and the NBG-12LX for Notifier intelligent panels, and even within Notifier the FireWarden series and NSP-25 are excluded. Order the station named in your panel's own documentation. Conventional BG-12 and NBG-12 stations are simple contact devices; the BG-12 data sheet says they serve Fire-Lite panels as well as other manufacturers' controls.
Which key or hex tool resets each station?
| Station | Reset tool |
|---|---|
| BG-12, BG-12S, NBG-12, NBG-12S (hex lock) | 17007 hex key, 9/64 in. |
| BG-12L, BG-12LX and other Fire-Lite key-lock models | 17003 keys, set of two |
| NBG-12L, NBG-12LX and other Notifier key-lock models | 17021 keys, set of two |
The reset is the same on all of them. Insert the key or hex tool and give it a quarter turn, open the front cover so the spring-loaded handle returns to normal, then close and lock the cover. Closing the cover resets the switch. Opening a station that has not been pulled does not cause an alarm, which is how the addressable models let you set the address without tripping the system.
Which pull station should I order as a replacement?
Replace like for like: the same brand, the same type (conventional or addressable) and the same action. A BG-12 or BG-12L replaces a failed conventional station on a Fire-Lite zone, a BG-12LX goes back on a Fire-Lite SLC, and an NBG-12LX goes back on a Notifier SLC. Set the new addressable station to the address of the one it replaces.
Stations for other panel families, such as the Silent Knight SK-PULL-DA and the Simplex 4099-9004, are in the pull stations collection along with keys. Those are not covered by the data sheets used for this guide, so check each one against its own panel's documentation. For a station you cannot identify, request a quote with the panel model and any markings on the old unit.
Compatibility must be confirmed against the control panel's listing documents, and the installation must follow NFPA 72 and the local AHJ.
Sources
- Fire-Lite Alarms, BG-12 Series Manual Fire Alarm Pull Stations data sheet, DF-52004:A1, 04/22/08
- Fire-Lite Alarms, BG-12LX Addressable Manual Pull Station data sheet, DF-52013:D, 4/13/2012
- NOTIFIER, NBG-12LX Addressable Manual Pull Station data sheet, DN-6726:D, 4/13/2012
- NOTIFIER, NBG-12 Series Non-Coded Conventional Manual Fire Alarm Pull Stations data sheet, DN-6643:A1, 04/22/08
- NOTIFIER, NBG-12 Series Manual Pull Stations installation document, 51015 Rev B2, 03/13/03