Two Australian-market EWIS platforms that solve the same problem from different directions. The EvacU^Elite is Ampac’s scalable, touchscreen-driven platform with the warden intercom fully integrated and a two-wire fault-tolerant loop. The QE20 is VIGILANT’s modular Grade 1 EWCIE, built around dense Class D amplification and multi-purpose module cards. Both network to 64 nodes and both keep working locally when the network drops.
| AMPAC EvacU^Elite | VIGILANT QE20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Max emergency zones | 512 (software) | 224 front panel; up to 600 internally |
| Max warden handsets (WIPs) | 1024 | 320 |
| Max network nodes | 64 (fault-tolerant loop) | 64 |
| Amplifier options | Dual 25 W, 50 W, 150 W (4-way splitter) | 25 W, 60 W, 120 W, 240 W Class D |
| Cabinet range | 13U wall-mount; 24U floor-standing | 28U / 40U, single and double |
| Intercom wiring | Radial, plus fault-tolerant 2-wire loop with per-handset isolators | 2-wire WIP and MCP shared circuit |
| Fire system interface | FireFinder^PLUS HLI; third-party low-level inputs; Bosch Praesensa HLI | RZDU, Panel-Link, 4100ESi Computer Port |
| Operator display | 9" touchscreen GUI, up to 4 (13U) / 8 (24U) | 4.3" service touchscreen plus LED zone indication |
| Battery capacity | 100 Ah (13U) / 190 Ah (24U) per pair | Up to 4 × 100 Ah per cabinet |
| Sequence testing | Configuration tool with sequence builder and simulator | Spreadsheet-mapped sequences, uploaded and run through a simulator |
| Standards | AS 4428.16, AS 4428.4, AS 7240.4 (LPCB); NZ approved | AS 1670.4, NZS 4512, AS 4428.16:2020, AS 4428.4:2016 |
Read the capacity numbers carefully before drawing conclusions: the two vendors count differently, with Ampac quoting software maximums and VIGILANT separating front-panel from internal zone counts, so this is directional rather than a like-for-like engineering comparison. That aside, the EvacU^Elite leans toward sites where the warden phone network is the hard part — 1024 handsets, a two-wire loop with per-handset short-circuit isolators and break localisation between addresses, and a wall-mount cabinet option for satellite locations. The QE20 leans toward sites where audio density and amplifier headroom decide the design — four Class D ratings up to 240 W, up to 128 audio zones in a 40U cabinet, and multi-purpose module cards that can be redeployed as warden phone, MCP, fire input or VAD output circuits. Existing estate usually settles it: the EvacU^Elite for Ampac FireFinder^PLUS sites, the QE20 where RZDU, Panel-Link or a 4100ESi is already on the wall.
Scalable EWCIE with fully integrated warden intercom, 512 zones and 1024 handsets across a 64-node fault-tolerant network.
Full deep-diveGrade 1 emergency warning and intercom control equipment for medium-to-large buildings, networkable to 64 nodes.
Full deep-diveThe EvacU^Elite, on the published figures — 1024 warden handsets against 320 for the QE20. The EvacU^Elite also offers a loop topology at 20 handsets per loop and 40 per card, where the QE20 runs warden phones and manual call points on a shared 2-wire circuit via its WIP/Input modules.
The QE20 offers a higher top-end module at 240 W RMS, against 150 W for the EvacU^Elite, and four ratings to the EvacU^Elite’s three. The QE20 datasheet also quotes up to 128 audio zones in a single 40U cabinet.
Both are designed for it. The QE20 datasheet states each networked panel or rack retains local control of its own facilities if communications are lost. The EvacU^Elite uses a 64-node fault-tolerant loop network with monitoring and control available from multiple locations under a programmable hierarchy.
Both ship configuration tooling with a simulator. Ampac’s PC configuration tool includes a sequence builder and integrated simulator; QE20 sequences can be mapped in a spreadsheet, uploaded into the panel program and run through a simulator before installation.
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