Vigilant

ANZ-heritage fire detection brand behind the widely installed MX1 panel, now part of Johnson Controls.

Platform overview

The VIGILANT MX1 is Johnson Controls’ Australasian intelligent analogue-addressable fire detection and alarm system, the mainstream choice for protecting small, medium and large facilities across Australia and New Zealand. It pairs a compact, cost-effective control panel with the patented MX TECHNOLOGY device range, a tightly integrated occupant-warning and EWIS ecosystem (T-Gen and QE90), high-node-count networking, and open, non-proprietary programming. It is ActivFire-listed and certified natively to the AS/NZS fire standards, including an integral fire brigade panel.

Two ideas define the platform. First, openness: the MX1 uses the open MX DIGITAL protocol and is explicitly designed so that any fire company whose technicians have completed the relevant training can install, program and service it (programmer access is licensed to qualified personnel), giving building owners genuine freedom to choose their service provider rather than being locked to one contractor. Second, AS/NZS-native design: the MX1 is engineered first for Australian and New Zealand codes (AS 7240, AS 4428.3 for the fire brigade panel and AS 4428.10 for alarm investigation), with a built-in fire brigade panel and seamless integration to the VIGILANT T-Gen / QE90 evacuation range.

Heritage note: the MX1 is built on the patented MX TECHNOLOGY device range (Thorn Security lineage) and is engineered in New Zealand / Australia for the AS/NZS market. VIGILANT is the Johnson Controls (formerly Tyco) fire brand for Australia and New Zealand.

Range at a glance

The MX1 control panel

The MX1 packs features usually found only in large, complex systems into a simple, cost-effective panel. It is supplied in a 15U or 8U 19-inch rack cabinet (IP30, zinc-coated mild steel) with an outer door and window covering the keyboard and display, and includes an integral fire brigade panel (FBP) to AS 4428.3, and a remote FBP is also supported.

AS 7240.2 access levels are enforced: Level 1 (view only, door closed), Level 2 (003 key opens door and enables the user interface to silence, reset, disable, test and address devices), and Level 3 (user code + PIN: restart, switch between the two site databases, commissioning mode).

The MX DIGITAL loop & open protocol

The MX1’s detection loops use the MX DIGITAL communications protocol, a high-reliability, fault-tolerant addressable protocol designed to operate over many cable types. Each loop is a two-wire circuit up to 2 km, open-circuit tolerant and protected by short-circuit isolators, carrying up to 250 MX devices (detectors and input/output modules) where each device can support several sub-points mapped to different zones and/or control functions.

Two characteristics matter in practice. First, cable tolerance: because MX DIGITAL works over a wide range of cable types, system upgrades can often reuse the existing cable, reducing the cost and disruption of replacing a legacy panel. Second, openness: the MX protocol is open and the MX1 is non-proprietary, so any appropriately trained fire company can program and service it with the licensed SmartConfig tool, so the building owner is not tied to a single service provider. To simplify maintenance, an un-addressed replacement detector is automatically addressed when it replaces a disabled detector on the loop, and an auxiliary MX loop connection on the controller allows devices to be checked and re-addressed at the panel.

Detection technology: MX FASTLOGIC & SMARTSENSE

The MX1 applies per-detector algorithms that can be tuned to each detector’s environment, balancing early warning against nuisance-alarm immunity:

• MX FASTLOGIC: a fuzzy-logic, expert rule-based algorithm applied to the photoelectric smoke signal with optional heat enhancement, designed to discriminate between the smoke and temperature patterns of real fires and the typical causes of nuisance alarms.
• SMARTSENSE: a field-proven detection algorithm providing nuisance-alarm reduction, compensation for ambient conditions, and a wide range of programmable sensitivity settings.

Both algorithms provide detector pre-alarm sensing for early warning, automatic compensation for soiling and ambient change, a logged “detector dirty alert” when compensation limits are approaching (highlighting maintenance need), and a heat sensor that can act independently as a heat detector. Detection algorithms are programmable per detector, so the system can be optimised point-by-point. The MX VIRTUAL multi-sensor detectors (e.g. 814PH, 814CH) incorporate dual sensors that operate independently or in heat-enhancement mode for faster response to flaming fires.

MX detector range

The MX1 supports the full Tyco MX analogue-addressable detector range. The multi-sensor MX VIRTUAL detectors offer selectable detection modes so one detector type can be configured for the risk in each area.

Selectable detection modes on the multi-sensor detectors include: CO plus heat, heat-enhanced CO, smoke plus heat, heat-enhanced smoke, CO only, smoke only, and heat only, allowing optimum detection with the best nuisance-alarm suppression for each location. Single-sensor ionisation, photoelectric, high-sensitivity (VESDA), heat-only, flame and intrinsically-safe detectors are available for specific applications.

Manual call points, bases & loop modules

The MX1 interfaces to call points, conventional devices and control functions through the MX loop-device range, all addressable with isolation options.

Each device can present several sub-points to the panel, mappable to different zones or control functions, so a single addressable point can perform monitoring and control roles.

Audible & visual notification

Notification can be distributed from the loop or driven from panel outputs. Loop-powered options include the SAB801 sounder/relay base with LED beacon and the SAM800 sounder/relay base, plus 802SB (loop-powered) and 901SB (externally-powered) sounder bases, letting audible/visual alerts be placed at detector positions without separate sounder circuits. Loop-powered visual alarm devices (VADs), audible alarm devices (AADs) and flashing LED beacons provide alternative occupant-warning signals where a full voice/EWIS system is not required. For higher-power audible and voice notification, the MX1 integrates with the VIGILANT occupant-warning and EWIS range, and the panel’s ancillary relays (Relay 1 pre-configured for T-GEN 50; Relay 3 suitable for OWS with Mini-Gens/strobe driver) simplify that connection.

Occupant warning & EWIS: T-Gen & QE90

A defining strength of the MX1 in the AS/NZS market is how tightly it integrates with VIGILANT occupant-warning and emergency-warning equipment. The fire panel can drive occupant warning directly, or hand off to a full warden-intercom EWIS:

• T-GEN 50: a 50 W tone/speech occupant-warning generator; the MX1’s Ancillary Relay 1 is pre-configured for it, and the cabinet has internal mounting provision, saving installation time on common occupant-warning jobs.
• T-Gen2 (Grade 2 / Grade 3): tone/speech generator for occupant-warning systems to the relevant AS 4428.16 grade, with a simple interface to the MX1; also mountable internally.
• Mini-Gen: compact occupant-warning generator for smaller systems; the MX1’s Relay 3 supports OWS with Mini-Gens / strobe drivers.
• VIGILANT QE90 EWIS: for buildings requiring a full Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System, the MX1 interfaces to the QE90 (via RZDU / IO-NET high-level interface), the long-established Australian EWIS platform for orderly, phased evacuation with warden intercom points.

Networking

MX1 panels can operate standalone or be networked for large or distributed sites, using two communications options that can be combined.

IP and I-HUB segments can use copper or fibre to suit distance and resilience needs. Note that not all network configurations are Standards-compliant/ActivFire listed, so the network design must be checked against the listing.

Programming, commissioning & maintenance

The MX1 is straightforward to program and maintain, reflecting its open service model:

• SmartConfig: a Windows programming tool with templates that preset most settings to correct values; the panel can list all devices found on a loop and help locate a break or short, and the captured MX point list imports directly into SmartConfig to streamline programming and pre-commissioning.
• Selectable profiles: profiles such as Residential, Day/Night and Flow Switch simplify complex functions; powerful user-programmable Boolean logic with special functions and timers configures the panel to almost any requirement.
• Front-panel programming: commands via the front-panel keypad allow on-site configuration and device addressing.
• Maintenance (AS 1851): built-in battery testing and power-supply monitoring; detector sensitivity/condition can be displayed or downloaded; outputs can be operated from the keypad to test interfaces; Auto Reset allows one-person detector testing; Commissioning mode bypasses filtering delays; and detectors can be located by forcing the LED on.
• Because the SmartConfig programmer is licensed to trained technicians rather than locked to one company, multiple service providers can maintain the same panel, keeping service competitive.

Integration & graphics

Beyond detection and evacuation, the MX1 connects to graphics and signalling systems: the XLG-C/S colour graphics system provides site-plan visualisation and control of the fire system; the ASE port provides a two-wire connection to Centaur ASE alarm signalling equipment for connection to a fire-monitoring service; and the RZDU / IO-NET high-level interface links to the QE90 EWIS and remote displays. Standard RS232 ports support a printer and programming connection. These interfaces let the MX1 sit within a larger managed fire-and-evacuation installation and report to a monitoring centre.

Approvals & standards

The MX1 is independently tested and certified for the Australian / New Zealand market:

• Control & indicating equipment: AS 7240.2-2004 and AS 7240.4-2004 (fire detection and alarm systems: control & indicating equipment and power supplies).
• Fire brigade panel: AS 4428.3-2010 (control and indicating equipment, fire brigade panel), integral to the MX1.
• Alarm investigation: AS 4428.10-1998 (alarm investigation facility).
• Listing: CSIRO ActivFire listed, afp-2320. Confirm the current listing for each component and configuration before specifying.

Applications & summary

Positioned for small-to-large facilities, the MX1 is the everyday workhorse of Australian and New Zealand fire detection: offices, retail, education, health, residential and aged care, industrial buildings, and multi-building sites networked over IP. Its environmental flexibility (selectable detection modes, intrinsically-safe and VESDA options, and a loop tolerant of many cable types) lets it suit difficult areas and legacy-cable upgrades alike, while the integral fire brigade panel and T-Gen/QE90 integration cover the AS/NZS compliance and evacuation requirements of typical buildings.

Its defining strengths are the open MX DIGITAL protocol and open service model (device choice, freedom to choose a servicer, no vendor lock-in); native AS/NZS design with an integral fire brigade panel and alarm investigation; MX FASTLOGIC / SMARTSENSE detection with selectable multi-sensor modes for low nuisance alarms; tight, time-saving integration with the VIGILANT T-Gen occupant-warning and QE90 EWIS range; a high networked panel count (up to 250 over IP); and simple SmartConfig programming and AS 1851-friendly maintenance. Backed by Johnson Controls and engineered in New Zealand/Australia, the MX1 is a complete, locally-supported fire-and-evacuation platform rather than a single panel.

Servicing the Vigilant MX1 under AS 1851

Routine servicing of an MX1 follows the detection and alarm system schedules in AS 1851-2012, with monthly, six-monthly and yearly activities building on each other. The panel does a lot of the legwork for you, but it does not replace walking the site, checking the block plan and logbook, and testing the brigade signal end to end.

Start every visit at the panel: read the event history log (999 events, non-volatile) and the alarm buffer for anything since the last service, note any disabled zones or points, and confirm the fault and disable indications are clear before you begin testing. Isolate brigade signalling and notify the monitoring provider before any test that will raise an alarm, and restore it before you leave.

Size the batteries against the site’s actual standby and alarm load, not just what fits in the cabinet. The 15U cabinet takes 2 x 12 V SLA up to 40 Ah and the 8U up to 17 Ah, so an extended system with heavy loop or occupant warning load may need an external battery arrangement. Record detector sensitivity readings each year so a drifting head shows up as a trend, not a surprise.

Common faults and defects on the MX1

Most MX1 call-outs come down to a handful of fault types that every addressable system throws. The panel gives you good tools to narrow them down, so work from the panel outwards rather than ripping bases off the ceiling.

• Loop open or short circuit: the MX DIGITAL loop is open-circuit tolerant and isolators split a short off, so the system keeps working while the fault stands. From the keypad the panel can list the devices it finds on a loop and help locate a break or short. Usual causes are a damaged cable after building works, a loose terminal in a base, or water in a junction box.
• Isolator operated: an isolator base or LIM800 opening means there is a short between isolators. Devices beyond it go missing on one side and are fed from the other, which narrows down the section to inspect.
• Device missing or type mismatch: typically a head removed by a tenant or painter, a wrong model fitted as a replacement, or a duplicate address. An unaddressed replacement is automatically addressed when it replaces a disabled detector, and the auxiliary MX loop connection lets you check and re-address a device at the panel.
• Earth faults: usually a cable insulation problem, a screen or core touching a metal box, or moisture. Split the field wiring and test with an insulation tester, with the loop disconnected from the panel.
• Battery and charger faults: aged or sulphated SLA batteries, loose links or a failed mains supply. Batteries past their service life should be replaced, not nursed.
• Network faults: PIB or I-HUB comms faults on networked sites often trace to a changed LAN switch, a damaged fibre or a repeater losing power.
• Dirty or drifting detectors: the panel logs a detector dirty alert as compensation limits approach. Treat it as a maintenance item before it turns into a nuisance alarm.

Check the panel’s event log for the time a fault first appeared and compare it with building works, storms or tenancy changes. That often points to the cause faster than a meter.

Who can service it, spares and end of life

The MX1 runs an open service model. Johnson Controls states that any company whose technicians have completed its training can install, program and service the panel, while access to the programming software is controlled so only qualified people change the configuration. In practice that means you can take over an MX1 site from another contractor, but someone on your team needs the training and SmartConfig access before you touch the program. Ask the outgoing contractor or owner for the current site configuration file and keep a copy with the site records.

Spares for the MX1 and the MX device range are available through Johnson Controls and its distribution partners. Keep a small stock of common detector heads, a spare isolator base and batteries in the van for the sites you look after.

Older Vigilant panels are a different story. Johnson Controls bulletin ANZ-D3192B (August 2023) declares the MX4428 obsolete and no longer manufactured. It was built to AS 4428.1, and since May 2019 only equipment complying with AS 7240.2 can be used in new designs under AS 1670.1. Spares are still supported but future supply is not guaranteed. The bulletin names the MX1 as the upgrade path: it can connect onto existing MX4428 networks, run 814 or 850 series addressable detectors and use zone modules to interface conventional detectors from MX4428 analogue detector responders. Because MX DIGITAL runs over many cable types, existing cable can often be reused.

If a site has an MX4428 or another older Vigilant panel such as the F3200, raise it with the client early and in writing. Note the panel model and age in the service report, explain that parts supply is the main risk, and give them time to budget for a staged upgrade rather than replacing it after a failure.

Further reading

Frequently asked