Potter Electric touts new APS

ST. LOUIS—Potter Electric Signal has released a new addressable pull station, which stands out because it's very easy to install and is extremely robust, according to the company, based here.

“It mounts very simply and is rather painless for the installers,” Tim Frankenberg, Potter fire product manager, told Security Systems News. Installers who have tested the product gave it high marks, he said.

The Potter APS comes with the ability to mount in a single gang box or the Potter P32-BB surface mount back box, so it can conform to many situations, according to Potter, which bills itself as the only independent manufacturer with a full line of fire alarm systems. The company launched a new fire line aimed at the middle market two years ago.

Frankenberg also told SSN that the addressable pull station stands out because it is made of durable die-cast metal. It functions within a temperature range of 32 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the company said.

“We're one of the few that have metal ones anymore,” he said. “We'd rather have something out there that's a little beefier, a little tougher, that's going to last the customer a longer time.”

Frankenberg said the metal pull station “is a little more robust so it's not as apt to be accidentally bumped and set off,” as is the case with some plastic pull stations. Also, he said, in some cases plastic pull stations can get “weak over time” and break when used in applications such as factories or foundries.

With the Potter APS, Frankenberg said, “It's die cast so you can use it in a factory to a residential building or a school and it will work in all those different applications.”
The Potter APS comes in a single action model or double action model. The double action model includes a front cover for added protection against unwanted alarms.

The APS series is compatible with all Potter PFC-6000, PFC-8000 and P-Series panels and is ADA compliant, the company said.