News

Honeywell HWF2-COM Firmware Update Required

Honeywell HWF2-COM Firmware Update Required

* * * Important Notice for HWF2-COM Series Installations * * *

Prompt Action Required

HWF2A-COM / HWF2V-COM Potential Communication Issue Over-the-Air Firmware Update Required

November 10, 2020

Summary:

  • A potential communication issue in extremely limited instances between the HWF2A-COM / HWF2V-COM communicator and the central monitoring station
  • Restricted to communicators operating with firmware 3.2.14 or lower
  • This is not a recall
  • All HWF2A-COM / HWF2V-COM communicators operating with firmware 3.2.14 or lower must be upgraded to version 3.2.15 or higher promptly

Issue: The communicators noted above may fail to communicate in certain extremely limited instances when connectivity to an LTE tower is temporarily lost while the communicator is attempting to send a message. In these instances, the fire alarm control panel (FACP) communicates alarm and trouble conditions locally as fire detection and local notification are not affected.

Action has been taken to eliminate this potential issue and communicators built with installed firmware revision 3.2.15 or higher are not affected. The firmware update will ensure the device does not lose communication and will restore in the event of signal loss.

Action is required to update firmware to version 3.2.15 or higher to ensure correct functioning of the system which may be impacted based on local cellular tower signal strength.

Steps to accomplish the firmware upgrade can be found on pages 2 and 3.

We appreciate your business and continued support of Honeywell products and apologize for the inconvenience.

If you have any questions regarding this bulletin, please contact Technical Services at the numbers below:

  • Farenhyt 800-446-6444
  • Fire-Lite Alarms 800-627-3473
  • Gamewell-FCI 800-606-1983
  • Notifier 800-289-3473
  • Silent Knight 800-446-6444

Steps to accomplish the upgrade to the communicator:

Firmware updates can be initiated on site by clicking the Test/Registration switch one time to generate a test message to AlarmNet, which will initiate the firmware update process. If your communicator already has the latest firmware, the test process will complete, and the firmware update process will not start.

This process should take no longer than ten minutes. See Diagram A below for the location of the Test/Registration switch.

Requirements in connection with the upgrade:

The requirements in NFPA 72, which covers the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems, state that functional testing be conducted when changes are made to site-specific software or the system executive software of installed fire alarm equipment (See NFPA 72 – 2019 clause 14.4.2). Further, NFPA 72 - 2019 clause 14.2.3 indicates the property or building or system owner or the owner’s designated representative is responsible for inspection, testing and maintenance of the system.

Manual actuation of the system by you or a site representative is required in conjunction with the update.

Firmware Update Results:

  • If the new firmware is successfully applied to the communicator, the communicator will send an E339 (Reset) message followed by an R903 (Firmware Update Complete) message to the central station.
  • If the new firmware is not successfully applied to the communicator, the communicator will send an E904 (Firmware Update Failed) message to the central station. In this case, the prior firmware will continue to function. Your central station will contact AlarmNet for further analysis.
  • If the update process causes the communicator to stop sending signals, there will be no follow-up message from the communicator. In the unlikely event that this occurs, AlarmNet will work with you to remediate any issues.
HWF2-COM-Firmware-Update-Diagram