What is IR Optical Beam Detector and Its Functions

In general, there are 2 types of optical beam detectors available on the market nowadays: Reflective & Standalone.

IR Infrared Dual-Reflective Type
This type of sensor uses the principle of light obscuration. The instrument will have transmitter & receive component that sends & receives the infrared signal. A transmitter will be placed at one end of the hall, while the receiver will be placed directly across at the other end of the hall. Because of 2 separate devices, both will need to be powered separately. Since the detectors are usually mounted high on the wall, near the ceiling, the wiring & installation costs can add up.

Advantage

• Accurate detection

Disadvantage

• More installation cost

IR Standalone Single-Ended Type

Another type of beam detector if the reflective or singled-ended type. This is an all-in-one device that can transmit and receive signals.

Advantage

• Easy installation
• Less material & man hour cost

Disadvantage

• Requires even surface on the other end for reflection
• Might be less accurate

How does beam detector fare compare with other smoke detectors?
Beam detector is great for covering large areas and places with high ceiling such as stadium, commercial hall, warehouse, etc. However, it is less sensitive to detecting smoke types & smoke color. It solely require detect visible smoke and thus has a slower detection time.

Some beam detector may also be sensitive to dusty environment such as warehouse or construction site. Our product has sensitivity level setting that can help users customize its use.

For any questions or OEM/ODM projects, please contact us for more information.