O Range Smoke Control ideal for Multi-Zone with lockout. Golden Thread Compliant, Protects The engineer and the residents. Smart : Secure : Verified: Connected. Fire Innovation of the Year Award-Shortlisted 2026
System Overview
The O Range is an addressable smoke control panel for commercial and residential buildings, built around the Golden Thread set out by the Building Safety Act. Every configuration change is made by an authenticated engineer and recorded in a digital audit trail, so the system’s setup, commissioning and maintenance history stay attributable and traceable across the building’s whole life. It is shortlisted for Fire Innovation of the Year at the 2026 FSM Awards.
Two protections set it apart from older panels. First, configuration is locked behind engineer two-factor authentication, so the way the system is set up cannot be changed without authorised access, and there are no dip switches to quietly alter. Second, the firefighter override switches stay inactive in normal conditions and only become live during a smoke event, so residents and the public cannot operate the smoke system when there is no fire.
As the intelligence at the centre of the system, the panel takes signals from the fire alarm, manages cause and effect sequences, powers the actuators and extract fans, and provides firefighter override. It scales from a single-zone stairwell AOV to multi-zone commercial buildings. Vent Trade supplies the O Range and 400 Series, manufactured in the UK to prEN 12101-9 and held in stock for next-day delivery.
Certified smoke control panel for single stairwell to 60-zone networked systems. 24V 7A output with 72-hour battery backup. EN 12101-10 compliant.
Visual status panel for O Range smoke control. Fire, Fault and Healthy LEDs at a glance. Brushed steel finish, standard pattress box. EN 12101-10 compliant.
Manual override for smoke ventilation systems. Open or close smoke vents directly from stairwells and lobbies. Surface or flush mount. O Range compatible.
Hardware commissioning tool for on-site O Range panel configuration, testing, and diagnostics. O Range Connect Tool connects to the O Range to allow configuration and monitoring of the software.
Photoelectric smoke detector for O Range systems. 9–33Vdc operating range with relay base option. Ceiling or wall mount. Plug-and-play installation.
Specifier Guidance
The right panel for a project depends on four key factors:
Our technical team can confirm panel selection and provide cause and effect programming support during commissioning.
Technical Support
Call our technical team for panel selection, cause and effect programming support, or to discuss system design. We support contractors from specification through to commissioning.
A smoke control panel is the central control unit of a smoke ventilation system, responsible for receiving fire detection signals, activating smoke vents and dampers, managing cause and effect sequences, and providing firefighter override capability. The panel interfaces with the building’s fire alarm system and powers the actuators that open AOV windows, roof vents, and smoke dampers when a fire is detected.
It also monitors system health, providing fault and status indication for building management and fire service use. Smoke control panels include integral battery backup (typically 72 hours) to ensure the system continues to operate during a mains power failure.
In the UK, the smoke control panel is built to prEN 12101-9 (the draft European standard for smoke control panels) and its integral power supply to BS EN 12101-10, for use in regulated smoke ventilation systems. Panels range from simple single-zone units for individual stairwell AOV systems to networked multi-zone controllers managing up to 60 zones across large commercial or residential developments.
Selecting the correct smoke control panel depends on the number of zones, the system complexity, and the specific fire strategy requirements of the building. For standard single-stairwell residential AOV systems, a simple single-zone panel such as the Ventec 400 Series in the appropriate amperage (4A, 8A, 13A, or 20A) is typically sufficient. The amperage rating must match the total actuator load connected to the panel.
For larger buildings with multiple stairwells, smoke shaft systems, or complex cause and effect sequences, the O Range 7 addressable panel provides scalable control from single-zone to 60-zone networked configurations. Consider whether the project requires BMS integration, multiple firefighter override positions, daily ventilation control, or networked panel communication.
Always verify that the panel meets prEN 12101-9, with its power supply to BS EN 12101-10, and that the certified configuration covers the zone count and actuator load required by the project.
Smoke control panels used in UK smoke ventilation systems are built to two European standards. The control panel itself meets prEN 12101-9, the draft standard for smoke control panels, covering control logic, fault monitoring and firefighter override. Its integral power supply meets BS EN 12101-10, covering power supply reliability and battery backup duration.
The panel must provide a minimum of 72 hours battery standby and must be capable of operating all connected actuators from battery power alone. The firefighter override switch complies with prEN 12101-9, providing manual control of smoke vents and dampers for fire service use.
The overall system installation must satisfy the requirements of Approved Document B of the Building Regulations, and the panel commissioning must be documented as part of the building’s fire safety compliance records. Both the O Range and Ventec 400 Series panels supplied by Vent Trade are built to prEN 12101-9, with their power supplies to BS EN 12101-10.
Smoke control panels are installed in a secure, accessible location within the building, typically in the ground floor entrance lobby, the main electrical intake room, or a dedicated fire systems cupboard. The panel location must provide the fire service with easy access for manual override during an emergency, and must be clearly labelled and visible.
In residential apartment buildings, the panel is usually mounted adjacent to the firefighter override switch near the main entrance. In commercial buildings, the panel may be located in a central plant room or fire control centre alongside other fire safety systems.
For networked multi-zone systems, a master panel is installed in the primary control location with satellite panels or zone modules distributed across the building as required by the system design. The panel location must comply with any specific requirements in the fire strategy and must be agreed with the fire engineer and building control authority during the design stage.
Smoke control panels are life-safety devices and require regular testing and maintenance to ensure reliable operation. BS 7346-8 recommends weekly visual inspections of panel status indicators to confirm healthy system status, and monthly functional tests including full activation of all connected actuators and verification of cause and effect sequences.
The battery backup should be tested quarterly by disconnecting mains power and confirming that the panel and all connected devices operate correctly on battery alone. Battery condition should be assessed annually and batteries replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule, typically every three to five years.
A comprehensive annual service by a competent engineer should cover full system functional testing, battery load testing, fault log review, firefighter override verification, and documentation of all test results. Building managers should maintain a complete service log as part of the building’s fire safety management file, as required under the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order and the Building Safety Act.