Sensor Head

• Covering the heat detector sensor is the detector head and the detector base. The wiring connects and disconnects from the back of the head, allowing the owner to clean or replace the head whenever needed.
  
  

Thermostat

• Heat detectors have sensors that collect data regarding the temperature of the given area. Some heat detectors use thermostats, but these devices are bulky and do not fit into all areas. Some engineers have switched from a bimetal heating element -- the component that heats up, detecting the state change -- to a ceramic material that the engineers can make thinner. However, the ceramic material can sometimes be too sensitive, causing the material to set the heat detector off prematurely.
  
  

Stress Absorbers

• For those heat detectors that use ceramic material, many engineers have installed stress absorbers that take in some of the heat that the heating element would normally receive, thus reducing the sensitivity of the ceramic material and preventing the material from setting the heat detector off too soon.
  
  

Electro-Optic Transducers

• Electro-optic transducers release light that the sensor constantly detects. When the transducer absorbs a lot of heat, the transducer releases a different quantity of light. The sensor notices this and sends a signal to the control panel, setting off the heat detection alarm and providing information on the heat. This setup allows the heat detector to work even if a fire destroys the heating element. The transducer can calibrate itself automatically.
  
  

Control Panels

• Control panels receive data from the sensors and translate this data into useful information. The control panel continues to alert occupants and provide information until the control panel receives information that conditions have returned to normal. Owners of the heat detector can adjust the heat sensor using a control pad. These control panels have keys that allow the owners to easily reprogram the devices when necessary.
  
  

Alarm System

• Heat detectors must have an auditory alarm system so that monitoring the detector constantly isn't necessary. The alarm system must be loud and distinct so that those nearby notice the alarm. Many heat detectors also send electronic messages to various computer terminals so that appropriate authorities can be alerted to a potential fire.