MA Fire Alarm flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

MGL c. 148, § 27

Massachusetts statute requiring a permit from the head of the local fire department before a fire alarm system is installed or altered; plans and specifications may be required as part of the submittal.

527 CMR 1.00

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code, which adopts NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 with state amendments and references NFPA 72 for fire alarm design, installation, testing, and maintenance.

527 CMR 12.00

The Massachusetts Electrical Code; it adopts NFPA 70 with Massachusetts amendments, and the amendment text supersedes the model code text wherever the two conflict.

Systems Contractor Class C license

Massachusetts electrical license class that authorizes a business entity to contract for fire alarm, security, and telecommunications system work performed by licensed technicians under that contractor.

NFPA 72 Chapter 14

The chapter covering inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems, including the frequency tables for initiating devices, control equipment, notification appliances, and batteries.

NEC Article 760

The National Electrical Code article governing fire alarm wiring: permitted conductor and cable types, power-limited and non-power-limited circuits, marking, and installation requirements.

FPLP cable substitution

Plenum-rated fire alarm cable may replace riser-rated FPLR or general-purpose FPL cable, but the reverse substitution is never permitted because of smoke and flame spread ratings.

UL 864 listing

The product standard for fire alarm control units and related equipment; a control unit must be listed to UL 864 to be acceptable for protected-premises fire alarm service.

Signal priority order

Alarm signals take precedence over supervisory signals, which take precedence over trouble signals; a new higher-priority condition is annunciated distinctly and overrides the lower-priority display.

Conventional zone area limit

A single conventional initiating zone may not exceed 22,500 square feet (2,090 square meters) of protected floor area, with further limits for unusual building configurations.

Addressable signaling line circuit

A supervised data pathway that carries digital information between the control unit and individually identified devices, allowing point-specific annunciation, status reporting, and device-level control.

Spot smoke detector spacing

On a smooth ceiling, spot-type smoke detectors are typically spaced 30 feet (9.1 meters) apart and 15 feet from walls, covering about 900 square feet per detector.

Class B initiating circuit

A two-wire supervised initiating device circuit with an end-of-line resistor; a single open conductor disables every device located beyond the break in the circuit.

Manual pull station height

Manual fire alarm boxes are mounted 42 to 48 inches above the finished floor, within 5 feet of the exit doorway, and along the normal path of egress travel.

Duct smoke detector

A detector listed for air duct mounting with a sampling tube spanning the duct width; often required for air-handling units over 2,000 cfm serving more than one story.

Alarm verification

A feature that delays alarm processing, typically not more than 60 seconds total, until a second detection confirms the alarm, reducing nuisance alarms caused by transient smoke.

Public mode audibility

Notification in public mode must produce at least 65 dBA, or 10 dBA above the average ambient sound level, measured 10 feet (1.5 meters) from the appliance.

Temporal-three pattern

The standard evacuation tone: 0.5 second on, 0.5 off, 0.5 on, 0.5 off, 0.5 on, then 1.5 seconds off, repeated continuously as the evacuation signal.

Visible appliance mounting height

Visible notification appliances are mounted with the lens between 80 and 96 inches above the finished floor, unless the listing or a specific application permits otherwise.

Sleeping area audibility

In sleeping areas the fire alarm must sound at least 75 dBA at the pillow level, or 15 dBA above the ambient sound level, whichever is greater.

Signaling line circuit supervision

The addressable data loop must be supervised for opens, shorts, and grounds, and installed within the manufacturer's limits for total resistance, capacitance, and device quantity.

Class A pathway

A circuit arrangement with a redundant path returning to the control unit, so that a single open conductor or ground fault does not prevent alarm signal processing.

Ground fault detection

Control units must detect and annunciate a ground fault on fire alarm circuits as a trouble condition, identifying the affected circuit where the panel design supports it.

Transponder

A remotely located interface unit that monitors initiating circuits and controls notification circuits, reporting status to the main control unit over a supervised communication pathway.

Secondary power duration

Battery secondary power must operate the system for 24 hours of standby followed by 5 minutes of alarm; emergency voice alarm systems require 15 minutes of alarm operation.

Battery capacity formula

Battery ampere-hours equal 1.2 times the sum of standby current times 24 hours plus alarm current times alarm duration, where 1.2 is the aging and derating allowance.

Primary power connection

The fire alarm branch circuit must be dedicated, marked "FIRE ALARM CIRCUIT CONTROL," and must not pass through a GFCI device, dimmer, or switched receptacle.

Battery recharge time

After a full discharge, the charger must restore the secondary battery to rated capacity within 48 hours, with charger performance verified during inspection and testing.

Smoke detector sensitivity test

Detector sensitivity is checked within one year of installation and at least every alternate year thereafter, unless the detector is listed as self-testing with automatic compensation.

Record of Completion

The NFPA 72 document, prepared and signed by the installing contractor, recording the installed system configuration, device list, and results of acceptance testing.

Semiannual test items

Waterflow switches and valve supervisory (tamper) switches are tested at least semiannually, while initiating devices, control equipment, and notification appliances are tested annually.

Reacceptance testing

Testing performed after any addition, modification, or repair of system equipment, covering the affected devices and their interfaces with the remainder of the fire alarm system.