ME Fire Alarm flashcards
ME Fire Alarm · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Class A pathway
- A signaling circuit with redundant paths that continues to operate all devices after a single open, ground, or short fault, and must be monitored for these faults.
- Class B pathway
- A signaling circuit with a single path where one fault causes loss of that portion; must be monitored for opens and, for initiating circuits, for shorts.
- PLFA cable marking
- Power-limited fire alarm cable is marked FPLP for plenum, FPLR for riser, and FPL for general use; these listings are required in fire alarm systems.
- NPLFA wiring method
- Non-power-limited fire alarm circuits must follow Chapter 3 wiring methods, typically in metal raceway, and cannot share a raceway with PLFA without a barrier.
- Article 800 separation
- Communications conductors must be separated from power conductors by at least 2 inches (50 mm) or a barrier, and cannot share a raceway with Class 1 or power circuits.
- Smoke detector spacing
- On smooth ceilings, spot-type smoke detectors are spaced no more than 30 feet (9.1 m) apart and within 21 feet (6.4 m) of any wall.
- Heat detector spacing
- Fixed-temperature heat detectors are spaced no more than 50 feet (15.2 m) on smooth ceilings and within 25 feet (7.6 m) of walls.
- Pull station location
- Manual pull stations must be within 5 feet (1.5 m) of each exit door, mounted 42 to 48 inches above the floor, with at least one per floor.
- Duct detector threshold
- Duct smoke detectors are required for air handling systems with a capacity greater than 2,000 cfm and are installed in the return air duct.
- Public mode audibility
- Audible alarms in public mode must be at least 15 dBA above ambient, measured 5 feet above the floor, with a minimum of 65 dBA in occupied areas.
- Private mode audibility
- In sleeping rooms and patient rooms, alarms must be at least 10 dBA above ambient or 75 dBA minimum, measured at the pillow level.
- Visible appliance mounting
- Visible notification appliances are mounted 80 to 96 inches above the finished floor, and corridor spacing is 15 feet maximum between appliances.
- Temporal-3 pattern
- The standard evacuation signal: three 0.5-second pulses separated by 0.5-second off periods, followed by a 1.5-second pause, repeated.
- Annual ITM requirement
- All initiating devices, notification appliances, and control equipment must be inspected and tested at least annually, with results documented in writing.
- Battery capacity test
- Sealed lead-acid batteries must deliver at least 70 percent of rated capacity after the calculated standby and alarm load, tested annually.
- Record of completion
- A document completed at system acceptance listing the system description, device inventory, and installer certification, required by NFPA 72.
- Central station redundancy
- A central station must have at least two independent means of communication, such as two phone lines or a phone line plus a radio path.
- Alarm transmission time
- Automatic alarm to notification must occur within 10 seconds; transmission to a supervising station within 60 seconds; proprietary station within 90 seconds.
- Voice intelligibility
- Emergency voice systems must achieve a Speech Transmission Index of at least 0.50 in occupied areas to be considered intelligible.
- Occupant load factor
- Floor area divided by the occupant load factor: 100 ft² per person for business, 15 ft² for unconcentrated assembly, 5 ft² for concentrated assembly.
- Egress width factor
- Means of egress width is 0.2 inch per person on level components and 0.3 inch per person on stairs, or less in sprinklered buildings.
- Two-exit threshold
- Two exits are generally required when the occupant load exceeds 49 persons or when travel distance exceeds the single-exit limit.
- R-2 smoke alarms
- Group R-2 residential occupancies require smoke alarms in each sleeping room and outside each sleeping area, plus corridor detection.
- Maine alarm contractor license
- Maine requires a Fire Alarm Systems Contractor license from the State Fire Marshal, with individual technician licensing and continuing education for renewal.
- Maine plan review
- Fire alarm plans must be submitted to the State Fire Marshal or local AHJ for review before installation in most commercial occupancies.
- Maine certificate of completion
- After installation and testing, a certificate of completion must be filed with the AHJ, and the AHJ must be notified before testing.
- Battery sizing formula
- Required capacity equals (standby current times standby hours plus alarm current times alarm hours) multiplied by 1.25 for derating.
- Standby power duration
- NFPA 72 requires 24 hours of standby followed by 5 minutes of alarm for commercial systems, or 4 hours standby with a backup generator.
- Voltage drop formula
- Voltage drop equals (2 times K times current times one-way length) divided by circular mils, where K is 12.9 for copper conductors.
- Cable support spacing
- Power-limited fire alarm cable must be supported at intervals not exceeding 4.5 feet (1.4 m) and within 12 inches of boxes.
- NAC current budget
- The total current of all notification appliances on a circuit must not exceed the circuit rating, and voltage at the last device must meet its minimum.
- Supervisory signal priority
- Alarm signals have highest priority, followed by supervisory signals, then trouble signals; supervisory signals must annunciate within 90 seconds.