NJ Fire Alarm cheat sheet

Article 760 governs fire alarm systems; Part I general, Part II non-power-limited (NPLFA), Part III power-limited (PLFA).

NPLFA conductors: minimum 18 AWG in raceway or cable, 600 V insulation, and must be installed per Chapters 1-4 wiring methods.

PLFA conductors: minimum 26 AWG, listed for the purpose, and separated from NPLFA and power conductors by 2 in. or a barrier, unless separation is not required by 760.139.

Class 1 circuit conductors must be sized per 725.43 ampacity tables; Class 2/3 per 725.144 with conductor and overcurrent protection coordination.

Fire alarm conductors may not share a raceway, cable, or enclosure with conductors of other systems unless specifically permitted (760.139 exceptions for same-system, Class 2/3, or optical fiber).

Ampacity: 18 AWG copper Class 2/3 conductors are limited to 7 A; 16 AWG to 10 A; 14 AWG to 15 A per Table 725.144.

All conductors must be installed so that the fire alarm system remains operational; circuit integrity cable or a 2-hour fire-rated assembly is required for survivability where the code demands it.

Grounding and bonding: non-current-carrying metal parts must be bonded per Article 250; separate grounding electrode conductor sizing follows Table 250.66.

Overcurrent protection for NPLFA is sized per 760.43 and must not exceed the ampacity of the smallest conductor in the circuit.

NFPA 72 defines initiating device circuits (IDC), notification appliance circuits (NAC), signaling line circuits (SLC), and the performance classes for each.

Class A circuits continue to operate during a single open or ground fault; Class B circuits do not. Class X adds survivability for SLCs.

Pathway survivability levels (Levels 0-3) and performance-based alternatives are described in Chapter 12.

Detector spacing: spot-type smoke detectors on smooth ceilings use 30 ft spacing, with 21 ft to walls; 900 sq ft per detector maximum.

Spot-type heat detectors: 30 ft spacing on smooth ceilings for ordinary hazard; 15 ft to walls; 2500 sq ft per detector maximum.

Initiating device circuits must be supervised; a single open or ground fault must annunciate a trouble signal within 200 seconds.

Alarm signals must activate notification appliances within 10 seconds of alarm initiation; waterflow alarms within 90 seconds of flow.

Record retention: inspection, testing, and maintenance records must be retained for at least 1 year, or for the life of the system as required by the authority having jurisdiction.

Smoke detector spacing: 30 ft on smooth ceilings; 21 ft from walls; reduce spacing by 4 in. per foot of ceiling height above 10 ft (or use the 0.7 multiplier for high ceilings).

Heat detector spacing: 30 ft ordinary hazard, 20 ft for 10-15 ft ceilings, 15 ft for 15-20 ft ceilings; derate per the manufacturer's listed spacing.

Duct smoke detectors are required for air handling units over 2,000 cfm and must be installed per NFPA 90A and the manufacturer's listing.

Notification appliance candela ratings must be selected from Table 18.5.5 based on room size, ceiling height, and the applicable sound pressure level.

Public mode audible appliances must produce at least 15 dBA above ambient, or 5 dBA above ambient when the ambient exceeds 105 dBA, measured at 10 ft.

Sleeping areas: low-frequency (520 Hz) sounders are required in residential occupancies; 75 dBA minimum at the pillow.

NAC voltage drop calculations use the formula Vd = 2 × L × I × R, where L is one-way length, I is current, and R is conductor resistance per 1000 ft.

Total NAC load must not exceed the panel's listed NAC rating; a 20% design margin is standard practice.

Initiating device circuits must be supervised and must annunciate a trouble condition on open, ground, or short faults within 200 seconds.

Primary power: a dedicated branch circuit, labeled "FIRE ALARM CIRCUIT CONTROL," with a lockable disconnect or breaker lock.

Secondary power: batteries must be sized for 24 hours of standby plus 5 minutes of alarm for commercial systems, or 24 hours standby plus 5 minutes for protected premises.

Battery sizing formula: Required Ah = (standby current × 24 h) + (alarm current × 0.083 h), then apply a 1.2 derating factor.

Battery charger must be capable of restoring the battery to 85% capacity within 24 hours after a full discharge.

Battery replacement interval: typically 3-5 years, or per the manufacturer; sealed lead-acid batteries must be replaced when they fail load testing.

Remote annunciators and auxiliary power supplies must be supervised and listed for fire alarm service.

A ground fault on the system must annunciate a distinct trouble signal; the panel must be capable of detecting a ground fault on any supervised circuit.

Emergency voice/alarm communication systems require a dedicated microphone and must prioritize live voice over prerecorded messages.

NFPA 72 Chapter 14 establishes inspection, testing, and maintenance frequencies for all system components.

Smoke detectors: annual functional test; heat detectors: annual test; duct detectors: annual test with the unit operating.

Manual pull stations: annual test; notification appliances: semiannual test.

Initiating device circuits and notification appliance circuits: annual test; batteries: semiannual inspection and annual load test.

Waterflow switches: semiannual test; valve supervisory switches: quarterly test.

Test records must document the test method, results, and the tester's name; records retained for at least 1 year.

A sensitivity test on smoke detectors is required at installation and at least every 2 years thereafter, or per the manufacturer.

Test plans must be submitted to the AHJ before testing; impairment procedures must follow NFPA 25 and the AHJ's requirements.

The New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23) adopts the International Building Code with NJ amendments and the International Fire Code with NJ amendments.

Fire alarm permits are issued by the local construction official or fire subcode official; the fire protection subcode governs fire alarm plan review.

Plan review fees and permit fees are set by the local enforcing agency per N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.

A permit application must include three sets of sealed plans, specifications, and a completed UCC form (F-100 or equivalent).

Inspections must be requested at least 24 hours in advance; a certificate of occupancy or approval is required before occupancy.

Fire alarm systems in NJ must comply with NFPA 72 as adopted by the UCC and with the local fire official's requirements.

The fire subcode official may require a pre-construction meeting and a final acceptance test witnessed by the AHJ.

Smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm requirements for one- and two-family dwellings are found in N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.18 and the One- and Two-Family Dwelling Subcode.

Plans must show device locations, circuit routing, panel location, and the riser diagram; symbols must follow NFPA 170 or the project's legend.

A riser diagram must show all initiating devices, notification appliances, control equipment, and power supplies with their circuit connections.

As-built drawings must be submitted at project closeout, along with operation and maintenance manuals and test records.

Lockout/tagout procedures apply when working on fire alarm circuits; the panel must be placed in test mode before any testing to avoid false alarms.

Personal protective equipment: safety glasses, hard hat, and insulated gloves are required when working in electrical rooms and on ladders.

Fall protection is required when working at heights above 6 ft; ladders must be inspected before use.

Coordination with the AHJ: submit shop drawings for approval before installation; maintain a submittal log.

Documentation must include the record of completion (NFPA 72 Figure 7.8.2), the record of inspection and testing, and the record of maintenance.

Article 760 governs fire alarm systems; Part I general, Part II non-power-limited (NPLFA), Part III power-limited (PLFA).

NPLFA conductors: minimum 18 AWG in raceway or cable, 600 V insulation, and must be installed per Chapters 1-4 wiring methods.

PLFA conductors: minimum 26 AWG, listed for the purpose, and separated from NPLFA and power conductors by 2 in. or a barrier, unless separation is not required by 760.139.

Class 1 circuit conductors must be sized per 725.43 ampacity tables; Class 2/3 per 725.144 with conductor and overcurrent protection coordination.

Fire alarm conductors may not share a raceway, cable, or enclosure with conductors of other systems unless specifically permitted (760.139 exceptions for same-system, Class 2/3, or optical fiber).

Ampacity: 18 AWG copper Class 2/3 conductors are limited to 7 A; 16 AWG to 10 A; 14 AWG to 15 A per Table 725.144.

All conductors must be installed so that the fire alarm system remains operational; circuit integrity cable or a 2-hour fire-rated assembly is required for survivability where the code demands it.

Grounding and bonding: non-current-carrying metal parts must be bonded per Article 250; separate grounding electrode conductor sizing follows Table 250.66.

Overcurrent protection for NPLFA is sized per 760.43 and must not exceed the ampacity of the smallest conductor in the circuit.

NFPA 72 defines initiating device circuits (IDC), notification appliance circuits (NAC), signaling line circuits (SLC), and the performance classes for each.

Class A circuits continue to operate during a single open or ground fault; Class B circuits do not. Class X adds survivability for SLCs.

Pathway survivability levels (Levels 0-3) and performance-based alternatives are described in Chapter 12.

Detector spacing: spot-type smoke detectors on smooth ceilings use 30 ft spacing, with 21 ft to walls; 900 sq ft per detector maximum.

Spot-type heat detectors: 30 ft spacing on smooth ceilings for ordinary hazard; 15 ft to walls; 2500 sq ft per detector maximum.

Initiating device circuits must be supervised; a single open or ground fault must annunciate a trouble signal within 200 seconds.

Alarm signals must activate notification appliances within 10 seconds of alarm initiation; waterflow alarms within 90 seconds of flow.

Record retention: inspection, testing, and maintenance records must be retained for at least 1 year, or for the life of the system as required by the authority having jurisdiction.

Smoke detector spacing: 30 ft on smooth ceilings; 21 ft from walls; reduce spacing by 4 in. per foot of ceiling height above 10 ft (or use the 0.7 multiplier for high ceilings).

Heat detector spacing: 30 ft ordinary hazard, 20 ft for 10-15 ft ceilings, 15 ft for 15-20 ft ceilings; derate per the manufacturer's listed spacing.

Duct smoke detectors are required for air handling units over 2,000 cfm and must be installed per NFPA 90A and the manufacturer's listing.

Notification appliance candela ratings must be selected from Table 18.5.5 based on room size, ceiling height, and the applicable sound pressure level.

Public mode audible appliances must produce at least 15 dBA above ambient, or 5 dBA above ambient when the ambient exceeds 105 dBA, measured at 10 ft.

Sleeping areas: low-frequency (520 Hz) sounders are required in residential occupancies; 75 dBA minimum at the pillow.

NAC voltage drop calculations use the formula Vd = 2 × L × I × R, where L is one-way length, I is current, and R is conductor resistance per 1000 ft.

Total NAC load must not exceed the panel's listed NAC rating; a 20% design margin is standard practice.

Initiating device circuits must be supervised and must annunciate a trouble condition on open, ground, or short faults within 200 seconds.

Primary power: a dedicated branch circuit, labeled "FIRE ALARM CIRCUIT CONTROL," with a lockable disconnect or breaker lock.

Secondary power: batteries must be sized for 24 hours of standby plus 5 minutes of alarm for commercial systems, or 24 hours standby plus 5 minutes for protected premises.

Battery sizing formula: Required Ah = (standby current × 24 h) + (alarm current × 0.083 h), then apply a 1.2 derating factor.

Battery charger must be capable of restoring the battery to 85% capacity within 24 hours after a full discharge.

Battery replacement interval: typically 3-5 years, or per the manufacturer; sealed lead-acid batteries must be replaced when they fail load testing.

Remote annunciators and auxiliary power supplies must be supervised and listed for fire alarm service.

A ground fault on the system must annunciate a distinct trouble signal; the panel must be capable of detecting a ground fault on any supervised circuit.

Emergency voice/alarm communication systems require a dedicated microphone and must prioritize live voice over prerecorded messages.

NFPA 72 Chapter 14 establishes inspection, testing, and maintenance frequencies for all system components.

Smoke detectors: annual functional test; heat detectors: annual test; duct detectors: annual test with the unit operating.

Manual pull stations: annual test; notification appliances: semiannual test.

Initiating device circuits and notification appliance circuits: annual test; batteries: semiannual inspection and annual load test.

Waterflow switches: semiannual test; valve supervisory switches: quarterly test.

Test records must document the test method, results, and the tester's name; records retained for at least 1 year.

A sensitivity test on smoke detectors is required at installation and at least every 2 years thereafter, or per the manufacturer.

Test plans must be submitted to the AHJ before testing; impairment procedures must follow NFPA 25 and the AHJ's requirements.

The New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23) adopts the International Building Code with NJ amendments and the International Fire Code with NJ amendments.

Fire alarm permits are issued by the local construction official or fire subcode official; the fire protection subcode governs fire alarm plan review.

Plan review fees and permit fees are set by the local enforcing agency per N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.

A permit application must include three sets of sealed plans, specifications, and a completed UCC form (F-100 or equivalent).

Inspections must be requested at least 24 hours in advance; a certificate of occupancy or approval is required before occupancy.

Fire alarm systems in NJ must comply with NFPA 72 as adopted by the UCC and with the local fire official's requirements.

The fire subcode official may require a pre-construction meeting and a final acceptance test witnessed by the AHJ.

Smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm requirements for one- and two-family dwellings are found in N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.18 and the One- and Two-Family Dwelling Subcode.

Plans must show device locations, circuit routing, panel location, and the riser diagram; symbols must follow NFPA 170 or the project's legend.

A riser diagram must show all initiating devices, notification appliances, control equipment, and power supplies with their circuit connections.

As-built drawings must be submitted at project closeout, along with operation and maintenance manuals and test records.

Lockout/tagout procedures apply when working on fire alarm circuits; the panel must be placed in test mode before any testing to avoid false alarms.

Personal protective equipment: safety glasses, hard hat, and insulated gloves are required when working in electrical rooms and on ladders.

Fall protection is required when working at heights above 6 ft; ladders must be inspected before use.

Coordination with the AHJ: submit shop drawings for approval before installation; maintain a submittal log.

Documentation must include the record of completion (NFPA 72 Figure 7.8.2), the record of inspection and testing, and the record of maintenance.