alarm panel power supply

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benmin

benmin

Senior Member
Location
Maine
Occupation
Master Electrician
Had an inspector give one of our crew a hard time about a transformer for a alarm panel being secured to a duplex receptacle where the plate screw goes. He wants either "the code referance as to where this is acceptable" or the UL listing as to where it is acceptable". Anybody else run into this
 
ask him for a code reference where it is "not" permitted, he is the one questioning the installation. Does the transformer have a UL sticker on it? is it manufactured with a screw mounting tab? what does the inspector think is wrong with this installation?
 
ultramegabob said:
ask him for a code reference where it is "not" permitted, he is the one questioning the installation. Does the transformer have a UL sticker on it? is it manufactured with a screw mounting tab? what does the inspector think is wrong with this installation?
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I agree.

You don't have to prove the installation is compliant. It's the inspectors responsibility to prove that (if) it's a violation.

What does he think the manufacturer puts that little mounting hole on the transformer for?
 
US-only

US-only

Those transformers with the little screw holes are UL but not CSA and can't be installed in Canada. We have them shipped to us all the time from US vendors in their kits but can't install them up here.
 
jrdsg said:
Those transformers with the little screw holes are UL but not CSA and can't be installed in Canada. We have them shipped to us all the time from US vendors in their kits but can't install them up here.
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What is it that makes them non-compliant in Canada? The screw hole for mounting, or something else?
 
plug-in transformers

plug-in transformers

I'm just guessing why CSA [the equivalent of UL here] decided to ban transformers with the screw hole, but I think the reasoning is that plug-in devices are temporary, while wired-in transformers are permanent. Both have internal fuses, although the plug-in type blow much faster on a short.
Since we can't screw them in place, you see a lot of plug-in transformers up here that frustrated installers have McGyver'd in place with tie-wraps, double-sided tape, etc. Some of the plug-ins even have a "ground" prong, but it has no function other than helping to hold the thing in place in the outlet.

In their favor, plug-ins don't put unskilled installers in as much danger, and there's a lot of unskilled alarm guys out there. If a plug-in falls out the system will signal an ac-fail condition at the keypad or at the monitoring station if it's monitored.
 
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