Armored Fire Alarm Question

[franciscable]

What is the reason/thought process on armoring fplp (firealarm cable)? It makes sense to me as it is the last line of defense fromrodents and mechanical damage when installing. More and more of our customersare looking for this product.
Power applications are run through pipe or armor. Whydoesn?t the NEC do the same for fire alarm applications?

 

[nhfire77]

What is the reason/thought process on armoring fplp (firealarm cable)? It makes sense to me as it is the last line of defense fromrodents and mechanical damage when installing. More and more of our customersare looking for this product.
Power applications are run through pipe or armor. Whydoesn’t the NEC do the same for fire alarm applications?

It's physical protection mainly. Some job specs and local amendments require it, the NEC isn't going to just elminate cable. There are many perfectly good uses of jacketed cable, just as many reasons are there are to choose MC. The conditions dictate the wiring method. So does the AHJ or specifier.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The other point is that the fire alarm circuits are supervised and any failure will result in a trouble alarm, also the failure of a fire alarm cable is not a fire or shock safety issue like the failure of a power circuit would be.