Fire alarm contractor is replacing some damaged sprinkler water gongs with 120v bells they requested 120 at a J box there. I’m electrical maintenance and was asked to run it. We currently have some other upgraded 120 bells on there own circuits somebody did in the past that is not part of the facp main circuit but all marked and labeled . I’m wondering if it’d be ok for me just to tap into those so our bells all share the same circuits. Instead of pulling power from the main FACP circuit which is over 500 ft from the furthest riser i need to get to . Opinions?
Do 120v fire sprinkler flow bell have to be on same circuit as Main fire alarm control panel ? Do they even count has fire alarm protection equipment?
- Thread starter Taryn
- Start date
There are listed notification appliance circuit extenders that can be used for that work. A fire alarm notification circuit is not a good replacement for water motor gongs. Water motor gongs are simpler and run directly from the water flowing through the wet pipe alarm check valve. The alarm system can be down, the utility power off, and the pressure in the system somewhat low and they will still sound. Since they take their water directly from the wet or dry systems alarm valve they are super reliable.
The vane operated switches often used for electric flow detection will sometimes rip off of the switch stem and plug the flow of water to the open sprinklers. That cannot happen with an alarm check valve controlled water motor gong. Installing a pressure detector in the top Tee of the retarding chamber allows electric detection of sprinkler activation without any chance of disabling the system by obstructing the water flow.
Circuit extenders can be part of the alarm system, powered by any acceptable source of AC power, because the extender itself is monitored for power and continuity by the system. If anything happens to an extenders power the power monitoring relay puts the alarm system into a trouble condition.
The vane operated switches often used for electric flow detection will sometimes rip off of the switch stem and plug the flow of water to the open sprinklers. That cannot happen with an alarm check valve controlled water motor gong. Installing a pressure detector in the top Tee of the retarding chamber allows electric detection of sprinkler activation without any chance of disabling the system by obstructing the water flow.
Circuit extenders can be part of the alarm system, powered by any acceptable source of AC power, because the extender itself is monitored for power and continuity by the system. If anything happens to an extenders power the power monitoring relay puts the alarm system into a trouble condition.