Fire alarm, it has been a while.

[Benton]

I was aske to run cables for a fire alarm system in some ones home. What size wire do I need? Is it four conductor 18? It is going back to a fire alarm panel. I should know this but I haven't dealt with fire alarms in years. Any other advice would be appreciated.

 

[del91574]

4/18 would be the best route, continously run (daisy chain) or depending on the house, you could do a single daisy per floor.

Also depends on the panel it's going to be connected to for a better answer.

 

[Modern_Castle_Inc]

True fire alarm panel or security panel?
this matters because most commercial fire panels are 2 wire systems most security panels require 4 conductors 2 for power and 2 for data.

18/4 with red insulation is your safest way out if you dont know the panel.

You may want to consider running 2 loops, 1 for fire and 1 for CO.
Unlike 120VAC systems there are no combination devices for low voltage systems.

Do you have to run a horn circuit as well? that you will want to do in 14/2 again with the red insulation.

 

[del91574]

True fire alarm panel or security panel?
this matters because most commercial fire panels are 2 wire systems most security panels require 4 conductors 2 for power and 2 for data.

18/4 with red insulation is your safest way out if you dont know the panel.

You may want to consider running 2 loops, 1 for fire and 1 for CO.
Unlike 120VAC systems there are no combination devices for low voltage systems.

Do you have to run a horn circuit as well? that you will want to do in 14/2 again with the red insulation.

Since this is a residence, I'd doubt there's a need for a separate horn circuit, however since you're in a CO mandated state as well, the best way to do CO would be to do individual home runs, irregardless of panel type, just don't T-tap them.

 

[gadfly56]

True fire alarm panel or security panel?
this matters because most commercial fire panels are 2 wire systems most security panels require 4 conductors 2 for power and 2 for data.

18/4 with red insulation is your safest way out if you dont know the panel.

You may want to consider running 2 loops, 1 for fire and 1 for CO.
Unlike 120VAC systems there are no combination devices for low voltage systems.
Do you have to run a horn circuit as well? that you will want to do in 14/2 again with the red insulation.

System Sensor makes an addressable multi-criteria detector that includes CO. Most likely far too high-end for residential, unless you're working for Bill Gates.

Their standard CO1224T/TR goes on a separate loop, mostly because it requires non-resttable power. Multiple detectors can be run on a single circuit using 6-conductor cable. Each detector has a built-in sounder which rings Temporal 4.

 

[del91574]

System Sensor makes an addressable multi-criteria detector that includes CO. Most likely far too high-end for residential, unless you're working for Bill Gates.

Their standard CO1224T/TR goes on a separate loop, mostly because it requires non-resttable power. Multiple detectors can be run on a single circuit using 6-conductor cable. Each detector has a built-in sounder which rings Temporal 4.

That System Sensor unit only uses CO to also determine the validity of a fire alarm, not a separate CO signal. They're used in "critical" locations or other areas that are subject to false alarm due to enviroment (theaters, etc.) We've got a bunch of them installed at one of our sites that has somewhere over 60K detectors and modules installed.

The CO1224 doesn't necessarily need a 6 conductor, you can wire continous on a single 4, and then wire the trouble relay/contacts in with the detector circuit. Basically, you wire them NO circuit and the trouble relay in series with the circuit. Most smaller "modern" design panels have a designated CO zone type (alarm on short, trouble open) however if an older doesn't, I've always recommended people to wire it like a fire alarm and program it the same.

 

[gadfly56]

That System Sensor unit only uses CO to also determine the validity of a fire alarm, not a separate CO signal. They're used in "critical" locations or other areas that are subject to false alarm due to enviroment (theaters, etc.) We've got a bunch of them installed at one of our sites that has somewhere over 60K detectors and modules installed.

The CO1224 doesn't necessarily need a 6 conductor, you can wire continous on a single 4, and then wire the trouble relay/contacts in with the detector circuit. Basically, you wire them NO circuit and the trouble relay in series with the circuit. Most smaller "modern" design panels have a designated CO zone type (alarm on short, trouble open) however if an older doesn't, I've always recommended people to wire it like a fire alarm and program it the same.

See here for the detector with a separate CO signal.

You use 4-conductor to the first unit, 6-conductor to all the rest.

I am unaware of any panel, addressable or conventional, that has a dedicated "CO" zone on it, but I don't claim to have seen it all. If you have a panel where a zone can be made non-resttable you might make that work. It would just have to clear the alarm latch on reset.