Fire Alarm T Taps

[cadpoint]

MH's Article 760

MH's Article 760

Here's a free MH overview of: Article 760 ((this is a direct download))

It is explained in his own words this is a high point summary of the Article as published in his newsletter, 1.19.10.

This is only in reference to NFPA 70, I only breezed through it...

In the ten pages of the PDF, the Word, T-Tap is not mentioned, Tap in search commons up as staples, in Adobe search... I've given up on search processes for a while!

But it is a very good read, to know of the various aspects and a good broad overview (highlights and MH pic's) of getting the work done, one can't go wrong! JMO.

This is for all those the play along, like I do, reading about the IMO mysterious F/A system. LOL

Enjoy...

 

[gadfly56]

What is the best method out thewre for t tapping fire alarm SLC conductors? I am looking for the easiest and safest suggestions.

You can try these: http://www.1sae.com/products/intaccess/FB4.html ; they're pretty neat and you can check the branches for shorts and grounds without the tedium of pulling the wire nuts off, putting them back on, pulling them off, on, off, ad nauseum. Since each wire is individually captured, you can change wire sizes at the block without worrying if the #18 is going to sneak out from under the screw with the #12.

 

[Rob454]

T tapping is not allowed on my jobs. EVER. i dont like it never did never will.
Yes it can be done. Some panels do not a like more than a certain # of t taps. Edwards panels are like that.

 

[Security101]

You can try these: http://www.1sae.com/products/intaccess/FB4.html ; they're pretty neat and you can check the branches for shorts and grounds without the tedium of pulling the wire nuts off, putting them back on, pulling them off, on, off, ad nauseum. Since each wire is individually captured, you can change wire sizes at the block without worrying if the #18 is going to sneak out from under the screw with the #12.

Those are sharp - I definitely want to check them out!

Jim

 

[Security101]

T tapping is not allowed on my jobs. EVER. i dont like it never did never will.
Yes it can be done. Some panels do not a like more than a certain # of t taps. Edwards panels are like that.

Just curious then, what do you do with a "T-Tapable" system, run all the way through and back and forth through each detector - or homerun them all and t-tap in the control?

Jim

 

[gadfly56]

Just curious then, what do you do with a "T-Tapable" system, run all the way through and back and forth through each detector - or homerun them all and t-tap in the control?

Jim

Actually, I don't care for T-tapping myself. I've had to unravel someone else's spaghetti in the field after someone walked off with the marked up drawing. It was NOT fun.

The techs who wired my last job seemed to feel that way too. Almost everything was in-and-out, panel to last device. I had pre-assigned the device addresses, and since I was fairly consistant on the device order from floor to floor and addressed them as if they were on a conventional loop (old habits!), that's the way they wired it. It was a gut-and-rehab, with drop ceilings, so there was no real need to T-tap.