Residential fire alarm/smokies question

[Kg808]

Ok..
i have a project that is a garage downstairs 2 bed 2 bath upstairs new construction in California.

Contractor just called and said that the fire flow switch needs to alert the bell as well as the smokies throughout the structure. I have not seen or been required to do this ever. I have done a quick glance into the code book. (2014) haven’t seen exactly which art would require this.

Every house weve we’ve done so far has been: 120v power to the flow switch then switch leg/neutral to the bell. Smokies interconnected to each other. But the two have always been separated. I hope that this may be a misunderstanding. Or it could very well be that I have been trained wrong and never been caught!?

AND if this is the case that the two need to work together, how does this happen? As the flow switch is just a switch. How does it signal the smokies? There must be a separate relay?

thank you as always for the knowledge!

 

[gadfly56]

Ok..
i have a project that is a garage downstairs 2 bed 2 bath upstairs new construction in California.

Contractor just called and said that the fire flow switch needs to alert the bell as well as the smokies throughout the structure. I have not seen or been required to do this ever. I have done a quick glance into the code book. (2014) haven’t seen exactly which art would require this.

Every house weve we’ve done so far has been: 120v power to the flow switch then switch leg/neutral to the bell. Smokies interconnected to each other. But the two have always been separated. I hope that this may be a misunderstanding. Or it could very well be that I have been trained wrong and never been caught!?

AND if this is the case that the two need to work together, how does this happen? As the flow switch is just a switch. How does it signal the smokies? There must be a separate relay?

thank you as always for the knowledge!

For "smokies", are we talking about:

1. the usual 120 AC interconnected smoke alarms with individual battery backup, or
2. low voltage smoke detectors that are hooked up to a panel that has battery backup?

 

[Kg808]

For "smokies", are we talking about:

1. the usual 120 AC interconnected smoke alarms with individual battery backup, or
2. low voltage smoke detectors that are hooked up to a panel that has battery backup?

They are are the regular kiddie interconnect 120v w/battery back up. Smoke alarms hardwired w a 14/3 to each other and a 14/2 feeding power to the first one in the line.

 

[curt swartz]

It can be done with a Kidde relay module but I don't like the idea. We always put separate 120 volt horns on each floor in the hallways near the bedrooms. I would suggest you contact the fire marshal's office for the area you are working and ask what they want. I have been given bad info by the sprinkler contractors more than once.

 

[ritelec]

Smokies ????

 

[Adamjamma]

It can be done with a Kidde relay module but I don't like the idea. We always put separate 120 volt horns on each floor in the hallways near the bedrooms. I would suggest you contact the fire marshal's office for the area you are working and ask what they want. I have been given bad info by the sprinkler contractors more than once.

the Kidde relay.. can it relay from floor to floor..such as an alarm goes in basement and third floor gets alarm horns as well, or does it all need hard wired? Never dealt with newer stuff..last alarm system I dealt with was part of an old 200 channel intercom system... 1983..lol

 

[rambojoe]

very interesting... to the OP, if that is the case and what the engineer required, look at it on the prints- and there might be some other specs that were overlooked.

that configuration sure seems like the tail wagging the dog, it is very obvious when the sprinklers go off. sprinklers means its time to evacuate, right?! and hopefully the fire alarms preceed the sprinklers.... I always thought relays to the main alarm control panel is a very good thing since most folks get mobile alerts. I would be interested in a final update to this one.

 

[gadfly56]

They are are the regular kiddie interconnect 120v w/battery back up. Smoke alarms hardwired w a 14/3 to each other and a 14/2 feeding power to the first one in the line.

Is this a single-family home, residential apartments...?

 

[Kg808]

very interesting... to the OP, if that is the case and what the engineer required, look at it on the prints- and there might be some other specs that were overlooked.

that configuration sure seems like the tail wagging the dog, it is very obvious when the sprinklers go off. sprinklers means its time to evacuate, right?! and hopefully the fire alarms preceed the sprinklers.... I always thought relays to the main alarm control panel is a very good thing since most folks get mobile alerts. I would be interested in a final update to this one.

Update:
i put in a kiddie sm120x module. I wired it to set “smokies” off when the fire bell is activated by flow switch. Seems now everyone involved is happy now. I still wasn’t able to get a code reference from the inspectors. But I didn’t push the issue now that final inspection has passed.
Thanks all.