Installation, Operation, and Maintenance Manual for Protectowire

defined as “the organization, office or individual responsible for approving equipment, an installation or a procedure.” [From NFPA 72]

Typically, an initiating device circuit will be designated as Class A or B depending upon the circuits’ ability to continue to transmit alarm and trouble signals during single circuit fault conditions defined as follows:

• Circuits capable of transmitting an alarm signal during a single open or ground fault, provided they do not occur simultaneously, are designed as Class A. In terms of an actual wiring configuration, this circuit typically consists of a pair of wires running from the control panel out through the hazard area, and returning in a continuous loop back to the control panel where they are terminated.

• Circuits not capable of transmitting an alarm beyond the location of the open or ground fault as specified above, are designated

Class B. Class B circuits generally do not return to the control panel, but are terminated by an end-of-line device remote from the control panel.

In addition to the class designations described above, initiating device circuits may also be designated by Style. The Style designation is determined by the capability of the circuit to transmit alarm and trouble signals during specified multiple circuit fault conditions, in addition to the single circuit fault conditions designated by the circuits’ class.

For further details and a complete description of the performance capabilities of various initiating device circuits, please refer to NFPA 72.

Regardless of the Class or Style of the initiating device circuits specified, the basic wiring practices for the installation of Protectowire in each circuit remain the same. In general, the use of Protectowire in any initiating device circuit (zone), is limited to coverage of a specific hazard or area requiring protection.

Copper feed wire, of an approved type, with a minimum conductor size of 18 AWG, shall be installed from the control panel out to the hazard area where it is then connected to the beginning of the Protectowire portion of the circuit. To determine the recommended wire gauge size and maximum length of copper feed wire which may be used on each initiating circuit of a Protectowire FireSystem

Control Panel, refer to Table 1.

The Protectowire portion of every initiating circuit shall terminate at each end in an approved zone box, end-of-line zone box, or other approved junction box provided as part of the system. Strain relief connectors, Series

SR-502, shall be installed in all junction boxes where Protectowire enters or exits the enclosure, in order to hold the cable securely and maintain dust and moisture tight conditions.

All zone box enclosures shall be rated and approved for use in the environment where they will be installed.

All electrical connections made within each zone box between Protectowire and the circuits’ interconnecting copper wire or end of line device, shall be made via terminals. The

Protectowire Company supplies zone boxes, identified by the letters QC, which contain a compression type terminal strip which allows the installer to directly connect Protectowire conductors to the terminals. In all other cases,

PFL Flexible Leads must be used to connect

Protectowire conductors to electrical terminals. PFL’s consist of a twisted pair of insulated soft copper wires with a PWSC Splicing

Connector attached on one end. The use of wire nuts or other similar wiring devices not specifically approved by The Protectowire

Company, is not recommended and shall be considered a misapplication of the product.

Figures 1 and 1A depict the typical field wiring of a ZB-4-QC-MP Zone Box in a Class B detection circuit of a fire alarm system using

3

Maximum Copper Feed Cable Length vs.

Wire Gauge (Diameter)

For Protectowire FireSystem Initiating Circuits

Initiating Circuits With or Without Alarm Point

Location Meter (Max. Resistance 100 ohms)

AWG* DIA.

MAX. LENGTH OFF

2 CONDUCTOR CABLE

#18 1.02 mm 7,600 feet (2,316 m)

#16 1.27 mm 12,200 feet (3,719 m)

#14 1.63 mm 19,400 feet (5,913 m)

#12 2.05 mm 30,800 feet (9,388 m)

*American Wire Gauge

Table 1