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Fire alarm wiring.

Firebrick43

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So I understand there is a hot, neutral, and a signal wire. I am wiring everything in emt.

I would like to use 14 ga red for the signal wire but tap off a 20 amp 12 ga circuit for power. Is this kosher?

Second, can I power the basement alarm and top floor alarms off different circuits, just sharing the signal wire?

Thanks
 
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sberry

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It wouldn't bother me but not sure how the code would feel about it, it is not really a current carrying conductor with the potential to overload. Lets wait for a couple code guru types to weigh in on this.
 

Norcal

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Are you licensed to work on fire alarms? If not that is a good way that get in a lot of hot water.
 
OP
F

Firebrick43

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Sorry. yes, smoke detectors in a residence. And I will use 12 ga thhn for the hot and neutral, I am wanting to use red 14 ga for the signal wire that forces them all to sound together. All the information I have found is for 14/3 romex and I don't have red or other non black/white thhn 12 ga and would rather not purchase it if I can use the 14 ga red that I have
 

LifeLongWNYer

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Don't forget that low voltage and 110 can't be in the same conduit, or if not in conduit, stapled together. I am not sure I understand why you would use Romex for fire alarm wire, why not use red jacketed 22 gauge?



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The Cobbler

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so the OP wants to
run a smoke detector from a 20 amp circuit using 12g
interconnect them with #14
tie smoke detectors into more than 1 feed

I don't know about the 20 amp circuit, suspicion is you need 15 amp circuit.Here smokes are supposed to be on a commonly used circuit such as hallway light, etc
I would be surprised if it was permissible to run detectors off of more than 1 circuit. infact I can see it not working or frying the smokes. typically 14/3 is run between all detectors. when I did mine in my house we tied the main floor smoke in to the hallway light circuit and ran 14/3 to the basement with a detector on that
 

alfredeneuman

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Don't forget that low voltage and 110 can't be in the same conduit

That's wrong.
(C) Conductors of Different Systems.
(1) 600 Volts, Nominal, or Less. Conductors of ac and dc circuits, rated 600 volts, nominal, or less, shall be permitted to occupy the same equipment wiring enclosure, cable, or raceway. All conductors shall have an insulation rating equal to at least the maximum circuit voltage applied to any
conductor within the enclosure, cable, or raceway
 

C-Mac

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The red conductor passes a 9v signal when in alarm state a would be inherently protected by the Limited output of its source. if you look in the specification sheets for your smoke detector it will have a maximum output rating, somewhere around a quarter amp if that. I can't speak to the NEC, but Canadian code stipulates it come off a lighting circuit if used in a residence.
 

sberry

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I am not sure about power from different circuits and the one clause that coult trip this up is that all the permanent wire would need to be 20A as part of the circuit. There is only 1 place they allow it and it is a short whip to a light fixture in a camper. But,,, and it aint,,, I understand that but it would certainly be similar to a fixture wire or a control wire with a dedicated use and no opportunity to have other loads applied. In fact this in a piped system would from a technical standpoint be about as good as it gets. This would be low on the list of code violations if there was one.
I only say this as a personal matter, not claiming it meets anything but would have done it without even thinking about it.
In theory could have used a wire just large enough to meet short circuit interruption for 20A. But if this was a light circuit, modern fixtures a 15A breaker would likely be well sufficient.
In my own shop I have several circuits and almost all individual piece,,,, no rows of similar stuff, lights in a given area may overlap and or come from different circuits. I have a couple 500 on stands but the fixed stuff is all 14 wire with a couple amps with the exceptinon again of 3 or 4 in paint booth. All that **** is cord and plugged to a 12/20 outlet.
I have half a dozen 4x4 boxes saddled on yet with a 4x4 cover and a switch and duplex. Its easy to jump to the conclusion that everything will have a 20A load but the outlets I would ever use to power a real saw pretty much breaker wire to a duplex in its own box and the beauty of piping, screw on another box and add switches.
 
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