Commercial Fire Alarm Wiring And Cable - The Backbone Of A Dependable, Trouble-Free System

When it comes to commercial fire alarm systems, many people will tell you that the most important parts are field components, such as smoke detectors, horns, strobes, etc.

Of course, there’s no denying that “all” fire alarm components installed in a commercial system are important and serve a special purpose, but one critical part sometimes overlooked by fire alarm installers and technicians are the fire alarm wires and cable.

In an earlier article, we touched on this topic when we discussed ground faults. Ground faults are just one problem that can be the cause of poor wiring practices, but depending on your specific application, the problems faced could be a lot worse than you may think.

For example, in a medical facility, loose wires or potential shorts may cause the fire alarm system to go into full alarm and cause much unneeded stress on patients, especially in critical care or pediatric units, where intense noise and bright, flashing lights could further deteriorate the medical conditions of patients.

In a high rise building, a full alarm that recalls elevators or shuts fire doors could cause more that just a simple inconvenience for tenants.

Although rare, false alarms caused by poor wiring could turn into a legal nightmare for both the building management company and the fire alarm company as well.

What can be done to prevent situations such as these from happening in the first place?

Having been in this business for many years we can tell you, without a doubt, that false alarms and unwanted troubles on a fire alarm system can easily be prevented by following some simple, yet critical wiring practices and procedures.

Below you will find three recommended wiring procedures that one should follow during the initial wiring phase of a fire alarm installation:

1. Inspect all wire and cable
   When installing fire alarm cable, make sure to avoid snags caused by obstacles or sharp objects. If you discover that a cable has been damaged, either re-pull the section in question, create a proper junction, or make necessary repairs so that the damage is not exposed to susceptible grounds or shorts.
2. Only use supports that are specifically made for the cable
   There are special supports you can use, such as beam clamps connected to rings that can do this. If at all possible, use these specialty items when supporting cable above ceiling tiles. It is recommended by most builder specs that these supports be placed every four to five feet apart to prevent unneeded stress put on the hanging cable.
3. Be aware of how wires are routed above ceilings
   When making directional turns, make sure that all wires bend no less than ninety degrees if at all possible. Often, you will find that job specs also will give you this information. When in doubt, read the specifications for your job.

We will soon be creating videos showing how proper cabling should be done. If you would like to see these free videos, sign up for our weekly newsletter. We will only send you information when a new video are article is posted to our website.

If you are looking for a dependable commercial fire alarm company in and around the Houston, Texas area, please feel free to contact one of our representatives. We’re here to serve you.