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CAN/ULC-S524-06 Clause 4.5.1 D

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:04
by pat
I am an electrician working for Vancouver Island Health Authority. At one of our hospitals, a new Simplex Grinnell addressable fire alarm system (with a 4100ES Panel) is being installed. Voice communication is being used for paging, alert signal, alarm signal, and emergency telephone. CAN/ULC-S524-06 Clause 4.5.1 D
directs that where the building is sprinklered, that a fault within one floor area shall not prevent voice communication in another. Is the fault referred to in the data loop serving active field device, and/or supporting field devices or does this refer to a fault in a voice communication circuit. In other words, does one have to split up voice communication speakers into different circuits when they serve different floor areas?
Thanks

Re: CAN/ULC-S524-06 Clause 4.5.1 D

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:16
by FIRETEK
Clause "D" in the referenced section was deleted in the February 2011 Amendment to the Standard. A Note has also been added "See Clause 3.3.1.9." This clause has also been amended (February 2011): "Except as permitted in Clause 3.3.1.6 or Clause 3.3.1.10, where a power buss circuit serves more than one National Building Code of Canada required fire alarm zone, a single fault (open circuit fault, short circuit fault or ground fault) on the power circuit shall not prevent the normal operation of input or output field devices in more than one fire alarm zone."

If the floor area your are referring to is on a different fire alarm zone, then good engineering practice (and the intent of this Section which relates to distributed type systems) would entail a separate speaker zone as well or a buss isolator (added March 13, 2013).

I would recommend that you obtain the latest version of the Installation Standard which includes the February 2011 Amendment. The Amendment is, unfortunately, not available as a separate document (which, in my opinion, it should be).