Nevada Fire Detection Specialty Contractor Examination

On a 24-volt DC initiating circuit, a conventional smoke detector draws 45 mA in alarm. What is the detector's equivalent resistance while in alarm?

• A1.08 ohms
• B533 ohms
• C108 ohms
• D5,333 ohms

Four identical 24-volt horn-strobes are connected in parallel. Each draws 80 mA in alarm. What is the total alarm current the notification-appliance circuit must supply?

• A80 mA
• B20 mA
• C320 mA
• D1.92 A

A 24-volt notification appliance draws 180 mA while sounding and flashing. How much power does it consume?

• A4.32 watts
• B0.13 watt
• C43.2 watts
• D133 watts

In the AWG system used on C-41C fire-detection circuits, which copper conductor has the lowest resistance per 1,000 feet?

• A18 AWG
• B16 AWG
• C14 AWG
• D22 AWG

A 24.0-volt control-unit output feeds a notification circuit whose total conductor resistance is 2.4 ohms. Alarm current is 1.25 A. What voltage remains at the last appliance?

• A21.0 V
• B22.8 V
• C24.0 V
• D27.0 V

On a conventional Class B initiating-device circuit that uses an end-of-line resistor, which condition typically produces a trouble signal rather than an alarm?

• AA detector's alarm contacts closing across the pair
• BAn open conductor or a missing end-of-line resistor
• CA waterflow switch reaching its retard and closing
• DA manual fire-alarm box being pulled

Why are most listed 24-volt notification appliances polarized on a C-41C notification-appliance circuit?

• ASo they draw alarm current only when the pair is at the correct polarity, which also allo…
• BSo they can be powered from either 24 volts DC or 120 volts AC without a rectifier
• CSo candela output doubles if the pair is reversed
• DSo the appliances can share a conductor with 120-volt lighting

A C-41C installer measures continuity on a de-energized notification pair and reads nearly 0 ohms between the two conductors, with the end-of-line device disconnected. What does that reading indicate?

• AA healthy open pair ready for the end-of-line device
• BA short between the two circuit conductors
• CNormal insulation resistance to earth
• DThat the pair is still energized at 24 volts

A 24-volt notification circuit uses 400 feet of 16 AWG copper pair. Uncoated 16 AWG copper is 4.02 ohms per 1,000 feet per conductor. Alarm current is 1.50 A. What is the approximate voltage drop in the pair?

• A1.2 V
• B2.4 V
• C4.8 V
• D9.6 V

Which NEC 2017 article governs the installation of wiring and equipment for fire-alarm systems, including circuits controlled and powered by the fire-alarm system?

• AArticle 250
• BArticle 700
• CArticle 725 only
• DArticle 760

Which listed power-limited fire-alarm cable type is permitted in ducts, plenums, and other spaces used for environmental air under NEC 2017?

• AType FPL (general-purpose)
• BType FPLR (riser) without a plenum listing
• CType FPLP (plenum)
• DType NM-B nonmetallic sheathed cable

A power-limited fire-alarm cable rises unsleeved through a vertical shaft from the first floor to the roof and is not in a plenum. What is the minimum listing that satisfies NEC 2017 for that riser?

• AType FPL only
• BType FPLR or a permitted higher listing such as FPLP
• CType CM communications cable with no fire-alarm marking
• DAny two-conductor thermostat wire

NEC 2017 treats installed fire-alarm cable as abandoned when it is not terminated at equipment other than a connector and is not identified for future use. What must be done with the accessible portion?

• AIt may be left in place if it is still neat
• BThe accessible portion shall be removed
• CIt shall be spliced onto the nearest live initiating circuit
• DIt shall be painted red and left in the ceiling

Under NEC 2017 760.24, exposed power-limited fire-alarm cables on ceilings and sidewalls shall be secured by listed fittings at intervals not exceeding which distance?

• A18 inches
• B4 feet
• C6 feet
• D10 feet

NEC 2017 generally requires power-limited fire-alarm conductors to be separated from electric light, power, Class 1, and NPLFA conductors. Where those conductors are not in a raceway or metal-sheathed cable, what minimum separation applies?

• A1/2 inch
• B1 inch
• C2 inches
• D12 inches

Which statement correctly describes a power-limited fire-alarm (PLFA) circuit under NEC 2017 Article 760?

• AThe circuit is limited in voltage and power by a listed source that complies with 760.121
• BThe circuit may operate at up to 600 volts and is not power-limited
• CThe circuit must be installed only with Chapter 3 wiring methods and never with listed FP…
• DThe circuit is identified only by a manufacturer marketing label and has no NEC definition

NEC 2017 760.30 requires fire-alarm circuits to be identified at terminal and junction locations. What is the purpose of that identification?

• ATo prevent unintentional interference with the signaling circuits during testing and serv…
• BTo satisfy a color-code rule that every fire-alarm conductor must be red
• CTo replace the requirement to mark the branch-circuit disconnect
• DTo allow power conductors to be landed in the same unmarked splice

May power-limited fire-alarm cables be supported by the ceiling-grid wires that suspend a lay-in ceiling, under NEC 2017?

• AYes; any ceiling wire is an acceptable support
• BNo; fire-alarm cables shall not be supported by the ceiling assembly or its support wires…
• CYes, if the cable is Type FPLP
• DYes, if the grid is painted red

A C-41C crew is installing a conventional Class B initiating-device circuit that uses an end-of-line resistor for supervision. Why is an unsupervised T-tap off that pair generally unacceptable?

• AA T-tap beyond the supervised path will not report an open on the tapped branch
• BT-taps reduce candela on visible appliances
• CT-taps convert the circuit from PLFA to NPLFA
• DNFPA 72 (2013) requires every initiating circuit to be Class A

NEC 2017 openings around electrical penetrations through fire-resistance-rated walls, partitions, floors, or ceilings shall be firestopped. Which section is the general rule Article 760 applies?

• A110.26 working space
• B210.8 GFCI protection
• C300.21 spread of fire or products of combustion
• D700.10 wiring, emergency system

Under NEC 2017 760.139, which combination is generally permitted in the same cable, enclosure, or raceway without a barrier?

• APLFA conductors and 120-volt lighting conductors
• BTwo or more PLFA circuits, or PLFA with Class 3 or communications circuits
• CNPLFA conductors and PLFA conductors with no separation
• DPLFA conductors and electric-light conductors sharing a splice

NFPA 72 (2013) Class B pathways differ from Class A pathways in which operational way?

• AClass B has a redundant return path so a single open does not disable devices beyond the…
• BClass B has no redundant path; a single open disables devices beyond the break, and an en…
• CClass B is reserved for 120-volt NPLFA notification only
• DClass B and Class A are identical; the letters are manufacturer options

NFPA 72 (2013) added Class N as a pathway designation. What kind of pathway does Class N describe?

• AA conventional two-wire initiating circuit with an end-of-line resistor
• BEthernet/IP or similar shared network pathways that meet the Code's dual-pathway and equi…
• CA 120-volt NPLFA horn circuit in conduit
• DAn unsupervised door-holder circuit that is not monitored for integrity

A C-41C installer must select cable for a wet outdoor run between two buildings. Which NEC 2017 approach is acceptable for power-limited fire-alarm conductors?

• AAny indoor FPL cable, because PLFA circuits are low voltage and ignore wet-location rules
• BA wet-location-listed cable or a wiring method identified for wet locations, with Article…
• CType NM-B stapled to the building exterior
• DOpen splices taped and left in the soil as a direct-burial method

NEC 2017 requires fire-alarm circuits and equipment to be grounded in accordance with which article?

• AArticle 250
• BArticle 500
• CArticle 695 only
• DArticle 800 only

What is the primary purpose of the equipment grounding conductor landed on a 120-volt fire-alarm control unit?

• ATo carry the 24-volt notification-appliance operating current
• BTo provide a low-impedance path that clears a ground fault and keeps metal parts from rem…
• CTo replace the need for a dedicated branch circuit
• DTo serve as the signaling-line circuit return conductor

Metal raceways, boxes, and fittings that enclose fire-alarm circuit conductors shall be:

• ALeft unbonded so they cannot create a ground loop
• BBonded and grounded in accordance with Article 250 so they are not left as isolated metal
• CUsed as the only signaling-line conductor
• DFilled with water to improve conductivity

An installer proposes to land the fire-alarm control-unit grounding conductor only on an isolated-ground receptacle terminal and not on the equipment grounding system of the dedicated branch circuit. Is that acceptable under NEC 2017?

• AYes; isolated-ground receptacles are preferred for all fire-alarm control units
• BNo; the control unit shall be grounded by the equipment grounding conductor of its supply…
• CYes, if the isolated-ground wire is painted green
• DYes, if the panel is also bonded to a sprinkler pipe only

When a fire-alarm initiating or signaling-line circuit develops an unintended connection to earth (a ground fault), NFPA 72 (2013) expects the control unit to:

• AIgnore the condition because earth is the intended signaling return
• BIndicate a ground-fault trouble so the installer can locate and clear the fault
• CAutomatically convert the circuit from PLFA to NPLFA
• DIncrease notification candela by 50 percent

NFPA 72 (2013) treats the primary power supply for a protected-premises fire-alarm system as which source?

• AThe storage batteries alone, with no AC connection
• BA reliable commercial light-and-power source, or an engine-driven generator arranged as a…
• CA receptacle shared with vending machines in the break room
• DPower extracted from a sprinkler waterflow switch

The most common secondary power supply for a protected-premises fire-alarm control unit on a C-41C installation is:

• AA second utility transformer on the same service
• BStorage batteries sized for the required standby plus alarm operation
• CA photovoltaic array with no batteries
• DPower drawn from the building's emergency lighting inverters only

For a protected-premises fire-alarm system that is not an emergency voice/alarm communications system, NFPA 72 (2013) requires storage-battery secondary power to operate the system under quiescent load for a minimum of 24 hours and then operate alarm notification appliances for at least:

• A30 seconds
• B5 minutes
• C15 minutes
• D2 hours

If the fire-alarm system includes in-building emergency voice/alarm communications, NFPA 72 (2013) requires the secondary supply, after 24 hours of standby, to operate the system at maximum connected load for:

• A5 minutes
• B10 minutes
• C15 minutes
• D60 minutes

NEC 2017 requires the dedicated fire-alarm equipment branch circuit to meet which of the following?

• AIt may supply receptacles and lighting in the same room as the control unit
• BIt shall supply no other loads, shall not be GFCI or AFCI protected, and its overcurrent-…
• CIt shall be a 480-volt three-phase feeder
• DIt shall be switched from a wall switch at the main exit

NEC 2017 requires the disconnecting means for the fire-alarm equipment branch circuit to be identified in which way?

• AWith red identification, accessible only to qualified personnel, and marked FIRE ALARM CI…
• BWith a handwritten pencil note inside the panel directory only
• CWith a green isolated-ground marking
• DNo marking is required if the breaker is 20 amperes

When an automatic-starting engine-driven generator is used as the secondary supply in accordance with NFPA 72 (2013), storage batteries at the control unit are sized for which reduced standby interval plus the required alarm operation?

• A30 minutes
• B4 hours
• C12 hours
• D24 hours still, with no reduction permitted

A non-voice fire-alarm control unit has a standby current of 0.35 A and an alarm current of 3.00 A. Using NFPA 72 (2013) capacity of 24 hours standby plus 5 minutes of alarm, and a 1.20 safety margin, what is the minimum calculated battery capacity?

• A8.40 ampere-hours
• B10.38 ampere-hours
• C12.00 ampere-hours
• D18.00 ampere-hours

An in-building emergency voice/alarm communications control unit has a standby current of 0.80 A and a maximum alarm current of 4.00 A. Using 24 hours standby plus 15 minutes of alarm and a 1.20 safety margin, what is the minimum calculated battery capacity?

• A19.20 ampere-hours
• B20.20 ampere-hours
• C24.24 ampere-hours
• D28.80 ampere-hours

Compared with a spot-type heat detector, a spot-type smoke detector is generally selected when the design goal is:

• AEarlier warning from smoldering or flaming combustion products rather than waiting for a…
• BOperation only after the room has reached the sprinkler rating temperature
• CImmunity to all cooking aerosols so the device can sit over a commercial range
• DReplacement of occupant-notification appliances

A photoelectric spot-type smoke detector is generally more responsive than an ionization detector to which kind of fire?

• AA fast-flaming fire that produces very small, invisible particles
• BA smoldering fire that produces larger, visible smoke particles
• CA flammable-liquid pool fire in an open outdoor yard
• DA fire that produces only heat and no particulate

An ionization spot-type smoke detector is generally more responsive than a photoelectric detector to which kind of fire?

• AA smoldering mattress fire that produces large visible particles
• BA fast-flaming fire that produces very small combustion particles
• CA fire inside a sealed freezer at well below the detector's listed temperature
• DA fire that produces only radiant heat

In a commercial kitchen or an unheated parking garage, which automatic initiating device is ordinarily selected instead of a spot-type smoke detector?

• AA spot-type heat detector listed for the ambient temperature
• BAn ionization smoke detector mounted over the range
• CA projected-beam smoke detector aimed through the cooking plume
• DNo automatic detection is ever permitted in those spaces

A fixed-temperature spot-type heat detector initiates an alarm when:

• AThe detector reaches its listed operating temperature
• BSmoke obscures a photoelectric chamber
• CThe rate of temperature rise exceeds a listed rate even if the fixed temperature is never…
• DA manual fire-alarm box is pulled anywhere on the same floor

On a smooth, flat ceiling, the nominal spacing used by NFPA 72 (2013) for spot-type smoke detectors is:

• A15 feet
• B21 feet
• C30 feet
• D50 feet

When a spot-type smoke detector is mounted on a wall, NFPA 72 (2013) requires the top of the detector to be how far from the ceiling?

• ALess than 4 inches, in the ceiling-wall corner
• BNot less than 4 inches and not more than 12 inches
• CBetween 18 and 24 inches
• D80 to 96 inches above the finished floor, same as a strobe

A ceiling-mounted spot-type smoke detector shall be kept at least how far from a sidewall?

• A1 inch
• B4 inches
• C12 inches
• D36 inches

A spot-type smoke detector has a nominal smooth-ceiling spacing S of 30 feet. Measured at a right angle from a wall, the detector shall be no farther than which distance from that wall?

• A7.5 feet
• B15 feet
• C21 feet
• D30 feet