Myth Buster # 1:

The Legend of the Red Junction Box.

BACKGROUND:   Lets face it.  Most of the high profile jobs in this country are installed by the major national fire alarm companies.  These being the hospitals, airports, skyscrapers, universities, etc.  The wiring for these projects are always installed in conduit because the labor intensive work is sub-contracted to the project's electrical contractor with the final hookup and programming provided by the fire alarm equipment manufacturer. 

A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED:

The common use of electricians on these projects who use the wiring methods are were accustomed to, has meant that usually these systems have single conductor THHN-type wires installed in EMT conduit.   The potential problem became evident to anyone opening an electrical box that they were unable to distinguish the electrical service wire from the fire alarm wiring.  

A REMEDY WAS CREATED:

The alarm industry admitted that this could be a problem and created a rule in the NEC.  This simple fix was added a simple fix designed to prevent an un-informed individual from disturbing the fire alarm wiring while they assumed it was the electrical system they were working with.  The resulting rule was added the NEC: "Fire alarm circuits shall be identified at terminal and junction locations...".    The identity of the first person to paint a box red has been lost to history.

Consequently, most of the engineers preparing plans and specifications have since required that fire alarm junction boxes be painted red. 

WHICH CREATED A NEW PROBLEM:  

Somehow, the common practice of engineers specifying that these boxes be painted red, has since lead to several other assumptions regarding codes and the fire alarm industry.

The first assumption is that this is written in the codes, somewhere.   (FACT:  There is no rule in the NEC or NFPA 72 or anywhere else, that junction boxes be painted red.) It isn't a rule, and not required by code, for several good reasons:

• An un-informed individual, with little knowledge of his trade, will not know that red = fire alarm.  Red could mean "electricity - danger".  If they aren't qualified to be poking around in junction boxes, they sure won't know about this "un-written rule" regarding red boxes or red box covers!  Red paint just doesn't convey the message.

• It's gotten out of hand:  Inspectors now assume that this is a rule and have actually required alarm companies to remove pull boxes, horns/strobes, etc. and paint the box red that they are attached to.  I kid you not.  (The fact that there's a pull box or horn-strobe attached to it should be indication enough that there's fire alarm wiring behind it, right?)  More embarrassing is that the fact there are many who also "require"  pull elbows to also be painted red.  It'd be funny if it weren't so sad.

• It's gotten WAY out of hand.  Do you know that some cities have grown this myth and misunderstanding way out of proportion and have required that the conduit also be red?  It's true!  The higher cost of installation means that there will be less money spent by building owners on smoke detectors since their budget was over burdened with silly and wasteful conduit color requirements that do absolutely nothing to increase the safety of the occupants in any way.  In fact, this can be easily seen as decreasing safety by causing budget money to be wasted on non-life saving color schemes.  Reality:  we professionals in the alarm industry don't care where on how the conduit is run, even if its above the ceiling, embedded in concrete, in walls, shafts, chutes or hung exposed; we only need to locate the wires terminations, and these are always in boxes.

• When FPL wiring in used in conduit there should be no need to "identify" junction boxes, one look at the wire is enough.

• 10% of men have some degree of color blindness.  It's true, its obvious by just looking at some of us.  ;-)

• This is a waste of funds, time and energy.  It's messy.  It's ugly.  It isn't effective.  It's abused. 

CONSIDER THIS:   If you need to indicate that the wiring in a junction box is, in fact, limited energy fire alarm cable, then mark it in a way that everyone will understand. 

Place a label on each junction box (not mounting boxes) and list the type and quantity of circuit it contains.  Mark it so there is no misunderstanding of the 'unwritten rule' regarding red  junction boxes.  Service technicians that weren't present for the installation of the fire alarm system will also appreciate the information provided on each label.

This adhesive backed label:

• was designed so that it would fit on all junction boxes including 4 inch square, octagon, and boxes as small as single gang outlet boxes.  Its actual size is 2 inches by 3.5 inches.
• uses blank white boxes for you to indicate both the number and the type of circuit the j-box contains.
• is more economical by saving you the time and mess of using an ineffective paint scheme that has no basis in code.
• distinguishes your company from all the others.
• will have you ready to comply in minutes if you are ever blindsided during a final inspection by some well meaning but misinformed AHJ.
• Complies with the letter, spirit and intent of the NEC.

NEC

"760.10 Fire Alarm Circuit Identification.
Fire alarm circuits shall be identified at terminal and junction locations in a manner that will prevent unintentional interference with the signaling circuit during testing and servicing."

THIS IS MR. KESSINGER'S EDITORIAL PAGE.  THE IDEAS EXPRESSED HERE ARE HIS OWN AND (sadly) DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF ANY OF THE ASSOCIATIONS OR GROUPS HE IS AFFILIATED WITH. 

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Myth Buster # 2:

The Legend of the Red Anything.

BACKGROUND:   It is widely assumed that wire, j-boxes, horns, strobes, annunciators, fire alarm control panels and other such equipment is required to be red in color.  This isn't true.  FACT: The only thing required to be the color red in commercial fire alarm systems by NFPA 72, is "the circuit disconnect means".     However, it is not a good idea to paint a circuit breaker's handle with red paint, even fingernail polish advertised as one that won't "it doesn't run, chip, crack or peel" because it still might get into the breaker and interfere with its operation.  (The manufacturer's instructions don't say you can paint them, do they?)

CONSIDER THIS:  Use a label to mark the circuit disconnect means.   The words "FIRE ALARM" will be seen with the door closed.  This will draw the user to the correct electrical supply panel.  The arrow will then be pointing to the correct breaker when the door is opened. 

This adhesive backed label:

• allows neat and safe compliance with the NFPA 72 rule that requires "the circuit disconnect means to have a red marking".   
• actual size is 1/2 inches by 3 3/16 inches.
• has been designed to have one arrow trimmed off on-site, depending if the breaker is to the right or left of the sticker.    (It can also be used with both arrows intact to indicate the path of fire alarm wiring, when necessary.)
• will also allow your company to set the quality standard in your area.  The inspectors will take notice. 

Ok, so why are fire alarm manual pull boxes always red? 

Good eye!  These are not covered by the NEC or NFPA 72 because it is the jurisdiction of the building codes to determine their color and labeling.  Most have chosen "red in color".  However, New York for example,  requires a white diagonal stripe on their red manual boxes to indicate a local alarm.  NFPA 72 also requires city street boxes in municipal fire alarm systems to be red.

BACKGROUND:  

The telephone company is notorious for 'fixing' our phone wiring for us when servicing our customer's phone lines.  The cause numerous problems when, do to ignorance on their part, they rewire the phone lines by returning them to the traditional parallel, home-run style. This makes it so there can be no line-seizure because another line is permitted to be wired parallel to the DACT line.

A 'REMEDY' WAS CREATED:  

Some AHJs think that using a dedicated telephone line with a DACT is adding a level of safety.  The fact is, it makes the system less reliable.  There is no requirement in NFPA 72 for a dedicated phone line or lines.  While clearly a problem exists with the telephone company employee's training, it is sometimes seen as ours, since we supervise the phone service and deliver the bad news.

WHICH CREATED A NEW PROBLEM:     

Business owners routinely cancel telephone lines that are not assigned to anyone in their company.  I KNOW THIS TO BE A FACT.  I have had at least one company in every class relate the same problem.  This is how it happens...Usually some bean counter in another city calls and cancels service on a line, and the telephone company complies, but leaves voltage on the line so the problem isn't noticed immediately.   With alternate 24 hour testing of the phone line, it may be almost 48 hours before a fail-to-test signal is registered at the central station.  Now the alarm system is impaired until the telephone company can arrange new service for the customer, resulting in days or weeks before the fire alarm system is fully functional.  This is the kind of "local requirements" that can occur when inspectors make up local 'requirements' for an industry they know little about.

 CONSIDER THIS: 

First, don't allow a local AHJ to put your company, your employees, your customers and public, at risk.   I suggest that the DACT phone lines be placed on the primary lines used by the owner or another VIP.  This way, they will never be allowed to go un-repaired or out of service.  That's reliability.

Secondly, consider labels (not required by any code) for the DACT's  phone jacks.   A similar version of the following labels have been used effectively by my own company for years.  They are designed to fit on the RJ31X telephone interface jack, but they can also be placed at the demarcation box or punch-down block.   You an chose to be either 'naughty' or 'nice', depending on your limit of tolerance for these needless interruptions in your customers' alarm service.

These adhesive backed labels:

Choose

     "Standard"           or       "Optional wording"

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