smoke alarms??

[TheGaffersSon]

LSF ?

 

[RF Lighting]

Low smoke and fume

When it is in a fire the cable produces a low amount of smoke and fumes

Also there is LS0H, which is low smoke, zero halogen.




The firm I work for do quite abit of work in churches, so apperance and life expectancy of installation often overrules time taken.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

Low smoke and fume

When it is in a fire the cable produces a low amount of smoke and fumes

Also there is LS0H, which is low smoke, zero halogen.




The firm I work for do quite abit of work in churches, so apperance and life expectancy of installation often overrules time taken.

Ahh I see, cheers.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

Smoke alarms can be run on their own circuit or from a local regularly used lighting circuit. They should not be RCD protected unless it is a TT supply. You will need a 2c+e to the first smoke alarm for the supply and then the rest of the interconnecting cables in 3c+e LS&F cables. All can be done in 1.5mm/1mm subject to circuit design.
Further info here Wiring matters

edit 1) inserted link
edit 2) added word or

Cheers, you learn something new every day

 

[Spark123]

I can't remember seeing red sheathed cables in anything but LS&F type or pryo (+ maybe the odd flex), do they make red pvc twin+earth??

 

[TheGaffersSon]

I can't remember seeing red sheathed cables in anything but LS&F type or pryo (+ maybe the odd flex), do they make red pvc twin+earth??

I heard the other day you can buy red, blue and yellow PVC T+E. Never seen it myself though !

 

[RF Lighting]

I can't remember seeing red sheathed cables in anything but LS&F type or pryo (+ maybe the odd flex), do they make red pvc twin+earth??

I've seen red twin and earth but don't know if it was LSF or PVC.

Do domestic smokes have to be run in red cable?

 

[TheGaffersSon]

I can't remember seeing red sheathed cables in anything but LS&F type or pryo (+ maybe the odd flex), do they make red pvc twin+earth??

I've seen red twin and earth but don't know if it was LSF or PVC.

Do domestic smokes have to be run in red cable?

I have only ever seen someone else fit domestic SD's, it wasn't red cable.

Normal grey PVC T+E, and as I now know, grey 3-Core.

 

[Spark123]

I don't know if it is cast in stone that the interconnecting cables are red, the iee recommend it though.

 

[securespark]

We use FP, its a bit s***te though. You can strip it with your thumbnail, and you're forever getting earthfaults.

You're not terminating it correctly, then. I've never experienced earth faults with FP.

As for Pyro, it's ace. I'm an even older git (40) and grew up on 15th.

When I was an apprentice, I did a fire alarm refit where we incorporated a pyro circuit into the rest of the job (new pyro). When the Thorn guy came to comission it, there were two faults where detectors were showing the same address. He was convinced it was an address fault caused by us not punching the cards correctly, or a wiring fault. He was amazed when there proved to be no faults on the system whatsoever (apart from 2 dicky smoke detectors, that is)

I have also seen a 1930's pyro install still running strong today - fantastic!

Bet you can't say that of lead-sheathed cable or VIR......

 

[ebee]

Why not 1.0 3C & E ?

 

[Spark123]

Can you get 1.0mm 3C + E in red or another easily distinguishable colour from the normal grey/white cable?

 

[TheGaffersSon]

We use FP, its a bit s***te though. You can strip it with your thumbnail, and you're forever getting earthfaults.

You're not terminating it correctly, then. I've never experienced earth faults with FP.

As for Pyro, it's ace. I'm an even older git (40) and grew up on 15th.

When I was an apprentice, I did a fire alarm refit where we incorporated a pyro circuit into the rest of the job (new pyro). When the Thorn guy came to comission it, there were two faults where detectors were showing the same address. He was convinced it was an address fault caused by us not punching the cards correctly, or a wiring fault. He was amazed when there proved to be no faults on the system whatsoever (apart from 2 dicky smoke detectors, that is)

I have also seen a 1930's pyro install still running strong today - fantastic!

Bet you can't say that of lead-sheathed cable or VIR......

The earth faults are to do with the cable, not how they're installed. Although in fairness our firm probably does opt for the cheapest cable available.

Also the panels are very sensitive to earth faults, that are unneccesary. I was on site when a lad from (Thorn I think?) came to look at the panel, he was saying there are talks of getting rid of the 'earth fault' because there often isn't a problem.

Poor quality cable + Over sensitive fire panels = Nightmare job

 

[securespark]

Do you fit proper ferrules over the cable? And take great care stripping the sheath so you don't nick the insulation on the inner cores?

I can't believe you are having trouble terminating FP. No wonder you hate MICC...

 

[Pensdown]

Pyro is a right pain. I'm glad it's before my time.

Yeah but its worth the effort.

You will not find a better cable than pyro. Providing it is installed correctly it will last indefinatly, and installed well it looks far neater than almost any other wiring style too.

Spark123, is it a reg to use LSF cable to link the smoke alarms, or just your prefered method?

It does look better, but most companies are more bothered about the time consumption. Understandably.

....not understandably......unfortunately