ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Residential Smoke wiring

We have always advocated wiring the smokes to a local lighting circuit. The thinking is that if the breaker trips, you'll know it. You may not know it if a dedicated smoke circuit trips. Example being ... residents are on vacation and a surge or short outage causes the breaker to trip. After a week or so the batteries are dead and the residents return unaware of the lack of protection. The question: (I have no access to NFPA 72) is this code or just something we have always done?

A quick discussion with my Fire Official results in:

Yes, the smokes on a circuit with a light (luminaire) WAS the chosen way, back 20-25 years.

NOW, a dedicated circuit is required. It's in "72", but neither one of us has the time to hunt it down.

BTW, Bob has 40+ years in Fire.

Thanks

Steve

Documentation I have access to (Thanks Bob) is as follows:

NJ IRC 2015......R314.6 .....Wiring shall be permanent, and without a disconnecting switch other than those required for overcurrent protection.

2013 National Fire Alarm & Signaling Handbook Chapter 29

Basically says a good practice is to use a branch circuit that supply a lighting circuit.....Further into that text it alludes that some states & locals may require a dedicated circuit, consult AHJ. (Not complete text, as I am not a typist.)

Seems like a round about way of saying 'either or'; however here it is a dedicated circuit.

Put it on the circuit with the Wi Fi router. They will track down the fault right away.