Where in the code do I find that a fire alarm panel shall be on a dedicated supervised network.
Thanks for your help
I’ve been searching the code and have not yet found that explicit wording. However, I found the requirements for shared communication systems. These requirements are quite stringent and would be expensive to meet. These excerpts are from NFPA 72 2007 version as this is what I have available. 2010 and 2013 versions may have additional information. Fire alarm networks are considered Signaling Line Circuits.
6.8.2.4 Where the signaling line circuit is shared by other premises operating systems, operation shall be in accordance with 6.8.4.
6.8.2.4.1 All signal control and transport equipment (such as routers, servers) located in a critical fire alarm or fire safety function signaling path shall be listed for fire alarm service unless the following conditions are met:
(1) The equipment meets the performance requirements of 4.4.4.1.
(2) The equipment is provided with primary and secondary power and monitored for integrity as required in Section 4.4.
(3) All programming and configuration ensure a fire alarm system actuation time as required in 6.8.1.1.
(4) System bandwidth is monitored to confirm that all communications between equipment that is critical to the operation of the fire alarm system or fire safety functions take place within 10 seconds; failure shall be indicated within 200 seconds.
(5) Failure of any equipment that is critical to the operation of the fire alarm system or fire safety functions is indicated at the master fire alarm control unit within 200 seconds.
6.8.2.4.2 A listed barrier gateway, integral with or attached to each control unit or group of control units, as appropriate, shall be provided to prevent the other systems from interfering with or controlling the fire alarm system.
6.8.4 Combination Systems.
6.8.4.1* Fire alarm systems shall be permitted to share components, equipment, circuitry, and installation wiring with non-fire alarm systems.
6.8.4.2 Operation of non-fire system function (s) originating within a connected non-fire system shall not interfere with the required operation of the fire alarm system unless otherwise permitted by this Code.
6.8.4.3* Short circuits, open circuits, or grounds in this equipment or between this equipment and the fire alarm system wiring shall not interfere with the monitoring for integrity of the fire alarm system or prevent alarm, supervisory, or fire safety control signal transmissions.
6.8.4.4 All non-fire alarm components of a combination system shall be listed for fire alarm use unless removal, replacement, failure, or maintenance procedure on any non-fire alarm hardware, software, or circuits does not impair the required operation of the fire alarm system.
That said, the NFPA continues to review the subject as shown in this 2015 NFPA Journal article.
http://www.nfpa.org/news-and-research/publications/nfpa-journal/2015/may-june-2015/features/nfpa-72
That requirement might be a an local AHJ requirement. I looked through the NFPA 72 2010 and 2013 as well (Always good to have another set of eyes.) I cannot find specific wording on it either. I always assumed panels did supervisory themselves (personification, lol.) so it never had to be mentioned because it was a standard feature.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk