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Community-Reported Topics

NFPA 72-2022 Ch. 17 · NEC 2020 Ch. 9, Annex C, 314.16, 760 · Ugly’s 2020 · OSHA 1926 · Outline tasks 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.2.2, 1.3.1

People preparing for FAS Level I share what they study in public flashcard decks (mostly on Quizlet) and in forums such as The Fire Panel and Mike Holt. Reading them shows which topics keep coming up. This chapter has original questions on the topics those decks repeat that the other chapters covered only lightly: counting detectors in a room, the ceiling-height reduction table, conduit and box fill, series-parallel circuits, schematic symbols and reading a plan with a legend.

Why the deck questions are not copied here. Several decks look like questions remembered from real NICET exams. Candidates accept a non-disclosure agreement, so sharing exam items breaks NICET rules and can cost a certification. Many deck answers are also wrong or out of date for the 2022/2020 editions (see the table below). The questions in this chapter test the same skills with different numbers and scenarios.

Common errors in community decks

What some decks sayWhat the exam editions sayWhere
Waterflow devices are tested annuallySemiannuallyNFPA 72-2022 Table 14.4.3.2
Exposed fire alarm cable within 7 ft of the floor is fastened every 24 in.Every 18 in. or lessNEC 2020 760.53(A)(1), 760.130(B)(1)
Abandoned cable kept for future use is “secured to the conduit”It must be tagged for future use (otherwise the accessible portion is removed)NEC 2020 760.25
Test frequencies are in Table 14.4.5Table 14.4.3.2, column “Periodic Frequency”NFPA 72-2022
Notify the AHJ when a system is out of service 4 hoursNFPA 72 uses more than 8 hours; the 4-hour fire watch comes from NFPA 101/IFCNFPA 72-2022 §10.21
Smoke detectors need 4 in. of “dead air” from the wallOnly heat detectors keep the 4 in. rule; smoke detectors may be on the wall within 12 in. of the ceilingNFPA 72-2022 §17.6.3.1.3, §17.7.4.2
DACT test signal every 24 hoursAt least every 6 hoursNFPA 72-2022 §26.6.4
Ladder base 1 ft out for every 4 ft of heightHorizontal distance ≈ 1/4 of the working length (the length along the ladder)OSHA 1926.1053(b)(5)(i)

Skills these decks emphasize

Counting detectors in a rectangular room

  1. Find the spacing S: the listed spacing for heat detectors (reduced for ceilings above 10 ft with Table 17.6.3.5.1), or 30 ft nominal for smoke detectors on smooth ceilings.
  2. Divide each room dimension by S and round up to the next whole number.
  3. Multiply the two results. Example: 75 × 50 ft with S = 30 ft → 3 × 2 = 6 detectors.

Heat detector spacing reduction for high ceilings (Table 17.6.3.5.1)

For ceilings above 10 ft and up to 30 ft, multiply the listed spacing by the factor for the ceiling height. Examples verified for the exam edition: 14–16 ft → 0.77; 24–26 ft → 0.46; 28–30 ft → 0.34. At 10 ft or lower there is no reduction. The table applies to heat detectors, not smoke detectors.

Conduit fill and box fill

Series-parallel circuits

Reduce the parallel group first (two equal resistors in parallel = half of one), add the series resistance, find the total current with Ohm’s law, then work back to each resistor. Current is the same in series parts; voltage is the same across parallel branches.

Plans and symbols

Always read the legend before counting devices: symbols vary between design firms. Schematic symbols (resistor, capacitor, battery, ground, diode, coil) are in the reference pages of Ugly’s.

Where these resources are

What to tab in your books

SectionWhy
NFPA 72 Table 17.6.3.5.1Heat detector spacing reduction by ceiling height (multipliers)
NEC Annex C, Table C.1Maximum conductors of one size in EMT
NEC Table 314.16(A) and (B)Box volumes and volume per conductor
NEC 760.53(A)(1) / 760.130(B)(1)Exposed cable within 7 ft of the floor: fasten every 18 in.
Ugly’s: electrical symbolsSchematic symbols for resistor, capacitor, battery, ground, diode, coil

Chapter vocabulary

Listed spacing
The maximum distance between heat detectors determined by the testing laboratory and printed on the detector’s listing; reduced for high ceilings and joists.
Single-action manual box
A manual fire alarm box that sends an alarm with one motion, such as pulling the handle.
Double-action manual box
A manual fire alarm box that needs two motions, such as lifting or pushing a cover and then pulling the handle.
Normally open (N.O.) contact
A contact that is open at rest and closes when the device operates; the usual alarm contact of conventional initiating devices.
Box fill
The total volume taken by conductors, devices and fittings in an outlet or junction box, which must not exceed the box volume (NEC 314.16).
Legend
The key on a drawing that defines each symbol used; read it before counting or locating devices.

26 practice questions cover this chapter, each with an explanation and the code section. Get lifetime access or try the free practice exam.

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