Fire Alarm System

Class A Wiring
All fire alarm wiring needs to be installed so that a current
from the panel will supervise all wires and connections.

Supervised Class A Wiring

Fire Alarm
Control Panel

A Return +
B Out +

End
Of
Line
Resistor

B Out -

A Return -

+
+
+
+

Supervising Current

Wire

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Supervising current from the fire alarm control panel flows through all wires, connections, and the
End-of-Line resistor, making sure broken wires or bad connections will be found and repaired before
a fire occurs.

Fire Alarm
Control Panel

+
B Out +

B Out

End
Of
Line
Resistor

B Out B Out

+
+
+
+

Broken Wire in Class A Wiring

Class B Loop

Wire

Class B Loop

Supervising Current is no longer passed through

the circuit because of a broken wire.

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Fire
Alarm
Device

Loss of Supervising current causes the fire alarm control panel to switch to feeding the circuit from
both ends. Even if there is a fire, all devices will still be working because there are now two
Class B loops instead of a single Class A loop.

Copyright 2012 Douglas Krantz

www.DouglasKrantz.com
Writer@DouglasKrantz.com