SIGN 2400 Fire Alarm Lab 1 Smoke Alarm

Student Name_________________________ Student Number______________

Overview:

 This lab will be completed in partners with questions handed in by all students at the
end of the class.
 Using 14/2 and 14/3 non-metallic sheathed cable you will wire a working circuit using
two 120 volt smoke detectors and two 120 volt duplex receptacles.
 All electrical code rules in regards to cable and device installation must be followed.
 No working on live equipment is permitted and an instructor must be present when the
system is energized. Knives are not permitted for stripping of wire.
 Have instructor mark the project when complete.

Typical Residential Smoke Alarm Application

Marking Rubric
(2 marks) Electrical code followed – all metal boxes bonded correctly, wires in boxes 150mm
long.
(2 marks) Wired correctly, so that both the duplex outlet and the smoke alarms will function.
(1 mark) Good wiring practices followed.
(5 marks) Correct answers to questions on last page.

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 SIGN 2400 Fire Alarm Lab 1 Smoke Alarm

Review of wiring practices:

CEC specifies minimum length of wire available to connect to devices.

Hot (black) wires connect to brass screws, Identified wires connect to silver screws.
Although the CEC does not specify orientation of a duplex outlet, it is safer to orient the
Bond at the top (A) so that any conductive FME does not short the hot & Identified prongs
of a plug as would happen in (B).

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 SIGN 2400 Fire Alarm Lab 1 Smoke Alarm

Review of wiring practices

(CONT):

When connecting a single wire

to a screw terminal, remove ¾”
insulation using wire strippers.
Then use narrow nosed pliers to
make a loop.

Place the loop around the

terminal in a clockwise direction
so the wire closes around the
screw threads as the screw is
tightened.

If looped the wrong way, the

loop will loosen as the screw is
tightened.

Many equipment manufacturers

specify a torque value for
terminal screws, which must be
applied using a torque screw
driver.

If no torque specified, turn

clockwise till snug, then add ¼
turn.

For a pigtail connection, strip ½”

of insulation, insert into wire
nut, and twist.

Some manufacturers
recommend NO pre-twisting of
wires for wire-nuts as pr-
twisting can stress wire and
cause it to break inside the wire
nut. Others indicate pre-
twisting is an acceptable option.

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 SIGN 2400 Fire Alarm Lab 1 Smoke Alarm

1. Connect the two smoke alarms together using NMD 90 wire size 14/3.

2. Route NMD 90, 14/2 from the duplex outlet to the nearest smoke alarm. Remember to
pigtail the bond wires to meet code requirements.

3. Wire a 120V U ground cheater cord to the duplex outlet, but do not plug in.

4. Arrange for the instructor to mark your completed project.

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 SIGN 2400 Fire Alarm Lab 1 Smoke Alarm

Student Name_________________________ Student Number______________

Refer to Week 1 and Week 2 presentation power point files to answer these
questions, and hand in this page to the lab instructor.

1) What is the typical lifespan of a smoke detector? (1 mark)

2) What type of smoke detector, photoelectric or ionization, is most popular in residential

smoke alarm applications? (1 mark)

3) As per the CEC, smoke detectors with no battery backup are not permitted on circuits
protected by what two devices? (1 mark)

4) Does the CEC allow a smoke detector be on a circuit controlled by a switch? (1 mark)

5) Why would it not be good practice to have a separate circuit for the smoke detectors
only? (1 mark)