FIRE RATED WIRING - CFAA

1 fire RATED WIRING . What the FT4! Paul Latreille, Ottawa Branch Manager LRI 2014. INTRODUCTION. OBC requirements for emergency power OBC requirements for emergency power for fire alarm systems and other building services Requirements for protection of electrical conductors Confusion with fire rating duration: one or two hours FT 1, 4, 6, circuit integrity cables, FAS RATED WIRING LRI 2014. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. Paul Latreille has provided fire protection and life safety services as designer, project manager and branch manager on over design 500.

2 Projects in his 27 year career including : Place De Ville Ottawa's largest office complex Every shopping centre in Ottawa The Peace Tower and Centre Block Headquarters for: Nortel, RCMP, PWGSC, Bank of Canada, CSIS, NRCAN, Canadian Space Agency, Mitel, Newbridge, JDS Uniphase LRI 2014. Emergency Power Requirements fire alarm systems including those with voice require emergency power supplied from a generator, or batteries or a combination of the two Duration: 24 hours of supervisory power followed by full load power for: o 2 hours for buildings falling under high buildings.

3 LRI 2014. Emergency Power Requirements What is a high building you ask? Group A, D, E or F occupancy over 36m in height (grade to floor level of top storey), Group A, D, E, or F occupancy over 18m in height where the cumulative or total occupant load on or above any storey above grader other than the first storey , divided by times the width in meters of all exit stairs at that storey exceeds 300, Containing a group B occupancy in which the floor level of the highest storey of that occupancy exceeds 18 m, Containing a floor area or part of a floor area above the third storey designed or intended for a Group B Division 2 or 3.

4 Occupancy, and A Group C building over 18 m LRI 2014. Emergency Power Requirements for fire Alarm Systems Back to emergency power requirements: o 1 hour for a Group B occupancy that is not within the scope of o 5 minutes for a building not required to have an annunciator, and o 30 minutes for all other buildings. LRI 2014. Emergency Power Requirements for Building Services An emergency power supply has to be capable of operating under a full load for not less than 2 hours and be provided by an emergency generator for: Elevators serving storeys above the first storey in buildings over 36 m high.

5 All fire fighter's elevators Water supply for fire fighting ( fire pumps) if dependent upon electrical power for operation and if under Fans and other electrical equipment for pressurization systems and exit stair protection Fans for smoke venting LRI 2014. Emergency Power Requirements for Building Services (continued). 30 minutes for water supply for firefighting if dependent upon electrical power for operation and if NOT under No fire rating of WIRING required for standpipe only fire pumps that are located in buildings that are not under LRI 2014.

6 Protection of Electrical Conductors Conductors are required to be protected if they fall under in and if they serve: fire alarm systems Emergency equipment identified and required under (fans for smoke movement, venting fans, exhaust fans, elevators, CACF etc). fire pumps Mechanical systems related to compartments in hospitals, contained use areas, mezzanines and smoke control Emergency lighting LRI 2014. Protection of Electrical Conductors (continued). (continued). Cables to conform to ULC-S139 fire Test for the Evaluation of Integrity of Electrical Cables and hose stream application and have a circuit integrity rating of not less than 1 hour.

7 Circuit integrity refers to the ability of a power or control cable to maintain voltage and current to the load or the ability of a data and optical fibre cable to maintain error free data transfer and retrieval. (from the new S- 139). OR. LRI 2014. Protection of Electrical Conductors (continued). (continued). Cables to be located in a service space that is separated from the remainer of the building by a fire separation that has a fire resistance rating of not less than 1 hour. A service space is a space provided in a building to facilitate or conceal the installation of building service facilities such as chutes, ducts, pipes, shafts or wires.

8 Services spaces shall not contain any combustible material other than the electrical conductors being protected. The fire resistance rating of a service space is never waived even if the building is sprinklered. A service room means a room provided in a building to contain equipment associated with building services. OR. LRI 2014. Protection of Electrical Conductors (continued). (continued). Electrical conductors associated with mechanical equipment are to conform to the following: Cables to conform to ULC-S139 fire Test for the Evaluation of Integrity of Electrical Cables and hose application and have a circuit integrity rating of not less than 2 hours.

9 OR. Cables to be located in a service space that is separated from the remained of the building by a fire separation that has a fire resistance rating of not less than 2 hours. LRI 2014. Other Solutions for Protecting Cabling? Conduit encased in concrete (protection of conventional WIRING ). In these types of systems, 2 inches of concrete is considered adequate for 1-hour fire resistance. Approximately 4 inches of concrete is required to protect conductors for 2 hours. These systems are very cost effective if proper coverage can be achieved throughout the entire circuit.

10 However it is easier to fire rate conduits up to 1 1/2. inches. It is harder to guarantee 2 to 4 inches. Also, non fire - RATED junction and pull boxes compromise the system LRI 2014. What fire Alarm WIRING Do You Have to Protect? If a fire alarm transponder or annunciator located in one fire compartment is connected to a central processing unit or another transponder located in a different fire compartment, the electrical conductors connecting them shall be protected for 1 hour. LRI 2014. What fire Alarm WIRING Do You Have to Protect?