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Subject
The Code Requirement & Qualier The Purpose of Voltage Drop Calculations Calculation Considerations Fire Alarm & NAC Panels The End-of-Line (EOL) Voltage Drop Calculation NAC Voltage Drop Calculation Example The EOL Voltage Drop Calculation Formula The Point-to-Point Voltage Drop Calculation Formula Regulated of FWR?
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Info Needed with Any Voltage Drop Calculation Submittal 16
Estimating Wire Lengths for Voltage Drop Calculations 2
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The Code Requirement: NFPA72, 2002 Edition, excerpt from 4.5.1.1, At the authority having jurisdictions request, complete information regarding the system or system alterations, including specications, shop drawings, battery calculations, and notication appliance circuit voltage drop calculations shall be submitted for approval.
Qualifier: Most listed re alarm systems sold in the USA are 24 volt systems. A few (mostly combination burg/re panels) operate on 12 volts. For the purpose of this course, all discussion and examples presented assume that the control panels are 24 volt systems. In any event, the same theories and math apply to 12 volt systems too, though the panel cut-o voltage will be half that of 24 volt systems.
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Calculation Considerations
There are several ways (methods) to perform voltage drop calculations: End-of-line (EOL), point-to-point (PTP), load-centering. Load centering isnt often used, though conservative. EOL method is most simple, most conservative, and thus least accurate. Fewer math steps makes it easy to do by hand with a calculator. Results can provide lots of head room for future. PTP method is also always somewhat conservative; has much more math involved; and, provides more accurate results. Generally used with a spreadsheet program because of the many math steps. Is often used in calc programs provided by panel manufacturers. Is less conservative than EOL method, allowing more devices on a circuit. The dierence in results from the EOL method can be as much as 30% or more. Either method is valid and safe to use.
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Per the new U.L.-864, 9TH Edition Standards for re alarm control panels: All panels must have a demonstrated 20.4 VDC panel cut-o That is 85% of the 24 volt battery capacity, i.e. the end of standby. The panel must stop working then to not destroy the batteries.
All re alarm control panels (and power supplies, which are included) have an internal voltage drop. The voltage at the NAC output terminals is always less than 20.4 volts at cut-o. The amount of that drop varies with every panel (from about .5 volts to 2.5 volts).
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#12 conductors 1..98 per 1000 feet 200 run 50 run NAC 1-1 (75 mA) NAC 1-2 (125 mA)
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100 run EOL NAC 1-3 (200 mA) NAC 1-4 (100 mA)
Notes for Example: Run lengths are shown above. Wire length = two times the run length. Current draw shown is RMS @16 VDC (i.e. U.L. Max.) In this example, panel cut-o terminal voltage assumed to be 19.1 VDC
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Thats all there is to it! A sample calc using the example on previous page: 500 x 2 x .00198 ohms (NEC listed value for 12 AWG stranded) = 1.98 ohms 1.98 ohms x .5 amps = .99 volts total voltage drop 19.1 VDC (cut-o terminal voltage) .99 VDC = 18.11 VDC @ last device I know12 AWG isnt a good choice for use with notication devices!
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150 run R3
The point-to-point calculation: First calculation: R1 (segment resistance) X added U.L. Max current for NAC1-1, NAC1-2, NAC1-3 & NAC1-4 Subtract total from the cut-off terminal voltage to get voltage at NAC1-1. Second calculation: R2 (segment resistance) X added current for NAC1-2, NAC1-3 & NAC1-4 Subtract total from the NAC1-1 voltage to get voltage at NAC1-2. Third calculation: R3 (segment resistance) X added current for NAC1-3 & NAC1-4 Subtract total from NAC1-2 voltage to get voltage at NAC1-3 Fourth calculation: R4 (segment resistance) X current for NAC1-4 Subtract total from NAC1-3 voltage to get voltage at NAC1-4 EOLR. If this last value is greater than 16 volts then the circuit should work. 11
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Uses revised (updated) voltage at each device due to drops for each segment.
Relies on a xed current draw value (hopefully using U.L. Max values), making it conservative. In reality, the higher the voltage (closer to the panel), the lower the current draw of that device, making the calc somewhat conservative too.
Can be very time consuming to do by hand due to the many steps. Thus, most designers need to use a spreadsheet program to employ this method.
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Regulated or FWR?
Fire alarm system power supplies are typically either regulated or full wave rectied (FWR). FWR power outputs are much less linear than regulated outputs, and therefore less ecient. Thus, devices powered by FWR power draw more current than with regulated outputs. HOWEVER, Power supply type has nothing to do with battery or voltage drop calculations (sigh of relief by plan reviewers since they can ignore that). THEREFORE, the only reason to use FWR current draw gures is to conrm max. power supply loading on primary power when the power supply is FWR. Batteries are one of the most pure forms of regulated power supplies. Output is very linear and ecient for connected re alarm devices. Battery and voltage drop calculations should only be done with the assumption that system is on secondary (battery) power. Once on secondary battery power, all power supplies become regulated. NOTE: We dont need to get any more technical than that!
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Non-UL 1971 NAC devices can only be used in private mode re alarm systems. How to provide meaningful calculations can be the $64,000 question. No requirement to operate from 16 VDC to 33 VDC, making voltage drop calculations dicult and sometimes baseless. Operating voltage can be higher than the power supply cut-o voltage. Sometimes, pressing the manufacturer to provide the listed operating range is dicult though called for. Its often not on their data sheets. Frequently, the only way to allow for voltage drops and the panel cut-o is to throw in a 50% to 200% additional battery capacity as a best guess allowance. When non-UL 1971 devices are used, its best to call for a functional battery standby test to conrm it will work.
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