Larry Shudak, Derek Mathews & John Tamas, UL Presentation

UL864 and UL268 – Changes Affecting Fire Alarm Control Equipment and Smoke Detectors and Their Impact on Designers, Technicians, and Fire Inspectors

Derek Mathews – UL Senior Staff Engineer / John Tamas – UL Staff Engineer

Underwriters Laboratories has made several critical additions and revisions to the 10^th Edition of UL864 which regulates Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems. Areas of the document that have received modification include protective premises service functions, off-premises signaling, and the monitoring for integrity of circuits and pathways. Many of the changes which will be discussed during the presentation can have a direct impact the engineers and designers of fire alarm systems and the technicians who work with the systems in the field. The material should also be of interest to fire inspectors and other fire service personnel who are charged with observing the acceptance testing of these units and who must understand how fire control equipment listed under the 10^th edition may be performing differently that previously encountered control equipment.

Additional information will be provided which addresses the major tests that have been added or revised within the 7^th Edition of ANSI/UL268 which covers Smoke Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems. Smoke detector manufacturers are working to meet new UL268 testing requirements as they develop new detection technologies which must result in a reduction in nuisance activations caused by cooking operations as required by NFPA 72. Future developments in this technology may result in the ability of designers and technicians to position smoke detectors in locations not currently permitted.