Practice Test Geeks(CAT) Certified Alarm Technician Level I Practice Test
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Alarm Technician Wiring & Circuits Flashcards

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  1. A fire alarm panel's power-limited circuit is defined under NEC Article 760 as one that limits:

    Answer: Current and power to levels that reduce risk of fire from wiring faults

    Power-limited circuits use listed power supplies that cap energy output so a wiring fault cannot generate enough heat to ignite surrounding materials.

  2. Which of the following wiring faults would a single EOL resistor supervised circuit FAIL to detect?

    Answer: A second EOL resistor added in parallel

    Adding a resistor in parallel changes the total resistance but can still fall within the panel's normal-state window, making it undetectable.

  3. When installing a tamper switch on a valve supervisory device, the tamper circuit is monitored on:

    Answer: A separate supervisory zone so the panel distinguishes tamper from alarm

    NFPA 72 requires valve supervisory signals to be reported distinctly from alarm signals, necessitating a dedicated supervisory zone.

  4. A technician measures 8.2 ohms on one leg and 8.5 ohms on the return leg of a zone loop. What does this indicate?

    Answer: Normal balanced resistance consistent with equal conductor lengths

    Nearly identical resistance on both conductors indicates equal-length, properly-sized wire with no faults — a healthy balanced loop.

  5. Under NFPA 72, the maximum allowable voltage drop on a notification appliance circuit (NAC) is typically expressed as:

    Answer: No more than 10% of rated supply voltage

    NFPA 72 and device listings generally require that NAC voltage at the last appliance stay within 10% of rated supply to ensure proper operation.

  6. A 'T-tap' or 'T-connection' splice on a fire alarm initiating device circuit is:

    Answer: Generally prohibited because it can hide an open circuit on the tapped branch

    A T-tap creates a branch where an open on the branch conductor may still allow current to flow through the main run, masking the fault.

  7. If a technician must extend an existing 22 AWG alarm zone loop by 200 feet, the BEST practice is to:

    Answer: Use the same 22 AWG gauge to maintain consistent loop resistance per foot

    Mixing gauges creates unpredictable resistance calculations; using the same AWG maintains consistent, calculable loop resistance.