CML Security Systems Installation & Maintenance 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An access-controlled door reports 'Door Held Open Too Long' repeatedly during business hours. What is the most appropriate corrective action?
- Replace the door closer
- Adjust the door-held-open timer in the access control software to match operational needs (Correct answer)
- Disable the alarm for that door permanently
- Reprogram all cardholder credentials
Correct answer: Adjust the door-held-open timer in the access control software to match operational needs
The door-held-open timer can be extended in software to accommodate normal traffic flow, eliminating nuisance alarms without removing the security function.
Question 2: In IP-based video surveillance, what does PoE stand for and what does it provide?
- Point of Entry — defines the camera's mounting location
- Power over Ethernet — delivers both data and electrical power through a single Cat5e/Cat6 cable (Correct answer)
- Protocol of Encryption — secures video transmission
- Port of Egress — refers to camera placement near exits
Correct answer: Power over Ethernet — delivers both data and electrical power through a single Cat5e/Cat6 cable
Power over Ethernet (PoE) allows IP cameras to receive both network data and DC power through a single Ethernet cable, eliminating the need for separate power runs.
Question 3: Which standard governs the installation of burglar alarm systems in the United States?
- NFPA 101
- UL 2050
- NFPA 72
- UL 681 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: UL 681
UL 681 is the Standard for Installation and Classification of Burglar and Holdup Alarm Systems, setting requirements for residential and commercial intruder detection installations.
Question 4: A passive infrared (PIR) motion detector generates false alarms near a heating vent. The best corrective action is:
- Replace with a glass break sensor
- Relocate the detector or install a detector mask/shield to block the vent's heat plume (Correct answer)
- Increase the detector's pulse count setting to 4
- Switch the system to perimeter-only arming
Correct answer: Relocate the detector or install a detector mask/shield to block the vent's heat plume
Relocating the PIR away from heat sources or using a physical mask to block the heat vent's IR plume from entering the detection zone eliminates thermally-caused false alarms.
Question 5: When integrating an elevator with an access control system, floor-lockout functionality is used to:
- Prevent the elevator from traveling between floors during an alarm
- Restrict which floors a cardholder's credential can call the elevator to stop at (Correct answer)
- Lock the elevator doors open during an emergency evacuation
- Monitor the elevator motor current for preventive maintenance
Correct answer: Restrict which floors a cardholder's credential can call the elevator to stop at
Floor lockout uses the access control credential to authorize which floors a user may access via the elevator, preventing unauthorized access to restricted floors.
Question 6: During a preventive maintenance visit on an alarm system, which battery test provides the most accurate assessment of battery health?
- Open-circuit voltage test with a multimeter
- Load test measuring voltage under simulated alarm current draw (Correct answer)
- Visual inspection for corrosion only
- Measuring battery weight
Correct answer: Load test measuring voltage under simulated alarm current draw
A load test reveals the battery's true capacity under realistic current demand, since a weak battery may show normal open-circuit voltage but collapse under load.
Question 7: What is the purpose of a 'two-man rule' or dual-authentication requirement in high-security access control?
- To speed up entry by having two readers on one door
- To require two separate authorized individuals to present credentials simultaneously before access is granted (Correct answer)
- To allow one person to hold the door for another
- To provide redundancy if one reader fails
Correct answer: To require two separate authorized individuals to present credentials simultaneously before access is granted
Dual-authentication (two-man rule) requires two credentialed individuals to authenticate at the same time, preventing any single person from accessing a high-security area alone.
CML Security Systems Installation & Maintenance 5
An access-controlled door reports 'Door Held Open Too Long' repeatedly during business hours.
What is the most appropriate corrective action?