What are the rules for monitoring sprinkler heat tracing on a fire alarm system?
Our Glossary defines HEAT TRACING as: A specially designed heating element comprised of a coated wire which is wrapped around exposed domestic or WET SPRINKLER SYSTEM piping and is thermostatically controlled to prevent the water in the pipe from freezing. HEAT TRACED piping is usually insulated with glass fibre. In parkades or other exposed locations, tears or other damage to the insulation material (or covering) should be investigated and repaired. Loss of power to the HEAT TRACE CONTROLLER should result in a supervisory trouble signal on the FIRE ALARM SYSTEM and often only requires a RESET of the system once power is restored. The definition above specfically identifies something called a “heat trace controller”. This device performs a number of tasks. It supervises the special heater wire (used to protect vulnerable sprinkler piping against freezing) for shorts, opens and ground faults (similar to what a fire alarm control does). It also interfaces to a thermocouple which is posit
