Which statement best describes the wiring requirement for two mandatory master alarms?

Which statement best describes the wiring requirement for two mandatory master alarms?

• A. Common conductors
• B. With any splices
• C. Wired independently to the initiating device(s) for each signal
• D. Alarms shall be sent to the area alarm panel in the emergency room

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is redundancy in alarm signaling. Two master alarms must be wired independently to the initiating devices for each signal so that each alarm has its own separate path from the sensor to the alarm circuitry. This way, a fault on one circuit (like a short, open, or a bad splice) won’t disable both alarms—the other alarm can still trigger. If the master alarms shared conductors, a single fault could take out both alarms at once, defeating the purpose of having two independent alarms. Splices add potential points of failure and maintenance complexity, which undermines reliability. And while where the alarms are displayed (such as an area alarm panel) is important for response, the fundamental wiring requirement is about keeping the two alarms electrically independent from the initiating devices themselves. So, wiring the two master alarms independently to each initiating device for every signal best ensures reliable, fail-safe alarm signaling.

The key idea here is redundancy in alarm signaling. Two master alarms must be wired independently to the initiating devices for each signal so that each alarm has its own separate path from the sensor to the alarm circuitry. This way, a fault on one circuit (like a short, open, or a bad splice) won’t disable both alarms—the other alarm can still trigger.

If the master alarms shared conductors, a single fault could take out both alarms at once, defeating the purpose of having two independent alarms. Splices add potential points of failure and maintenance complexity, which undermines reliability. And while where the alarms are displayed (such as an area alarm panel) is important for response, the fundamental wiring requirement is about keeping the two alarms electrically independent from the initiating devices themselves.

So, wiring the two master alarms independently to each initiating device for every signal best ensures reliable, fail-safe alarm signaling.