How to configure the B8512G or B9512G to test panel phone lines every 6 hours for NFPA 72 – 2013.

[#1]

NFPA 72 – 2013 introduced changes from the previous code requirements for supervising phone lines.

• The requirement for phone supervision time increases from 5 minutes to 60 minutes.
• The requirement for annunciating the failure of either phone line is changed to 6 hours.

Proper phone line supervision is accomplished with 4 schedules with one every 6 hours each day. This provides annunciation at the monitoring station within 6 hours of a failure on either phone line.

The below example describes using 4 schedules, 6 hours apart at 01:00, 07:00, 13:00 and 20:00.

1. In Panel Wide Parameters > Phone and Phone Parameters, set Two Phone Lines =YES.
   1. 

   2. Figure 1: Set Two Phone Lines=YES

2. Create 4 skeds 6 hours apart (see figure 2), each configured with Function= Send Test Report. Select the following options In the Function area of each Sked (see figure 3).

   1. Parameter1: Deferred=NO.
   2. Parameter2: Frequency=Scheduled.
   3. Parameter3= Custom.
   4. Parameter4= RG 1, Primary and RG 1, Backup 1 both selected.
   5.  Figure 2 Skeds 1 - 4

   6. Figure 2:  Skeds 1 - 4

   7. 

   8. Figure 3: Sked function settings for Skeds 1 – 4

NFPA 72 – 2010

1. 26.6.3.1.4.1 Single Communications Technology.
   • Where only one communications technology is used, any failure of the communications path shall be annunciated at the supervising station within 5 minutes of the failure.
2. 26.6.3.1.4.2 Multiple Communications Technologies.
   • Where two or more different technologies are used, the following requirements shall be met:
   • Provision shall be made to monitor the integrity of each communications path.
   • Failure of any communications path shall be annunciated at the supervising station and at the protected premises within not more than 24 hours of the failure.
   • Exception: Where technologies used are described elsewhere in this Code, monitoring for integrity shall be permitted to comply with those requirements.

NFPA 72 – 2013

1. 26.6.3.1.5 Single Communications Path.
   • Unless prohibited by the enforcing authority, governing laws, codes, or standards, a single transmission path shall be permitted, and the path shall be supervised at an interval of not more than 60 minutes. A failure of the path shall be annunciated at the supervising station within not more than 60 minutes. The failure to complete a signal transmission shall be annunciated at the protected premises in accordance with Section 10.15.
2. 26.6.3.1.6 Multiple Communications Paths.
   • If multiple transmission paths are used, the following requirements shall be met:
   • Each path shall be supervised within not more than 6 hours.
   • The failure of any path of a multipath system shall be annunciated at the supervising station within not more than 6 hours.
   • The failure to complete a signal transmission shall be annunciated at the protected premises in accordance with Section 10.15.
3. 26.6.3.1.7* Single Technology.
   • A single technology shall be permitted to be used to create the multiple paths provided the requirements of 26.6.3.1.6 (1) through 26.6.3.1.6(3).