If a supervising station loses primary power, how long does the secondary power have to switch over to be within compliance with NFPA 72?

If a supervising station loses primary power, how long does the secondary power have to switch over to be within compliance with NFPA 72?

• A. 60 seconds
• B. 30 seconds
• C. 90 seconds
• D. 120 seconds

Answer: (A)

When a fire alarm supervising station loses its primary power, the system must automatically switch to a secondary power source within a defined window so the station continues to operate without interruption. NFPA 72 requires that this transfer occur within 60 seconds. This limit ensures the station remains powered long enough to maintain monitoring and signaling capabilities during a power outage. If the transfer takes longer than 60 seconds, the system would be out of compliance; shorter transfer times (like 30 seconds) do meet the requirement because they occur within the allowed window.

When a fire alarm supervising station loses its primary power, the system must automatically switch to a secondary power source within a defined window so the station continues to operate without interruption. NFPA 72 requires that this transfer occur within 60 seconds. This limit ensures the station remains powered long enough to maintain monitoring and signaling capabilities during a power outage. If the transfer takes longer than 60 seconds, the system would be out of compliance; shorter transfer times (like 30 seconds) do meet the requirement because they occur within the allowed window.