14 AWG 4-Conductor Shielded FPLP (Fire Power-Limited Plenum) Fire Alarm Cable is a high-performance, New York City (NYC) Certified, plenum-rated multi-conductor signaling loop engineered for critical life-safety networks. Designed to operate under challenging structural environments with a specialized continuous maximum thermal rating of 150°C (LL39 specification), this cable features four solid bare copper conductors, premium high-temperature fluoropolymer insulation, a 100% coverage overall aluminum-mylar foil shield with a stranded tinned copper drain wire, and a low-smoke, flame-retardant fluoropolymer outer jacket.
This specialized life-safety cable is explicitly certified and approved for use within New York City's demanding high-rise building codes (NEC Article 760 and Local Law 39 parameters). It is optimized for installation in environmental air plenums, air-handling ducts, drop ceilings, and open architectural vertical shafts without requiring protective metallic conduit, providing a reliable path for addressable strobe notification circuits, emergency voice evacuation networks, and smoke control dampening relays.
CABLE AMPACITY & SIGNALING DATA
Because fire alarm systems operate under specialized power-limited and life-safety signaling profiles, standard high-current electrical ampacity charts do not apply directly to standard branch operations.
Maximum Signaling Current Capacity: 6.0 AMPS (Per Conductor) This represents the maximum safe current limit for continuous multi-conductor notification appliance circuits (NAC) or auxiliary power loops under normal ambient facility conditions.
National Electrical Code Restrictions: FPLP fire alarm loops must be supplied by a power-limited fire alarm (PLFA) transformer or signaling panel circuit breaker. Overcurrent protection is capped natively by the fire alarm control panel (FACP), typically restricted to a class-limited 3.0 Amp to 4.0 Amp maximum output per notification loop to protect structural integrity during prolonged emergency alerts.
Key Features
NYC Local Law 39 (LL39) Certified: Formulated to meet the strict physical and thermal test standards required for high-rise commercial structures within New York City jurisdiction, ensuring structural stability under high environmental heat.
150°C Continuous Thermal Performance: Features an advanced 150°C high-temperature capability, providing an extra safety margin over standard 75°C or 90°C fire cables during structural heat spikes or machinery compartment proximity.
100% Overall Foil Shield Coverage: Wrapped in a heavy-duty aluminum-mylar shielding tape that eliminates Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). This ensures clean, uncorrupted data transmission on addressable fire loops sharing crowded plenum pathways.
Integral Stranded Drain Wire: Equipped with a flexible, tinned copper drain wire in continuous contact with the aluminum shield layer, allowing for rapid field grounding and termination at the control panel chassis.
Plenum Rated (FPLP) Architectural Freedom: Outer low-smoke jacket is fully compliant with NFPA 262 and UL 910 flame propagation tests, allowing code-compliant installation in drop ceilings and open-air plenum return spaces without the need for structural steel conduit.
High-Purity Solid Bare Copper: Manufactured with premium solid copper conductors to deliver optimal electrical continuity, low line resistance, and minimal voltage drop over long linear field runs.
Common Applications
Addressable Fire Alarm Signaling Loops: Connecting high-capacity smart detectors, manual pull stations, and addressable monitor modules back to the main command station.
Voice Evacuation & Emergency Audio Systems: Routing high-fidelity, low-attenuation voice audio lines and emergency speaker grids across multiple building zones.
Notification Appliance Circuits (NAC): Powering arrays of synchronized horns, high-intensity strobes, and facility emergency exit beacons.
HVAC Smoke Control Interlocks: Interfacing fire control logic directly with automated plenum smoke dampers, fresh-air intake shutters, and ventilation override switches.
High-Rise Life-Safety Infrastructure: Deploying critical safety paths in skyscrapers, commercial complexes, healthcare facilities, and crowded transit hubs subject to strict local municipality codes.
Cable Layer Architecture (From Core to Jacket)
Conductors: 4 Independent 14 AWG solid bare copper lines.
Conductor Insulation: High-temperature Fluoropolymer (FEP), color-coded using the specific NYC 2-pair pairing arrangement matrix (Black, Red, Yellow, Green).
Core Wrap: Clean assembly binding to optimize flexibility.
Electrostatic Shield: 100% Coverage Aluminum-Mylar Foil tape wrapped helper side down.
Drain Wire: Stranded tinned copper grounding helper running parallel to the core.
Outer Jacket: Heavy-duty, low-smoke, flame-retardant Red Fluoropolymer skin featuring continuous surface-stamped NYC Certification and LL39 labeling text.
Circuit Identification: NYC Approved Color Layout
Conductor 1: Black Insulation (Pair 1 - Signal Negative)
Conductor 2: Red Insulation (Pair 1 - Signal Positive)
Conductor 3: Yellow Insulation (Pair 2 - Auxiliary/Audio Positive)
Conductor 4: Green Insulation (Pair 2 - Auxiliary/Audio Negative)
Technical Specifications
Conductor Size: 14 AWG
Number of Conductors: 4
Conductor Type: Solid Bare Copper
Insulation Material: High-Temperature Fluoropolymer (FEP)
Shielding Type: Aluminum-Mylar Foil (100% Coverage)
Drain Wire: Stranded Tinned Copper
Jacket Material: Low-Smoke, Flame-Retardant Fluoropolymer - Red
Voltage Rating: 300 Volts RMS Maximum
Maximum Temperature Rating: 150°C Continuous Operating (LL39)
Flame Test Ratings: NFPA 262, UL 910 Plenum Flame Test
Compliance Standards: NEC Article 760 (Type FPLP), NYC Local Law 39 (LL39 Approval), UL Listed, RoHS Compliant
Technical Note: When installing 14/4 Shielded FPLP fire alarm loops, the metallic foil shield must be grounded at one end only—ideally at the main Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) terminal enclosure. Grounding the shield or drain wire at multiple junctions across field boxes can create dangerous ground loops. These loops introduce electrical noise and signal distortion that can corrupt microprocessor data on addressable circuits, leading to false alarms or system trouble faults.
CABLE TYPE: 14 AWG / 4-Conductor Solid Shielded Plenum-Rated Type FPLP 150°C Life-Safety Cable (Black/Red/Yellow/Green Configurations)
DISCLAIMER: The technical information provided is for general reference only. Fire alarm systems and life-safety signaling circuits must strictly adhere to NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code), the National Electrical Code (NEC), local New York City Building Department amendments, and specific manufacturer guidelines. Always cross-reference the official product submittal data sheet from the chosen manufacturer prior to finalizing life-safety circuit layouts, system voltage drop calculations, or pulling structural cable lengths.