How Do I Wire a 2W-B?

The 2W-B will connect to the designated 2-wire smoke zone on a Vista Panel. All wiring connects to the smoke detector's mounting base for easy installation. The bases are mounted and wired, and the smoke heads snapped into place. This application guide details proper smoke placement.

Follow these steps to install the 2W-B smoke detector:

1. Plan the installation. Using the application guide linked above, plan where each smoke will be installed. Avoid areas such as kitchens, garages, furnaces and hot water heaters where particles of combustion may be present. When multiple smokes will be used, do not wire each smoke back to the alarm panel. All 2-wire smokes will be wired in parallel on a single circuit, with a resistor installed at the last smoke detector in line.
2. Mount the 2W-B bases. Once you have determined where each smoke will be placed, you can cut any holes needed to allow wiring access. Next, mount each base in the proper location. The 2W-B can be mounted over a single gang box, a 3.5 or 4 inch octagonal box, a 4 inch square box with a plaster ring or directly to the ceiling using drywall fasteners.
   
3. Run the wires. Power the system completely down, removing both the AC power and the battery. The terminals for the 2W-B are Positive (+) In, Positive (+) Out, Negative (-) In/Out and RA Positive (+) and RA Negative (-). RA stands for Remote Annunciator. The RA100Z provides a remote LED indication that the smoke it's tied to has been activated. Using the RA100Z will increase the amount of current used when in alarm by 10 mA for each detector that has been installed. These are usually only used in commercial fire applications, in which the fire department needs to know exactly which smoke(s) activated, without having to look at the smoke detector itself.
   
   The 2W-B is a powered, low-voltage device, with a positive and a negative. It is best to use color coded wire, with Black as Negative and Red as Positive, to avoid any wiring mistakes. The manufacturer recommends that the wiring for the 2W-B be installed in separate, grounded metal conduit. Never mix fire alarm wiring with any other wiring in the same conduit. The terminals on the 2W-B base will accept wire from 14 - 22 gauge in size. Twisted pair wire can be used to help mitigate possible electrical interference, if conduit is not used.
   
   Run a Red wire from the alarm panel's 2-wire smoke positive terminal to the (+) In on the first 2W-B. Connect another Red wire from (+) Out on that smoke to (+) In on the 2nd smoke in the circuit. Connect a separate Red wire from (+) Out on the second smoke in line to (+) In on the 3rd smoke in line. Continue in this manner until all positive wires have been run. Connect a Black wire from the panel's 2-wire smoke negative terminal to (-) In/Out on the first smoke in line, then connect another wire from this terminal to (-) In/Out on the second smoke in line, and continue as so. At the last smoke in line, install the appropriate resistor. The resistor type will be determined by the panel that is being used. In the diagram below, the resistor is shown outside the smoke base, but it can actually be installed across the (+) Out and (-) In/Out terminals of the last smoke in the circuit.
   
   
   
4. Snap the smoke heads into place. Snap the smoke head for each 2W-B onto it's base. Once installed and programmed, if a smoke head is removed, it will cause a trouble condition on the smoke zone. In addition, you can use the tamper resistant feature of the base by snapping off the plastic tab for tamper lock. Once this tab has been removed, a tool is required to remove the smoke head from the base.
5. Power up and Test. If the account is actively being monitored, and you haven't already done so, notify the monitoring station that you are testing. Power the system up, using both the AC and the battery. Use a can of test smoke to test the function of each 2W-B device.