Short answer: certain subject areas — electrical fundamentals, licensing law, detection device rules, and fire alarm wiring classifications — come up repeatedly across the five exam modules. Here’s a quick-reference rundown of ten of them, with the underlying concept explained so you can study the "why," not just memorize a number.
V = I × R shows up in multiple forms across the exam — finding voltage drop, calculating current draw, or solving for resistance. Knowing all three rearrangements (V = IR, I = V/R, R = V/I) and when to apply each is more useful than memorizing one version.
The four-band resistor color code (digit, digit, multiplier, tolerance) appears in the electrical fundamentals module. It’s a pure memorization item — Black, Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Gray, White correspond to 0 through 9 — so short, repeated drilling works better than one long study session.
Licensing law questions frequently test specific dollar amounts and time windows rather than general concepts. Because these figures can be updated, confirm current amounts with the NYS Department of State rather than relying on any single study resource — but do plan to memorize whatever the current figures are, since the exam tends to test them precisely.
NFPA 72 and the NEC define maximum spacing and coverage-area rules for spot-type smoke detectors, with adjustments for higher ceilings. These exact figures are revised between code cycles, so study them from your current course materials or the applicable code edition rather than an unofficial source.
Class A circuits use a return path so a single break doesn’t disable the whole circuit; Class B circuits don’t have that return path, so a break beyond the fault point disables downstream devices. Knowing the definition of each and which applications typically require which class is a recurring exam theme.
Fire alarm and burglar alarm systems have different standby and alarm-current backup time expectations under NFPA 72 and industry standards, and battery types (sealed lead-acid, gel cell/VRLA) differ in appropriate applications. Know which backup requirement generally applies to which system type, and confirm exact current figures with your course material.
Passive infrared (PIR) sensors detect changes in infrared energy from moving body heat; microwave sensors emit energy and detect the Doppler shift of a moving object. Dual-technology detectors combine both approaches to reduce false alarms — a common exam distinction.
NFPA 72 sets minimum audible and visual notification requirements for occupiable spaces and sleeping areas, expressed in dB above ambient noise and candela ratings for strobes. Because these thresholds are code-referenced and can be revised, study the current figures from your official course material rather than treating any one number as fixed.
As AWG number increases, wire diameter decreases (a 12 AWG wire is thicker than an 18 AWG wire). Resistance per foot and voltage drop over long cable runs are common calculation-style questions — practice the math, not just the definitions.
Article 6-D defines who must hold an alarm installer license and which limited categories of workers are exempt under specific conditions. This overlaps with topic #3 above and is worth studying together with the specific fee and deadline figures.
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