FireCAD Lump Sum Report - User Guide
Overview
The Lump Sum Report aggregates fire alarm devices by part number, providing a simplified view of circuit current loads and capacity. Unlike point-to-point reports that show every device sequentially, lump sum reports group identical devices together with quantity counts, making them ideal for material takeoffs, circuit summaries, and quick capacity verification.
What is a Lump Sum Report?
A Lump Sum Report provides an aggregated view of devices on a circuit, showing:
- Device quantities grouped by part number
- Current consumption (Amps) per device and total
- Circuit capacity vs. usage summary
- Voltage drop analysis at circuit level
- Spare capacity calculations
This format is ideal when you need to see "how many of what" rather than "where each one is located."
When to Use This Report
Use the Lump Sum report when:
- Creating material takeoffs/bills of materials
- Quickly verifying circuit capacity isn't exceeded
- Comparing device quantities across circuits
- Generating simplified reports for non-technical stakeholders
- Performing cost estimates based on device counts
- Reviewing overall circuit loading without location details
Report Structure
Each circuit generates a separate worksheet containing:
1. Circuit Header
- Project name
- Panel and circuit identification
- Report title (e.g., "PANEL-1 NAC-1 LUMP SUM REPORT")
2. Current Summary Section
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Max. Circuit Current (A) | Maximum current limit for the circuit |
| Total Circuit Current (A) | Sum of all device currents |
| Spare Circuit Current (A) | Remaining current capacity |
| Spare Circuit Current % | Percentage of unused capacity |
| Max. Card Current (A) (optional) | Maximum current for the panel card |
| Total Card Current (A) (optional) | Total current from all circuits on the card |
| Spare Card Current (A) (optional) | Remaining card capacity |
| Spare Card Current % (optional) | Percentage of unused card capacity |
Color Coding:
- 🟢 Green: Within limits (good)
- 🔴 Red: Exceeds limits (bad)
- ⚪ Gray: Calculated values
3. Power Summary Section
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Starting Calc. Voltage | Voltage at circuit origin (typically 20.4V DC) |
| Max. Voltage Drop | Total voltage drop from start to end-of-line |
| Voltage Drop % | Percentage of voltage lost |
| Min. Operational Voltage | Minimum voltage required for devices |
| End Of Line Voltage | Actual voltage at the last device |
| Wire Resistance (Ω/kFt) | Resistance per 1000 feet for selected wire |
| Total Circuit Length | Total wire length including overage |
| Total Circuit Resistance | Total wire resistance for round-trip circuit |
4. Device Summary Table
The report includes 7 default columns:
Default Columns:
1. Symbol: Device symbol (for drawing placement)
2. Quantity: Number of identical devices
3. Part No: Manufacturer part number (sorted alphabetically)
4. Description: Device description
5. Candelas: Light intensity rating (for strobes)
6. Alarm Current (A): Current per device
7. Total Current (A): Quantity × Alarm Current
Additional Available Columns (40+):
- Drawing Id, Device Id, Entity Handle, Circuit Device Id
- Block Name, Device Label, Is Existing
- Manufacturer, Model, Building, Floor, Location
- Category, Product Line, CSFM, Approvals
- Size, Mounting, Trim, Box, Watts, Decibels
- Nominal/Minimum Voltage, List Price
- Remaining Standby/Alarm Current
- Distance/Resistance From Previous
- Address information, Branch numbers
- PDF Path, Detail Drawing Path
- Custom/Entity Properties
5. Circuit Wiring Properties
Shows the selected cable type and specifications
6. Distance Measurement Note
Displays wire overage percentage if configured
7. Calculation Methods
Total Resistance (Ω) = Wire Resistance (Ω/Ft) × 2 × Total Circuit Length (Ft)
Total Voltage Drop = Total Resistance (Ω) × Total Circuit Current (A)
8. Child Circuit Notation (optional)
If hierarchical circuits are included:
- Asterisk (*) after part number indicates devices include child circuit quantities
- Footnote explains aggregation includes parent and child totals
User-Configurable Options
Access settings through: FireCAD Report Settings Lump Sum Options
1. Report Column Selection
- Default: 7 pre-selected columns
- Available: 40+ additional columns
- Customize: Add/remove columns, adjust widths, set sort order
2. Report Layout Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| All Caps | Convert all text to uppercase | Off |
| Use Short Description | Abbreviate device descriptions | Off |
| Set Precision | Apply custom number formatting | Off |
| Overall Report Width Units | Unit for table sizing | Auto |
3. Circuit Hierarchy Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Default | Include Child Circuits |
| Aggregate devices from passthrough child circuits | Off |
When enabled:
- Devices from child circuits are included in quantity counts
- Part numbers shared across parent/child show combined totals
- Asterisk (*) marks part numbers with child circuit devices
4. Summary Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Default | Include Card Totals |
| Show panel card capacity summary | Off |
5. Circuit Filtering
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Default | Ignore Empty Circuits |
| Skip circuits with no devices | Off |
6. Project Settings (inherited)
- Current Precision: Decimal places for amperage (typically 3)
- Voltage Precision: Decimal places for voltage (typically 2)
- Length Precision: Decimal places for distances (typically 1)
- Wire Overage Percent: Additional length calculation (typically 15%)
- Units: Feet or Meters
Calculation Methods Explained
1. Total Resistance Calculation
Total Resistance (Ω) = Wire Resistance (Ω/kFt) × 2 × Total Circuit Length (Ft) / 1000
The ×2 factor accounts for round-trip current flow.
Example:
- Wire: 16 AWG (4.0 Ω/kFt)
- Total Circuit Length: 350 feet
- Total Resistance: 4.0 × 2 × 350 / 1000 = 2.8Ω
2. Total Voltage Drop Calculation
Total Voltage Drop (V) = Total Resistance (Ω) × Total Circuit Current (A)
Calculates worst-case voltage loss across entire circuit.
Example:
- Total Resistance: 2.8Ω
- Total Circuit Current: 1.2A
- Total Voltage Drop: 2.8 × 1.2 = 3.36V
3. End of Line Voltage Calculation
End Of Line Voltage = Starting Voltage - Total Voltage Drop
Example:
- Starting Voltage: 20.4V
- Total Voltage Drop: 3.36V
- End Of Line Voltage: 20.4 - 3.36 = 17.04V
Complete Example
Circuit Configuration:
- Panel: FACP-1
- Circuit: NAC-2
- Starting Voltage: 20.4V DC
- Wire: 16 AWG (4.0 Ω/kFt)
- Total Circuit Length: 350 feet (includes 15% overage)
- Max Circuit Current: 3.0A
- Min Operational Voltage: 16V
Devices on Circuit:
- 10× P2RL (Speaker/Strobe) @ 0.177A each
- 5× HS24-15/75 (Horn/Strobe) @ 0.150A each
- 8× S2-15/75 (Strobe Only) @ 0.050A each
- 1× EOL-R (End of Line) @ 0A
Calculations:
Total Circuit Current:
= (10 × 0.177) + (5 × 0.150) + (8 × 0.050) + (1 × 0)
= 1.770 + 0.750 + 0.400 + 0
= 2.920 A
Total Resistance:
= 4.0 × 2 × 350 / 1000
= 2.8 Ω
Total Voltage Drop:
= 2.8 × 2.920
= 8.176 V
End Of Line Voltage:
= 20.4 - 8.176
= 12.224 V ❌ (Below 16V minimum!)
Lump Sum Report Table:
| Symbol | Qty | Part No | Description | Candelas | Current (A) | Total (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [SYM] | 1 | EOL-R | End of Line | - | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| [SYM] | 5 | HS24-15/75 | Horn/Strobe | 15/75 | 0.150 | 0.750 |
| [SYM] | 10 | P2RL | Speaker/Strobe | - | 0.177 | 1.770 |
| [SYM] | 8 | S2-15/75 | Strobe Only | 15/75 | 0.050 | 0.400 |
Summary Results:
- ✅ Total Circuit Current: 2.920A (within 3.0A limit)
- ❌ End Of Line Voltage: 12.22V (below 16V minimum)
- ❌ Voltage Drop: 40.1% (exceeds 10-15% typical limit)
Action Required: Increase wire gauge or split circuit to reduce voltage drop.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Issue 1: Voltage Drop Too High
Symptoms:
- End of line voltage below minimum
- Voltage drop percentage exceeds 10-15%
Solutions:
- Increase wire gauge (16 AWG → 14 AWG → 12 AWG)
- Reduce circuit length by splitting into multiple circuits
- Reduce total current by removing devices or using lower-current alternatives
Issue 2: Circuit Current Exceeded
Symptoms:
- Total Circuit Current exceeds Max Circuit Current
- Red highlighting on current values
Solutions:
- Split circuit into two circuits
- Verify circuit limit is correctly configured
- Reduce number of high-current devices
Issue 3: Device Quantities Don't Match Field Count
Symptoms:
- Report shows different quantities than installed
Solutions:
- Verify all devices are properly assigned to circuits
- Check for duplicate devices with slightly different part numbers
- Enable "Include Child Circuits" if using passthrough devices
Issue 4: Missing Part Numbers
Symptoms:
- Some devices appear, others don't
Possible Causes:
- Devices marked as "Exclude From Report" in device properties
- Devices on wrong circuit
- Missing or erased devices in drawing
Solutions:
- Check device properties "Exclude From Report" flag
- Verify circuit assignments
- Use circuit editor to review device list
Best Practices
1. Wire Sizing
- Size wire based on total circuit current, not individual devices
- Keep voltage drop under 10% (15% maximum for some applications)
- Account for worst-case scenario (all devices in alarm)
2. Circuit Planning
- Leave 25% spare current capacity for future additions
- Don't exceed circuit limits even with adequate voltage
- Consider card capacity when using multiple circuits
3. Material Takeoffs
- Export to Excel for cost estimates
- Include spare devices in purchase orders
- Cross-reference with point-to-point reports for verification
4. Documentation
- Generate lump sum reports for submittal packages
- Include with point-to-point reports for complete documentation
- Update reports after field modifications
Understanding Lump Sum vs. Point-to-Point
Use Lump Sum Reports When:
- Need device quantities for ordering
- Performing cost estimates
- Verifying overall circuit capacity
- Creating simplified circuit summaries
- Don't need device locations
Use Point-to-Point Reports When:
- Need to verify voltage at each device location
- Troubleshooting specific device issues
- Optimizing wire routing
- Detailed voltage drop analysis required
- AHJ requires sequential device documentation
Use Both When:
- Creating complete submittal packages
- Both summary and detailed analysis needed
- Verifying calculations from different perspectives
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why don't quantities match my device count?
Check:
- Devices may be on different circuits
- Duplicate part numbers with slight variations
- Devices marked "Exclude From Report"
- Child circuits not included (if using passthrough devices)
Q2: What does the asterisk (*) on part numbers mean?
The asterisk indicates that devices from child circuits are included in the quantity count for that part number. Enable this feature with "Include Child Circuits" option.
Q3: Can I customize which columns appear?
Yes! Use Report Settings Lump Sum Options Column Selection to:
- Add/remove columns
- Change column order
- Adjust column widths
- Set sort preferences
Q4: How accurate is the voltage drop calculation?
Lump sum voltage drop is a worst-case approximation:
- Assumes all wire length is at circuit extremes
- Doesn't account for actual device positions
- Use point-to-point reports for precise voltage analysis
- Good for initial verification and capacity planning
Q5: Should I include card totals?
Include card totals when:
- Using multi-circuit amplifier cards
- Need to verify card isn't overloaded
- Circuit is part of larger system
Exclude when:
- Single circuit per output
- Card capacity isn't a concern
- Report becomes too cluttered
Technical Notes
Aggregation Method
Devices are grouped using:
GROUP BY PartNo, Description, Current
This means:
- Identical part numbers are combined
- Same devices with different descriptions stay separate
- Devices with different currents (settings) stay separate
Calculation Accuracy
Lump sum calculations assume:
- All current flows the full circuit length
- Worst-case voltage drop scenario
- No consideration of device positions
- Conservative (safe) approach
For precise voltage analysis at each device, use point-to-point reports.
Child Circuit Aggregation
When "Include Child Circuits" is enabled:
1. System identifies passthrough devices
2. Finds child circuits originating from passthroughs
3. Aggregates all devices by part number
4. Marks part numbers with * if they span parent/child
Related Reports
- Point-to-Point Reports: Device-by-device voltage analysis
- Speaker Schedule: Point-to-point for speakers with dB loss
- dB Loss Reports: Lump sum for speakers with decibel calculations
- Battery Calculation: Backup power requirements
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