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WEEKLY TAKEAWAYS AS A FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER

Standpipes for Fire Suppression: An Introduction

6/6/2019

 
Hope your week is going very well.

This week I'd like to open a short series on standpipes. Today's article is a basic overview of some basic requirements associated with standpipes used for fire suppression.

Fire Standpipe
Basic components of a standpipe for fire suppression.
Purpose
Standpipes are used to support manual firefighting efforts by delivering water to hard-to-reach areas of a building. The intent of a standpipe system is to avoid having to distribute and connect hundreds of feet of hose for a single interior attack by firefighters.

Hard-to-reach areas of a building aren't confined to one direction. Buildings which are very tall (highrises) or are deep underground, or are very wide by nature could all have portions of the building which would be difficult to reach.

Applicable Codes & Standards
In the US, the International Building Code (IBC) and International Fire Code (IFC) are often the first stop for standpipe requirements. While the two codes mirror each other, the International Building Code requires standpipes based on:
  • height (a story located more than 30 feet above the lowest level of fire department access, or 30 feet below the highest level of fire department access) (see IBC Section 905.3.1)
  • unsprinklered assembly occupancies (see IBC Section 905.3.2)
  • covered and open mall buildings (see IBC Section 905.3.3)
  • stages (see IBC Section 905.3.4)
  • underground buildings (see IBC Section 905.3.5)
  • helistops and heliports (see IBC Section 905.3.6)
  • marinas and boatyards (see IBC Section 905.3.7)
  • rooftop gardens and landscaped roofs (see IBC Section 905.3.8)

Once it has been determined whether a standpipe system is required or not, the IBC and IFC defer to NFPA 14 to prescribe how the system is to be installed.

Standpipe System

Class of Standpipes
Standpipes can be classified in several areas. The first is the class of standpipe, which relates directly to the hose connection type and the intended user. Based on 1-1/2 inch hose failures and the associated testing that goes along with them, 1-1/2 inch hose stations are much less common today.

I've found many situations with sprinklered buildings where hose stations have been removed as they are no longer required and are a burden for testing and maintenance. Here are the standpipe classifications, with Class I being by far the most common in the US today:
  • Class I: provides 2-1/2 inch (64 mm) hose connections for fire department and trained use.
  • Class II: provides 1-1/2 inch (38 mm) hose stations to supply for building occupants or initial fire department response
  • Class III: provides 1-1/2 inch (38 mm) hose stations for building occupants and 2-1/2 inch (64 mm) hose connections for fire department and trained use

Types of Standpipe
The other defining description for standpipe is when water is delivered, and at what relative pressure. Types of standpipes include:
  • Automatic dry: normally filled with pressurized air where water is delivered automatically when a standpipe hose cap is removed. The water, when delivered, is capable of supplying the system demand.
  • Automatic wet: normally filled with water capable of supplying the system demand automatically.
  • Manual dry: normally filled with air and without a permanent water supply. Water is required from a pumper truck in order to meet system demand.
  • Manual wet: normally filled with water that is not at a pressure capable of supplying the system demand. Manual wet systems require  water to be pressurized by a fire department pump in order to meet system demand.


Components of a Vertical Standpipe
Standpipes are not always vertical standpipes, but for multi-story buildings they are the most prevalent and are the topic of discussion this week.

Flexible Coupling
  • Purpose: Flexible couplings are included near floor levels to prevent catastrophic damage to the suppression system from the building structure while the building structure is moving in an earthquake. Flexible couplings allow the vertical pipe within a standpipe (or sprinkler system) to tolerate the horizontal building movement and still stay connected.
  • Where Required: Within 12 inches above and 24 inches below floor level in multi-story buildings. [NFPA 13 2002-16 9.3.2.3(2), 2019 18.2.3]
  • When Required: When the building requires seismic protection (seismic design category C, D, E, or F). Couplings are also provided at each floor level (often just above the floor level) to aid in installation.

Isolation Valve
  • Purpose: Standpipe isolation valves allow shutdown of a single standpipe without interrupting the water supply to other vertical standpipes. This can play an important role with maintenance, repair, modification, or during active firefighting scenarios.
  • Where Required: Isolation valves are required on all standpipes (including dry standpipes). [NFPA 14 2003 6.2.2, 2007-19 6.3.2]

Penetration Clearance
  • Purpose: Clearance around floor penetrations are important for seismic bracing, again to prevent damage to the system from the building structure during an earthquake.
  • Size: The diameter of the hole or sleeve must be 2-inches larger for pipes 1 to 3-inches in diameter, or 4-inches larger than the pipe for pipe 4-inches or larger in diameter. [NFPA 13 2002-16 9.3.4.2 and 9.3.4.3, 2019 18.4.2 and 18.4.3]
  • Where Required: Where pipe passes through platforms, foundations, walls or floors, except where flexible couplings are located within 1-foot of each side of the penetration. [NFPA 13 2002-16 9.3.4.5, 2019 18.4.5]

Pressure Gauge
  • Size: Not smaller than ¼-inch (6 mm). [NFPA 14 2003 5.6.1, 2007-19 5.5.1]
  • Where Required: For standpipes, a pressure gauge is required at the top of each standpipe. [NFPA 14 2003 5.6.1, 2007-19 5.5.1]

Riser Clamp
  • Purpose: Riser clamps are used to provide support to vertical pipe.
  • Where Required: Within 24-inches (610 mm) of the centerline of the riser, to support the riser horizontally. In multi-story buildings, riser supports are required at the lowest level, at each alternate level, above and below offsets, and at the top of the riser. [NFPA 13 2002 9.2.5.3.1, 2007-16 9.2.5.4.1, 2019 17.4.5.4.1] Support above the lowest level to prevent movement upward when flexible fittings are used. [NFPA 13 2002 9.2.5.3.2, 2007-16 9.2.5.4.2, 2019 17.4.5.4.2]

Standpipe Hose Connections
  • Purpose: To provide a point of connection for firefighters to connect hoses and get water to manually fight the fire.
  • Where Located: At 3-feet (0.9 m) to 5-feet (1.5 m) above floor level. [NFPA 14 2003 7.3.1, 2007-19 7.3.1.1]
  • Where Required: We’ll explore this in greater detail in the articles to come. There's volumes of information about these requirements, but for reference be sure to check NFPA 14 2003-19 7.3.2-7.3.4 and IFC 905.4-905.6.

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What's on your Sprinkler Design Checklist?

2/28/2019

 
What Project?
​

When I first started in the industry I worked on a long line of high-end retail projects scattered across the United States. Six months after starting I got a question from a project manager about concealed space wood-structure sprinkler protection on a particular store in San Jose.

San Jose? I was positive I never worked on a project in San Jose.

A little digging later revealed I did in fact work on a small retail shop in San Jose. The only problem was that it looked just like the other 30 stores I had worked on in-between. Did I evaluate protection or even consider the combustible above-ceiling space? Did I discuss anything with the AHJ?

No idea.

I quickly realized that if I didn't take project-specific design notes I'd have no way of revisiting my thought process when a question inevitably arose later in the project.

The Mad Man
​

Ever since then, and not entirely due to my undiagnosed organization issues, I've been on a mad hunt to find the best way to record project notes in the cleanest and most insanely-quick process possible.

For me it's partially about recording the design thought process, and partially about reminding myself about all the considerations that need to occur for a project.

I can't say I've tried every method for project note taking, but I have used word templates, checklists, spreadsheets, OneNote files, linked databases, access databases, and the good old pen and paper.

Important Pieces
​

I have several goals when devising project notes for me and the staff I work with:
  1. It must be easy to edit
  2. It must be clean
  3. It must be consolidated (one page maximum)
  4. It must be insanely quick to edit
If any one of those four items above aren't considered, the likelihood of adoption by people outside me is minimal.

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​An example project design sheet (click to see full PDF)

Latest Rendition
​
Here's where I am now - an excel-based, single page note page where a quick "X" above a cell highlights the one below. If I know all of the information in a project, it can be filled out completely in less than 3 minutes.

It can be a helpful accompaniment for sprinkler contractor clients when we're submitting a bid, or helpful notes to accompany a QC set of drawings.

What Am I Missing?
​

I'm sure your checklists and cheatsheets include a wide variety of considerations. In my attempt to better this one and incorporate the whole spreadsheet, what important elements am I missing? View PDFs below, and post your comments & feedback about important things to add here.
Sprinkler Design Cheatsheet
CHEATSHEET (COLOR)
Fire Sprinkler Design
CHEATSHEET (EXAMPLE)
Fire Sprinkler Design Checklist
CHEATSHEET (BLANK)

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Major Toolkit Updates and A Free Trial

2/21/2019

 
If you've been following the blog for awhile, you might already know about the Toolkit that has really taken off lately. This past week I've incorporated some (great) user feedback and now have a new version to present:

I've revamped the organization and it's FAR easier to navigate and use now.

With a new main menu and crisp pages the Toolkit is FAR easier to navigate. Now you can get what you need, quickly.

If you're already a subscriber to the Toolkit, use the download link below to get the latest version right now. No need for any new access codes - it just updates the Toolkit right over your current version.

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A clip of the latest version of the Sprinkler Obstruction Calculator on the MeyerFire Toolkit.
​What is the Toolkit, and what does it include?

The MeyerFire Toolkit is a downloadable series of excel-based tools that allow fire protection designers, engineers and code authorities to quickly calculate a myriad of regular applications. With this tool you can save time with quick but powerful tools that you can save, PDF, or print.

The Toolkit contains all of the tools you see on this website - plus the popular Fire Sprinkler Database - which is a live collection of all fire sprinklers on the market where you can sort and filter to see what products exist for your application, and then specify or design the ones that best match your design goals.

A Free 30-Day Trial, Starting Today

​If you've never seen the Toolkit, or have used a trial version before and are interested in testing the new look, download the toolkit with a trial code (good through late March) here:
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DOWNLOAD TRIAL VERSION (NEW USERS)
DOWNLOAD UPDATES (CURRENT USERS)
What's Next?

There's a few new additions to the Toolkit I hope to debut in the next couple weeks based on suggestions from users just like you. If you're an expert in fire flow calculations or water storage tank design and are interested in early testing, email me at jdmeyer@meyerfire.com. 

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If you know someone who might be interested in giving the Toolkit a try, email them about downloading it today. As always, you can subscribe to these weekly articles & resources here.

Components of Basic Wet-Pipe Riser Assemblies

1/10/2019

 
This week we're covering a basic riser manifold configuration for wet-pipe fire sprinkler systems. This is not for a shotgun-style single riser, nor for a wet riser using an alarm check valve (we'll explore both of those later).

​If you haven't checked it out, there are great ongoing discussions (some of which covered these topics) on the MeyerFire Daily page here. 
Wet Fire Sprinkler Riser

Overview
Wet-pipe systems form the backbone of traditional fire sprinkler system design, comprising the most popular and most economical system type available. Here's the major components that go into a wet-pipe fire sprinkler assembly:

Check Valve
  • Purpose: Allows the system to retain pressure over time, prevents and siphonage of water in a system to serve standpipes or other systems, and helps prevent nuisance waterflow alarm paddle movement by maintaining water in each system.
  • Where Required: a check valve is required in any system, but may also be accomplished by a single backflow preventer in a multi-system manifold. Check valves are required on each sprinkler system where the supply serves both sprinklers and standpipes.
  • Orientation: must be horizontal or vertical-up in accordance with its listing (NFPA 13 2002 8.15.1.1.3.4, 2007 -16 8.16.1.1.3.4, 2019 16.9.5.4)

FDC Connection
  • Purpose: Allows the fire department to supply supplementary pressure and flow to the system during a fire event.
  • Where Required: on any sprinkler system that does not meet exceptions for being inaccessible, large-capacity deluge systems, or single-story buildings not over 2,000 sqft (185 sq.m.). (NFPA 13 2002 8.16.2.2, 2007-16 8.17.2.2, 2019 16.12.2)
  • Where Located: for a single system it must be on the system side of the main system control valve, check, and alarm valves, and is permitted to be connected to the main piping directly (NFPA 13 2002 8.16.2.4.2, 2007-16 8.17.2.4.2, 2019 16.12.5.2), for multiple systems the FDC connection must be between the supply control valves and system control valves (on the manifold) (NFPA 13 2002 8.16.2.4.3, 2007-16 8.17.2.4.3, 2019 16.12.5.4).
​

Read More

Introducing the New Fire Pump Database

11/21/2018

 
I receive feedback regularly from many users and observers - and I'm very grateful for both!

Sprinkler Database Interest & Feedback
One member recently reached out about the Sprinkler Database and said:

"I appreciate all the work you’ve done on that site.  The sprinkler database has helped tremendously when looking for specialty sprinklers, specifically available storage sprinkler is odd configurations!"

It's a tool that is basic in premise but can save tons of time when you're looking to compare sprinklers, find a specific type of sprinkler, or see if a solution exists for your specific problem. Here's a quick overview
​

Fire Pump Database
With the interest and feedback from the Sprinkler Database, it was only a matter of time before I expanded this into other areas. You may already have seen the Backflow Database, but now we have a beta version of a Fire Pump Database. 

With the fire pump database you can now search for fire pumps of various configurations, drivers, sizes, and then instantly link to CAD and Revit models, performance curves, website links, product data, and dimensions. The current beta version includes AC, Armstrong, and Aurora Fire Pumps.

All-inclusive Toolkit members can log in and use the database now.

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Know a Contact for Patterson or Peerless?
If you work for or know a great contact for Patterson Fire Pumps and Peerless Fire Pumps, please let me know their contact information. I'm looking to partner with both of these companies to also help connect users to their products.

Toolkit Sale Through November 30th
Interested in getting the Toolkit and access to all of our tools? Join between now and Friday the 30th for $30 off your first year's subscription. Just use coupon code CYBER18 ​when you checkout here before Friday November 30th.

Lastly, if you're in the US, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Introducing the Trapeze Calculator

11/7/2018

 
First, a big thank you to those who commented and emailed ideas and topics that contributed to the latest tool for this site - the Trapeze Calculator. 

Quick Calc
With only a few "knowns" (pipe diameter and schedule, and distances to nearest structure), you can now quickly calculate the section modulus that's required, visit options for the trapeze bar, and see these options schematically in a to-scale detail.

Multiple Pipes
Have multiple pipes on a trapeze? Calculate the section modulus required for each, add the two moduli together, and simply override the Section Modulus Required value below to see your options.

Get CAD Details
Want a CAD version of the detail? Sure thing - the downloadable All-Access Toolkit allows you to save and print these calculations as PDFs, which can then be imported directly into AutoCAD and use the ALIGN function to scale it to your drawing.

​Toolkit Users
Already a Toolkit user? Install the latest version from your dashboard to get the updates to this tool. No new activation code is necessary.

​Don't see the tool below? Try it out here - 
TRAPEZE CALCULATOR

This site is all about finding ways to help you be the office hero with quick and helpful fire protection tools. 

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Test the New Trapeze Tool (Week 1)

10/25/2018

 
First, a huge thank you to everyone who's expressed interest and purchased the Toolkit - I very much appreciate the fantastic response to the launch over the last three weeks!

It's a short post this week - I've been developing a Trapeze Hanger tool that sizes and schematically details trapeze hangers. This will likely be the first of three posts while developing this tool.

Questions for you at this point in time:

(1) What other possible standard trapeze materials do you use that could be helpful as part of this tool? 
(2) What would you like to see shown in the detail?
(3) If the detail could be easily translated to AutoCAD from this calculator, could it be something helpful for your projects? If so, what would you want shown and identified?


Click here to test and comment on the Trapeze Hanger tool, thanks in advance!
​

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Methods of Connecting Fire Sprinkler Pipe

7/18/2018

 
One of the popular aspects of fire sprinkler installations that is overwhelmingly familiar to fitters in the field yet something I hardly understood back as a new graduate is pipe connections. Today I'm breaking out some of the popular methods of joining steel pipe in fire sprinkler systems.

Steel Pipe
While copper, CPVC and PEX are listed for use in fire sprinkler systems (PEX is only for NFPA 13D systems), black steel pipe remains the most popular pipe material for commercial fire sprinkler applications, at least within the United States.

For steel pipe, the primary means of connecting the pipe include threaded fittings, grooved fittings, plain-end compression fittings, flanged connections, and welding.

Plain End Pipe
Steel pipe when initially formed has flat cut, unpolished ends. This is generally referred to as plain end pipe. 

Plain end pipe can be connected by compression fittings or push-on fittings, which bite into the pipe to prevent separation. While popular for other building systems, use of plain end pipe and compression or push-on fittings are not used in sprinkler systems due to the relatively high pressures sprinkler systems experience.
Black Steel Plain End Pipe
Threaded Pipe
​Perhaps the most common current method of joining fire sprinkler pipe for smaller pipe diameters, threaded pipe makes use of helical crests that screw into a female threaded fitting.

To create threaded pipe, a plain-end pipe is cut with a threaded machine decreasing the thickness of the pipe wall. As a result, the areas remaining below and adjacent to the thread become weaker and more susceptible to corrosion breakthroughs with the thinner wall of pipe.
Threaded Fire Sprinkler Pipe

​As compared to grooving or welding pipe, the pipe wall thickness must be thicker to accommodate the cut-in threads (ASME B1.20.1) for threaded pipe. NFPA 13 6.5.1.2 (2002-2016 Editions) addresses minimum pipe thicknesses for threaded pipe up to 300 psi, unless the pipe is separately listed for fire sprinkler use:
Pipe Diameter
Minimum Pipe Thickness for Threaded Pipe
Basis
6-inch and smaller
Schedule 40
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.3
8-inch and greater
Schedule 30
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.3
When connecting threaded pipe, joint compound or pipe tape is applied to the male thread to avoid water leakage. 

While threading larger pipe was common throughout the early to mid twentieth century, the weight of Schedule 40 pipe and difficulty of turning large diameter threaded pipe makes threading an uncommon choice for larger diameter sprinkler pipe today.

Grooved Pipe
Grooved pipe is a popular method of pipe joining invented by Victaulic with roots in both World Wars to deliver water and petroleum with faster, more reliable method of pipe connection. 
Grooved Fire Sprinkler Pipe

Grooved pipe is formed by either cutting into the pipe (cut groove) or by pressing an indentation into the pipe (roll groove).

Cut groove pipe results in a lesser pipe thickness, weakening the pipe and also offering less protection against corrosion.

Roll grooving, while keeping the pipe wall thickness, also poses issues in low-sloped dry and pre-action systems as the rolls on the interior side of the pipe create areas to trap water and create an air-water interface for corrosion to occur.
​
Roll vs Cut Groove Fire Sprinkler Pipe

Grooved pipe has a number of inherent advantages. Smaller pipe thicknesses are permitted for grooved pipe, resulting in thinner pipe which makes transporting, carrying, and lifting into place easier. Minimum thicknesses for Grooved Pipe: 
Pipe Diameter
Minimum Pipe Thickness
​for Cut Grooved Pipe
Basis
6-inch and smaller
Schedule 40
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.3
8-inch and larger
Schedule 30
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.3
Pipe Diameter
Minimum Pipe Thickness
​for Roll Grooved Pipe
Basis
5-inch and smaller
Schedule 10
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2
6-inch
0.134 in.
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2
8-inch and 10-inch
​0.188 in.
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2
12-inch
0.330 in.
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2

With thinner, lighter pipe and easy grooved coupling options, labor can be less difficult and significantly quicker.

Welded & Flanged Pipe
A less common but additional option for restraining pipe is welding. Pipe can be welded as an outlet - where a welding equipment cuts a hole in one pipe whereafter another pipe segment is held in place and the two are welded together.
Welded Fire Sprinkler Pipe

Welding has a few advantages - it can be (and often is) performed in a fabrication shop, does not require any additional fittings, and can allow for more custom pipe arrangements.

For instance: a 4-inch x 4-inch x 1/2-inch outlet for a pressure gauge connection might be a special order reducing tee (ie: costly); as a welded outlet, it could be quickly and easily welded into place with the outlet easily threaded or grooved.

Welding is not limited to outlets, however. "Slip-on flanges" can be welded to the hub side of the flange to a piece of pipe, allowing two flanged fittings to be bolted together with a gasket in-between.
​
Flanged Fire Sprinkler Pipe

Flanged pipe and fittings are common around fire pump assemblies, as NFPA 20 annex material even notes that "flanges welded to pipe are preferred" despite screwed, flanged mechanical joints or other approved fittings are allowable (NFPA 20 2003-2007 5.13.2.1, 2010-2013 4.13.2, 2016 4.14.2, 2019 4.15.2).
Pipe Diameter
Minimum Pipe Thickness
​for Welded Pipe
Basis
5-inch and smaller
Schedule 10
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2
6-inch
0.134 in.
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2
8-inch and 10-inch
​0.188 in.
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2
12-inch
0.330 in.
NFPA 13 2002-2016 6.3.2

Different installing contractors often have different preferences on fabricating pipe. Personally I've worked with some who prefer to have welded outlets along 21-foot lengths of pipe and groove as much as allowed for a job to use lighter, thinner pipe, including through branch piping. Others prefer some flexibility of threaded pipe to make quick changes in the field and provide a more traditional, tightly-connected threaded system.

What do you commonly see? Does your team have preferences for fabrication methods? Discuss this here.

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Flow Test Reports and the N^1.85 Supply Graph

4/11/2018

 
A few weeks ago I received a call from a sprinkler contractor who needed to provide a water supply graph for a flow test he conducted.

I had a canned sheet I had developed for my own flow tests, but it was a basic graph that showed a curve and didn't match the traditional N^1.85 hydraulic graphs common for water supply curves. Since then I've tinkered and come up with an accurate chart that takes flow test input values, calculates total flow and draws the curve along the N^1.85 chart.

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​The N^1.85 chart is particularly useful for fire suppression systems because the Hazen-Williams formula is based on the relationship that pressure relates to flow to the 1.85th power.

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Take a look at the N1.85 Water Supply Curve tool here and let me know what you think in the comment section below.


Download this Tool

​When the x-axis, or the hydraulic flow is then scaled to the 1.85th power, hydraulic curves become straight lines which becomes easier to graph and compare. Prior to everyone carrying a computer in their pocket, these graphs were likely much easier to use for summaries and comparisons.

The water supply information is what is provided as part of a two-hydrant flow test. The design input information would be the system demand side and can be used for quick comparisons.

Personally, I only use this setup for flow test reports and water supply comparisons. Fire sprinkler hydraulic calculation software takes care of the graphs and outputs I need after I've completed the hydraulic calculations.

On a side note, I've had several people ask about getting access to all of the tools I've created to use on their own computer with the ability to produce printable output for record keeping. Thanks again to those who asked - that concept is in the works and I'm hoping to bring about some version of all-inclusive software in the next couple months.

Don't get these free weekly articles? Subscribe here.  My goal with creating this website and tools is to support those who want to create great fire protection.

A Breakout of a Floor Control Riser Assembly

9/16/2016

 
Today we're breaking into floor control assemblies. The following is a full arrangement for a combination standpipe/sprinkler riser where high pressures necessitate a pressure reducing valve at each level.
Picture
While every element in this specific arrangement is certainly not a necessity on every project, here's some considerations that go into the requirements and considerations for a layout like this:
Auxiliary Drain Valve
  • Permits faster draining of system (as opposed to only draining inspector's test valve)
Capped Outlets
  • Optionally included for testing of Pressure Reducing Valves, when provided (see Pressure Reducing Valve Testing below)
Check Valve
  • Can help reduce false waterflow alarms on floor where sprinklers have not activated (NFPA 13 2007-2016 Section A.8.17.1.6)
  • Required for a combined standpipe/sprinkler system (NFPA 13 2007-2016 Section 8.17.5.2.2(1))
Drain Pipe
  • Size: 3/4 inch for 2 inch system pipe, 1-1/4 inch for 2-1/2 - 3-1/2 inch system pipe, or 2 inch for 4 inch system pipe (NFPA 13 2002 Table 8.15.2.4.2, 2007-2016 Table 8.16.2.4.2)
Drain Valve
  • Minimum Size: 3/4 inch for 5-50 gallon system, 1 inch for 50+ gallon system (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.15.2.5.2, 2007-2016 Section 8.16.2.5.2)
Drain Riser
  • Discharge: must be to outside or drain capable of handling the flow (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.15.2.4.4, 2007-2016 Section 8.16.2.4.4)
  • Size: Must be at least one pipe size larger than the largest drain connection tying into it (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.15.2.4.7, 2007-2013 Section 8.16.2.4.7, 2016 Section 8.16.2.4.8)
  • Size with PRV: When serving a Pressure Reducing Valve, the drain, drain connection, and drain piping shall be sized to permit the greatest system demand by the Pressure Reducing Valve (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.15.2.4.5, 2007-2016 Section 8.16.2.4.5)
Height of Lowest Element
  • Objects cannot be more than 4 inches off of a wall unless they are more than 80 inches above the finished floor (ADA 2010 Section 307.2)
Inspector's Test
  • Accessible: Must be accessible (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.16.4, 2007-2016 Section 8.17.4)
  • Discharge: Must discharge outside or to a drain capable of handling flow (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.16.4, 2007-2016 Section 8.17.4)
  • Downstream of waterflow alarm (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.16.4, 2007-2016 Section 8.17.4)
  • Orifice: Must have smooth bore, corrosion-resistant orifice with flow equal to or less than one sprinkler orifice on each system (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.16.4, 2007-2016 Section 8.17.4)
​Pressure Gauge
  • Required at each floor control valve (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.16.3.1, 2007-2016 8.17.3.1)
  • Must have a limit at least twice the system normal working pressure (NFPA 13 2002 8.16.3.1, 2007-2016 8.17.3.3)
​Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)
  • Provided to reduce the system pressure such that the working pressure will not exceed a standard 175 PSI listed pressure of the sprinklers, piping, and fittings. PRVs can also be used to limit the system pressure to higher amounts when pressures are allowed to exceed 175 PSI.
  • Not required by code, and some have found PRVs to be prone to failure and difficult to test.
​Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) Testing
  • Inspected: must be quarterly (NFPA 25 2014 Section 13.5.1.1)
  • Tested: must be partially tested annually (NFPA 25 2014 Section 5.1.3), and fully flowed every 5 years (NFPA 25 2014 Section 13.5.1.2)
  • Full flow testing in place: requires pressure gauge on inlet and outlet side of PRV, takes flow measurement using a pitot tube or flowmeter, discharging through the roof manifold on building exterior or through capped outlets provided for testing (NFPA 25 2014 13.5.1.2)
Riser 
  • Control Valve for entire riser: Required to permit isolating a riser without interrupting other systems (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.16.5.2.2(3), 2007-2016 Section 8.17.5.2.2(3))
  • Size: Minimum 4 inch, unless hydraulically calculated to permit smaller size (NFPA 13 2002 Section 8.16.5.2.2(2), 2007-2016 Section 8.17.5.2.2(2)).
Sight Glass
  • Enables easy verification of water flow for inspector's test.
Supervisory Switches
  • Must be tested semiannually (NFPA 25 2014 Section 13.3.3.5.1)
​Union
  • Provided to permit exact orifice size of sprinkler for waterflow switch testing.
​Valve (Floor Control Valve)
  • Accessible (NFPA 13 2007 A.8.16.1.1.1)
  • Electrically supervised or locked (NFPA 25 2014 13.3.1.4)
  • Signage must be provided (NFPA 25 2014 13.3.1)
  • Tested: annually (NFPA 25 2014 Section 13.3.3.1)
Waterflow Switch
  • Tested: quarterly (NFPA 13 2002 Table A.18.1, 2007-2010 Table A.26.1, 2013-2016 Table A.27.1)
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