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In an open, fully sprinklered building, can 50% of the floor area be protected by an automatic wet system, while the remaining 50% is protected by a pre-action system?
There is no wall separating the two areas. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
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A building will partially be a data center as part of a Group B Occupancy in the IBC.
Is a fire-resistance-rated separation required between the data halls and the offices? The data center area has accessory rooms such as a sprinkler riser room and a fiber cable entry, which are rated, but I'm looking at the data hall versus office specifically. Table 509 of the IBC doesn't mention anything about data center areas specifically. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Hi everyone, I have some questions regarding old high rise standpipes.
In many old high-rise buildings, they will have a wet standpipe fed from a gravity tank (or tanks), which is in turn filled by dedicated tank-fill pumps. Some will also have an additional manual fire pump down in the basement that can pressurize the standpipe upwards; I’m figuring just as backup for the existing roof tank reservoir. First question: Is this type of setup just a relic of the past since it’s just a manual backup pump? I haven’t found where in modern code it seems to be applicable to this whole setup. At least, it doesn’t seem to have any mention in NFPA 20, even though that’s the main fire pump book. Second question: All these vintage motors and controllers seem to be wound-rotor motors, and the controller is speed-controlled via resistor banks. Is the stepped speed control simply to reduce inrush by ramping one step at a time up to full speed, or are they intended to operate at reduced speeds on purpose? I’m figuring the modern equivalent to these old setups would likely be a soft-start controller if you’re just looking to reduce inrush, or a VFD controller if you want to run at reduced speeds on purpose. Of course, all of this conjecture is only if such a setup is even relevant to modern code. Thank you for any insight you can offer! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe For an exposed exterior riser on a wet system, is insulation or mechanical protection required? If so, what type of insulation is best? This is in the Orlando, FL area. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe  I am working with a company storing Class IIIB liquids in plastic tanks. Tanks range in size from 2000, 3000, to 6100 gallons.
We struggled to find a design that works in NFPA and therefore went with a .40/3,000 from FM DS 7-32; however, now we do not know what to do with the containment requirements. What should the containment duration be? Since they are plastic tanks, I have assumed they would all fail and would essentially need containment around each tank? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We are designing foam system for an aircraft hangar in accordance with NFPA 409.
Is it acceptable to use AR-SFFF instead of AFFF with discharge density of 0.16 gpm/ft² (6.5 L/min/m²)? AR-SFFF is not specifically mentioned in NFPA 409. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I wanted to get your thoughts on temporary fire pumps. We are in warm weather season here in MA, and a building wants to use a temporary fire pump to alleviate a fire detail that is on the building.
If this wasn't a high-rise, I honestly feel more inclined, but being that it is, I am more hesitant. I wanted to see if others have used them, and if so, what evidence did you bring to AHJs/Fire Depts? The client shopped around on their own accord and found an industrial end-suction centrifugal pump used for sewage bypass and general construction dewatering, which doesn't seem to be generally used for Fire Protection applications. Thanks in Advance! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe There's an existing system in a warehouse with a pump. It's a grid system with an 8" main and 1" 17k ESFR sprinklers.
The main is in a 3' wide inaccessible "hallway". They added office space that will require 15 heads. There's a 4" floater main nearby. Can I connect to the 4" main to feed the added sprinklers? What do I need to consider in doing so? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I am designing a 25.2k ESFR system in warehouse with purlins set on tapered beams with about 8" wide flanges spaced 20' on center. The last beam in the project area runs 1'-5" off the wall creating a small beam pocket along the length of the wall. Current head spacing is 10'x10', and 18" below ceiling. The sprinklers adjacent to the beam are 3'-10" from centerline, or 5'-3" from the wall. This would require heads within the beam pocket, but the clearance between the wall and beam would obstruct sprinkler discharge. Are there any special exceptions that would allow heads to be omitted from the pocket? Or how could I approach this condition differently to meet code? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe    While NFPA 20 requires a minimum NEMA Type 2 enclosure for fire pump controllers, an alternative view has been expressed that a "NEMA Type 3R" enclosure should be provided where the fire pump room is sprinkler-protected.
The rationale is that activation of the sprinkler system during a fire event may subject the enclosure to water spray similar to rain exposure, for which NEMA Type 3R enclosures are designed to provide protection. What is your thought on this? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a retrofit application where the sprinkler system needs to be supported from Pyro-Bloc, as that is what is making up the structure of the floor above. NFPA-13 (2022) does not allow the use of toggles (that's what the plumbers and mechanical contractors are using), and the material is too brittle to use drop-ins or expanding anchors.
Any recommendations on how to support the piping? This is specifically 2" and larger. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe When calculating manual standpipe systems per NFPA 14, are there any tips on calculating upstream from the FDC back through the hose lay back to the apparatus?
And I assume even considering the underground supply the apparatus is drawing from? I know many pumper trucks are rated at 1,500 gpm at 150 psi, but I assume one would need to verify that, and what length, diameter, and type of hose they utilize from the truck to the FDC. I see too many calcs that assume an "infinite" water supply if it is supplied by a pumper truck. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Have a question on whether or not thrust blocks are required for heat-fused connections.
Per Section 10.6.3 of NFPA 24, additional restraints are not required for heat-fused connections. Under PPI Chapter 7, for pressure piping systems that are joined by heat fusion, flanges are fully restrained and do not require external joint restraints or thrust blocks. For the above case, is a pressure thrust block required? We will use a concrete pad underneath the hydrant and PIV, but not a pressure thrust block. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Is there any relevant code or standard that restricts the use of flexible sprinkler armovers above hard ceilings?
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe An existing building needs to replace its fire alarm system because the current system cannot support elevator recall, which is required for the new elevator they need to install. In Massachusetts, the IEBC states that when a fire alarm system is replaced, heat detectors will be installed if the building is not fully sprinklered. Should the building include providing low-frequency sounders inside the units to ensure adequate audibility at the pillow? I have heard mixed interpretations from other AHJs. The attachment shows the code citation. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe  In a highrise building with a sprinkler system designed under NFPA 13, are above-ceiling smoke detectors required?
There are limited combustible materials (wiring, steel pipe, steel ductwork) and in other areas PVC pipe. Are smoke detectors required for the above ceiling spaces? Should they be considered if not? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a project I'm working on for a data center, and the owner is requesting a Hazard Mitigation Analysis (based on NFPA 855). I'm trying to see if NFPA 855 is applicable since it relates to energy storage systems (ESS).
The end user will have a UPS installed in each rack instead of a central UPS, and each rack will only be 0.55 kWh. FM is also applicable in this case, but FMDS 5-32, Section 2.3.1.4.2 indicates that if your in-rack UPS exceeds 20 kWh, then that pushes the system into an ESS and FMDS 5-33. But, NFPA 855 indicates that if aggregate quantities within the fire area exceed 20 kWh (which we would be for the data hall), then it's defined as an ESS. Is the in-rack UPSs below 20 kWh are actually defined as an ESS or if they're just information technology equipment and NFPA 855 doesn't apply? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Is a window allowed in the exterior wall of a fire rated egress stair enclosure?
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We had a great time seeing some of you at NFPA! Thanks for taking the time to help answer questions and support others in the community.
Hello, Following FM DS 2-0 §2.5.4.5.3.3 - if two or more objects are considered a “grouped object”, their overall width is the collective sum of each of the objects that make-up the grouped object; the open spaces between them do not need to be included in the calculation.
Is there an equivalent in NFPA or do I need to take into account the open spaces if my project is in NFPA 13? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have a car dealership with tire storage on rolling racks on fixed rails similar to file storage systems. The tires are on tread and stacked 3 tires high.
Would this be designed as open portable racks or should I be considering a higher density for when the racks are all pushed together? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have an existing warehouse with ESFR protection. The tenant is adding a rack of rolled carpet in the warehouse. NFPA 13 doesn't cover rolled carpet in rack storage.
FM 8-30 is a guide....I have questions; maybe you all have come across them and can provide some insight. First - Table 1 shows for standard carpet racks over 12' to use K14 QR sprinklers (20 @ 7psi) - this is not ESFR design - can we leave the overhead system as ESFR, or should this area be changed out to provide the 20 @ 7psi sprinklers? Second - Table 1 also states that in-rack sprinklers are needed. Section 2.4.3.1.3 states to balance the in-rack sprinkler system water demand with the ceiling level water demand at the point where the two systems are connected. If you can't get these two to balance, can you install in-rack sprinkler systems independent of the overhead system? If you can, where is the design criteria to do that? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Hello everyone, I am testing a Hikvision HF-C108 Conventional Fire Alarm Control Panel and would appreciate some advice from anyone who has worked with this model. My goal is to monitor the panel remotely over the Internet from different locations and mobile devices. Current situation:
Has anyone successfully monitored this panel via LAN/WAN or mobile application? Any guidance, manuals, software names, or real-world experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe  Here's an odd one. I have a single comment on a remodel project to protect a new feed main protecting an adjacent system. The basis is that, in the event that the system that the feed main is traveling through is down for maintenance, the main will be unprotected during a fire event. I have dealt with pilot sprinklers on exterior mains but not interior mains.
Is there a basis to protect an adjacent zone's main in the event it's down? Anyone else coming across this scenario? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe |
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