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Working on a new resort hotel and it is necessary to have buried pipe before and after a sprinkler control valve.
Is it allowable by code to substitute C900 PVC pipe with Tyco Blazemaster pipe? According to the installation guide of Tyco Blazemaster it could be installed underground. If not, which material can be installed instead of C900 because 4-inch is the smallest size for this pipe? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
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I'm working on an NFPA 13 three-story hotel.
Code permits residential sprinklers or quick-response sprinklers in the dwelling units and adjoining corridors. Is there any advantage to using one type of sprinkler over the other? Thanks in advance for your comments. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have five, two-car-high stacking units in a basement area. We have a smoke exhaust system but also need an active protection system. NFPA 13 categorizes such arrangements as Extra Hazard (Group 2). Does anyone have experience of what would be an acceptable layout around these areas as the NFPA 13 guidance is not extensive?  Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
I'm designing a school that has overhead doors that are 8'-0" x 7'-0" that run up above a 10'-0" or 10'-6" ceiling. The structure is non-combustible (steel beam & steel bar joist) and the walls go deck.
The opening for the door in the drop tile ceiling is an 8'-6" x 1'-0" opening. This opening does not meet the 70% open ceiling requirement and I'm not sure it meets cloud ceiling requirements. The plan reviewer is asking me to place upright sprinkler heads above the ceiling. My interpretation is that I don't need sprinklers above the ceiling. Are sprinklers required above the ceiling? Thank you in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I am reviewing a parking garage that is 5-stories in height fully equipped with an NFPA 13 sprinkler system.
The calculations provided for floors 4 and 5 indicate an elevation of 0 at the 3rd floor riser, with the elevations going in the negative values back to the hydrant. Floor 3 calculations indicate an elevation of 0 at the Floor 2 riser. Floor 2 and 1 calculations show an elevation of 0 at the hydrant where the flow test was conducted. Does the location of the "0" elevation affect the calculations demand, if the total change in elevation is still accounted for? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe There always seems to be controversy about residential sprinklers in the garage.
I recently came across a section in the 2018 IRC under Section 309.5 and it states that private garages shall be protected by fire sprinklers (must be residential or quick response, designed to 0.05 gpm/sqft density) where the exterior wall has been designed based on Table 302.1(2) Note A. This table addresses minimum fire resistance ratings for exterior walls. Note (a) allows fire separation distance for non-rated exterior walls and projections to be reduced to 0-feet, unlimited openings and penetrations, with a setback, where residential subdivisions are all sprinklered. While looking at that table, I am not sure how to verify on the sprinkler plans if the garage meets that design method. I have started asking the contractor to add a note on the plans regarding the design method and if they use this table and note to design the wall then sprinklers are required in the garage. How would you interpret this section for compliance? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I am working on a project that is manufacturing lithium-metal batteries (not lithium-ion). There are multiple areas throughout the manufacturing process where there is a risk of exposed lithium metal.
With lithium being water reactive, any water based system is not an option. Are there any known alternative fire suppression systems listed and approved for use on a lithium fire? I know that per a couple of different NFPA codes that clean agent and dry-chemical systems are not recommended for use on lithium fires. From what I can find there are just manual fire extinguishers (such and ANSUL's lith-x) for use on lithium fires. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I'm laying out the fire sprinklers for a building where the architect has used the IBC exception in Section 403.2.1.2 that requires sprinklers to be installed at the top and alternating floor levels of a vertical shaft. This reduces the required shaft enclosure to be 1-hour for highrises up to 420 feet.
NFPA 13 doesn't seem to address this specific arrangement. I've looked and I'm not finding any installation requirements. I have concerns with just putting sprinklers in the shaft. What's the best type of sprinkler for this? Should they have water shields? Should I have concerns for obstructions? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have an project serving the textile manufacturing industry. We are looking to install a fire hydrant (500 gpm minimum) in proximity to the building.
What is the minimum and maximum distance these hydrant(s) should be located from the building? The project is not under IBC / IFC criteria, only subject to the NFPA series of standards. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Have you ran into issues where you get cited from the AHJ because movable X-Ray equipment can potentially end up right in the location below one of the sprinklers in the room (just 3 to 4 inches below)?
I have two rooms with a sprinkler at each end of the table, and the AHJ surveyor is citing it as a potential obstruction. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I've been looking for a manual way of calculating a gridded pipe system.
Grid systems used to be calculated by hand before software came about, but now, everyone I can find just says they're "too complicated" and to let the software do them. They require multiple iterations, but using Excel, those iterations can be done automatically. Doe anyone have resources or a good reference to calculate a gridded systems manually? I'm thinking manuals or textbooks. Thanks! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
Below is a poll we're generating to gather feedback on what makes for a successful designer. Obviously this is subjective and there is no one right answer, but we wanted to ask the industry so that we can better understand and train those who are new to the industry.
​If you don't see the poll below, click "view in browser" in this email or click the title above. You can view the results after submitting your vote. Select all the options you think apply. We are having problems getting a flowmeter to accurately read the flow rate that matches what we are measuring downstream out through a test header. A reading using calibrated pitot gauges outside at 1,500 gpm, for instance, is showing 1,900 gpm on the flowmeter inside.
Military specifications for the project require that the flowmeter read accurately, and that the system be piped such that flow must go through the flow meter out through the pump test header. The flowmeter manufacturer has recommended using a stream straightener upstream of the flowmeter to better streamline the flow through the meter and get more accurate readings. Does anyone know of a stream straightener that could be used in a fire pump test loop arrangement? I would think it would have to be listed, but that's just a gut feeling. I don't currently know of any listed stream straighteners. We generally need to meet the black and white code and specifications mandates spot-on without any code alternatives, if possible, being that it's a military project. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have two structures that each are sprinkler-protected and require sprinklers. The first is a parking garage, and the second is a combination parking garage and office building.
There is a pedestrian bridge between the two built as an open structure. Are sprinklers required on the pedestrian bridge? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I am new to the fire engineering fraternity and I'm currently working with a small office building. It's a single-story, 5,800 sqft office use with a small battery room and small server room.
IBC (2021) Section 906 and IFC start with "where required". I cannot find where extinguishers are required for business occupancy. What is the code path to determine if fire extinguishers are required? Does the IBC/IFC not address where extinguishers are required? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can I use a horizontal sidewall fire sprinkler (not a dry horizontal sidewall) in cold rooms where there is risk of freezing?
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I'd like to ask a question especially to other specifiers out there. Interested in galvanized pipe, particularly on dry systems.
We all know the valid arguments, reasons, and ever-growing evidence against the use galvanized pipe on dry systems. I always find it curious FM Global is still hanging on to it (although it says galvanizing must be applied after roll-grooving). While the case for nitrogen systems is becoming stronger, and even more cost-effective, I have not seen it going there yet except on military applications, and generally-speaking, owners are not warming up to it yet (maybe I should be a better salesperson). Owner learning-curve is a factor. At the time of this writing (mid-2021) are other specifiers requiring nitrogen systems across-the board? Are you requiring schedule 40 pipe on dry systems? Galvanized? (See also: https://www.meyerfire.com/blog/why-are-dry-pipe-sprinkler-systems-so-difficult ) Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Are we permitted to use the control valve on the backflow preventer as the system control valve?
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Does anyone know of a fire department connection manufacturer that produces a fire department connection rated for higher than 300 psi?
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe In NFPA 13R, sprinklers may be omitted from bathrooms and closets provided they meet the area and size requirements, and are constructed with limited or non-combustible materials (gypsum/drywall).
Should sprinklers be installed in bathrooms and closets on the top floor regardless of area/size and construction to prevent a fire on the top floor from getting into the ceiling space and spreading? I have seen other designers do this but I can't find any formal requirements for this approach. Has anyone else ever done this? Would it matter if the ceiling and roof assembly were fire rated? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have a fire sprinkler system with a 550 gpm total sprinkler demand (including hose allowances). The supply duration is 60 minutes. There is no city water supply and we are only utilizing a storage tank.
Is the tank required to have a minimum capacity of 33,000 gallons? Or, could we rely on fire department response, potentially reduce the tank size, and have a manual fire department connection for tank refill? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We're all about improving fire protection worldwide with quality resources and shared knowledge. Thanks to those who topped our leaderboards for July:
Is there anything in NFPA 13 that forbids multiple pipes (two, in this case) being supported by a single trapeze?
Assumption here would be that the trapeze has been accurately calculated to support the combined weight of the two pipes (per NFPA 13 Chapter 9, 2016 Edition). Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe |
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