Can a seismic restraining strap, when used in conjunction with a C-type beam clamp, have the locknut on the clamp that's used for securing the bolt also be used to secure the seismic strap? Any advice would be great - I'm not able to get a cutsheet for the Caddy 300 clamp and a 35 Seismic Restraining Strap. Thanks for any advice.
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I have an existing penthouse that has limited (no) access to the structure at the roof and requires sprinkler coverage. We have a variance from the AHJ to omit sprinklers from non accessible areas. Has anyone designed a sprinkler system supported from the floor entirely by pipe stands or pipe racks? I'm aware of the requirements of NFPA 13-16 CH 9.1.1.2. The structural engineer on my project is not eager to get involved so alternative options especially pre-engineered options would be great. I'll push back if there aren't better options but looking for any advice.
I'm also aware of NFPA 13-22 CH 17.5 however 8-0'' tall pipe stands don't seem especially stable. Preferably I'd like a Unistrut solution a contractor can assemble in field and place as required say every 10-0'' ( see pictures) Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a project where a greenhouse is being built onto the side of a hardware store to be used as a seasonal retail space occupied during the warm season only (so they say).
The greenhouse is required to be protected by a dry sprinkler system as a retail space. The greenhouse manufacturer has also indicated that it needs to be heated to prevent snow accumulation on the roof, so there are unit heaters ranging from 150 mbh to 200 mbh. Since the roof is entirely glass, I am providing intermediate temperature sprinklers throughout. With the unit heaters, I would be required to put intermediate temperature sprinklers within range of the unit heaters output. Since I am already going intermediate throughout due to solar gain, should I go high temperature at the unit heaters? I'm thinking about very cold winter day when the sun is shining, so there would be two sources of additional heat on the sprinklers. Thank you very much! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a situation where the AHJ is requiring sprinklers be installed per NFPA 13 2019 9.3.14.3. My design is based on the fact that the bottom of the clouds (suspended ceiling panels) is 0'-8" below the ACT above. There are no openings in the ACT. While the Engineers at the AHJ seem to agree with my design, they state there is not a specific exception allowing me to omit the sprinklers above the clouds. When referencing NFPA 13 2019 9.7.2, the expanded material states that historically sprinklers are allowed to be omitted from above the clouds where the cloud is less than 12" from the ceiling above. My question is, how can this be addressed with the AHJ if the scenario for omission in question is not specifically addressed in the standard? Thanks in advance.
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe A municipality in which we work is denying my request to eliminate sprinklers on exterior patios and balconies because of 2018 IBC paragraph 903.3.1.1.1, which states that just because one does not want sprinklers in a room or area for whatever reason if it is normally required to be sprinklered.
Then, two paragraphs later, Section 903.3.1.2.1 the code specifically addresses balconies and patios and goes on to discuss when sprinklers are required as if they are normally not required. How can I explain this? Also, the building is a highrise, I-B construction. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have a project with a large dry system, installed by another contractor, in a mansard roof that froze and broke.
The insurance company has requested us to replace about 1/3 of the system that was obviously damaged but then confirm that there was no damage to the other portions of the piping and sprinklers. We have suggested replacing the balance of the pipe since a hydro test and a visual inspection is not conclusive that the integrity of some components were not compromised. The AHJ will only state they want an operable system. Any suggestions on how to proceed? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe According to NFPA 13 2022 Section 16.9.8.2 it is to our discretion what we consider a location " where they are not subject to mechanical damage?
When installing a Post Indicator Valve, what do you consider "not subject to mechanical damage?" Where is the line drawn, so to speak? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Has anyone been asked to or required to provide sprinkler protection for at grade parking with PV panels overtop?
I've been looking online for what has been done in other jurisdictions but I can't find much. There is a lot of discussion about whether PV panels constitute a roof or not for parking garages, but my question is more along the lines of has there been research done to determine if the sprinklers can be expected to activate properly based on pitch/spacing? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Had a review comment come back and needed to clarify. I have a 14-inch city main with an 8-inch tap to a backflow in a pit. It then runs to four hydrants, and then turns into the building supplying a fire pump. The flow test at the hydrant near the tap (#1 on image below) was 49 psi static, 47 psi residual at 920 gpm. The flow test at a hydrant nearest the building (#2 on image below) was 49 psi static, 39 psi residual at 750 gpm. The 95 psi @ 1,500 gpm pump in the building is running the underground dry. The plot curve shows 20 psi at 2,100 gpm, however the pump rep said he barely got 500 gpm at 9 pitot and had to shut it down as the gauges went below 20 psi and air was starting to come out of the 2-1/2" hose valves.
This is a mystery to us - we have five different flow tests all ranging from 750 gpm to 1,060 gpm at 40-32 psi residual. Why would the pump be pulling the underground so low? They checked all the valves and rebuilt the backflow in the pit. Water meter is good as well (per the utility department). Looking for suggestions. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have an existing storage warehouse designed with ESLO-20 14.5K sprinklers @ .20/1,500 sqft per the cut sheet.
The owner is installing a "Kardex Autostore" system to 16'-0" high. The existing system calcs out, my question is has anyone designed a system for these "Autostore" systems and do they require anything above an OH2? My thought is bin box storage above 12' design criteria, what's throwing me off is the design criteria in the cut sheet for the sprinkler. Something tells me the existing heads aren't intended for this type of storage. Anything helps, thanks in advance! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe The difference between "Should" and "Shall" statements is clearly understood by most of us.
How about "Shall be permitted" (for instance NFPA 13, 2019 9.3.2.2)? Splitting frog of hairs but I'm guessing that it equates to "May be allowed"? How do you interpret this? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can a floating dock standpipe with hose valves in the ocean be ran with PVC pipe?
NFPA 307 doesn’t go into detail about materials used but reverts back to NFPA 20, 22 and 24. This is in Florida. The AHJ wants it full of water so I have to issues, it’s too heavy to mount on the side of the dock, it’s not very big and it will be in the water or very close with high tide, so corrosion is inevitable. Is there anything stating Schedule 40 or 80 PVC is listed or acceptable for such use? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Does a trash chute sprinkler riser have to have its own control valve and flow switch?
I've only seen ones with a control valve (ball valve) only. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have a project with non-gender specific toilet stalls/water closets. I am of the opinion that NFPA 13 does provide an exception for having to install sprinklers within each water closet. However, this project is has the water closets in restrooms which are not within a dwelling unit, so no relaxation is given in NFPA 13 for dwelling unit bathrooms. As I understand NFPA 13, a sprinkler would be required within each of these water closets. Do I believe it’s overkill? Yes, but until it is addressed in NFPA 13, there wouldn’t be much to do about it.
What is your opinion? Non-gender specific toilet facilities are becoming increasingly common, see a conceptual layout below. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe NFPA 13 (2019) Section 9.4.3.2 states that quick-response sprinklers shall not be mixed with any standard-response within a compartment unless some conditions apply.
Section 9.4.3.2 Where quick-response sprinklers are installed, all sprinklers within a compartment shall be quick-response unless otherwise permitted in 9.4.3.3, 9.4.3.4, or 9.4.3.5. If a quick-response sprinkler is a type of fast-response sprinkler, then not all fast-response sprinklers are quick response. So my question is: can I mix standard-response with fast-response heads? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a project with Miscellaneous Storage of Class I commodities up to 12'-0" and Group A plastics up to 5'-0".
The water supply is a tank fed from a well. Based on NFPA 13-2016 Table 13.2.1, I designed to Ordinary Hazard Group 2 with a 90 minute duration of available water. My original demand was 57 psi at 385 gpm. Our pump supplier provided a vertical in-line pump rated to 80 psi 400 gpm. The client is now unhappy about the volume of water being required so they are removing the Group A plastics from their building so we can calculate to OH I with the new demand being 41.5 psi at 304 gpm. We have already installed most of the system and the pump is ready to be delivered soon. Is it okay to have an oversized pump? Can it be limited to a smaller flow to accommodate the new demand? My worry is that it will flow at the rated capacity and if we are sizing our tanks 10,000 gallons less than originally planned we would run out of water. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have a building with an Extra Hazard Group 1 in a fairly rural location. We have an Electric, Diesel and Jockey (electric) pump system.
We had our diesel go out, sent away for repairs. What are the requirements for just having just electric in place? My concern is is the fire department cuts power if they come on site for industrial fire, or lose power due to weather, then we would have no suppression in service. The fire department can provide 1,500 gpm at 100 psi from a Type 1 engine through the FDC, (so 750 gallons). We have a pond to draft from. What would be the considerations? Amount of water available? In the event of power loss, the size of the FDC versus the size of the riser (a 6-8" dry pipe valve)? What would realistic attack line demand be for a hydrant/hose line? Can you think of anything else I'm not thinking of? Thanks in advance for the help! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Is there a minimum clearance requirement in NFPA 13 between structural steel and steel sprinkler pipe?
Area is not subject to earthquakes and the structural engineer want to strap the pipe directly to the steel like CPVC is strapped to wood. I've always been of the understanding that steel pipe must be hung, strapped to Unistrut attached to the structure, or supported on a trapeze, but I can't find where in 13 (if it exists) that says I can't use a strap. Obviously the fittings/couplings will prevent the pipe itself from contacting the steel. Trying to get the pipes as tight as possible to the sloped structural members and even using 1-5/8" unistrut with pipe clamps is getting pushback. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can a flow meter be installed in test header piping?
This is the first time I've ever seen this installation. Thanks. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I am in the process of designing a fire protection system for a whiskey distillery (making of, bottling, shipping & receiving). This project is a full blown distillery with fermenting tanks, barrel filling room, barrel storage etc.
I've looked at NFPA 13 & NFPA 30 as well as some FM Global Data Sheets (7-29 & 7-74) and cannot locate the correct hazard and commodity class to use. I have high piled storage and the storage of flammable liquids. What is the appropriate commodity classification and hazard to use for whiskey barrel storage? Maybe I'm in information overload at this point and looking to deep into it. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have a private water main feeding a combined domestic and NFPA 13 system that was specified as C900. They installed SDR21 (6") instead.
They are using the argument that this 200 psi rated pipe will not be subject to the fire system pressure and therefore is ok. I cannot find where this is listed for fire service mains. Any direction? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Is there a specific location requirement for a fire pump test header? NFPA 20 states that the header must be installed on the exterior wall, and outside the fire pump room. Does this mean that the test header cannot be installed in the fire pump room? Additionally, can the test header be directly connected to the pump discharge flange as shown in this photo? I have never seen this type of installation before. Thanks in advance.
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We are working on a new electric car factory. Under the 2018 IBC, it's classified as an F-2 occupancy. Earlier we had provided ESFR sprinklers in these buildings.
Since there is no specific requirement for smoke removal for an F-2 occupancy, we want to provide standard response or quick response sprinklers instead of ESFR, by classifying parts of the building as Ordinary Hazard Group 2 (OH2) in NFPA 13. Is this reasonable for all areas? Production areas? Would an OH2 classified space require smoke removal? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe For draft curtains in a warehouse protected by ESFR sprinklers, is there an NFPA standard directing us on the need to fill the gap that occurs between the top of the draft curtain and the underside of the roof deck?
Traditionally I have seen this gap stuffed with mineral wool. If there is an NFPA code reference, though, please share so I can make sure we're going about this correctly. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I'm working on an apartment that is surrounded by a manufacturing facility. The Fire Marshal is calling it NFPA 13R.
Can I use the new incoming water for domestic for fire as well, like in an NFPA 13D system? The manufacturing facility has its own system, but is attached to the apartment. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe |
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