I've taken technical writing courses and have experience working with MasterSpec, US Military specifications, vendor specifications, and various ownership standard specifications.

I'm giving an internal training to our younger staff and I'm particularly interested in opinions from contractors and vendors who regularly read a variety of specifications for bidding.

What advice would you give for those who write specifications? I'd be interested in helping train our staff as well as improve myself.

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We have a project where a control module is connected to the mechanical controls that is programmed to the variable frequency drive for a fan on a large unit. When a duct detector senses smoke, the control module (which is normally-open circuit) will close the circuit, sending a signal to the mechanical controls which shuts down the unit.

On this project we had a bad set of control modules that didn't work. We discovered this in testing with the local jurisdiction, and swapped out the modules and the system now works correctly. 

Both the jurisdiction and I wondered whether this normally-open arrangement is acceptable. If a control module were to fail, the duct detector would not be able to close the circuit on the module and the fan would remain running. In this scenario, there would be no supervision or way to know that the control module failed other than someone standing at the fan or finding the issue during testing.

My inclination is that in the future these modules could be normally-closed and open upon duct detection. That way if the module fails and opens on its own, the unit will shutdown in a "failure" mode.

Is it code required that this arrangement be fail-safe?

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We have a machine room-less elevator where the motor is located on top of the elevator cab and the elevator equipment is located within the elevator shaft.

NFPA 13 (2016) 8.15.5.3(2) allows sprinklers to be omitted from the hoistway of "traction elevators" where the hoistway is "protected by smoke detectors, or other automatic fire detection installed in accordance with NFPA 72", and several other requirements.

NFPA 72 (2016) 21.3.3 states that only the elevator hoistway and elevator lobby smoke detectors or other automatic fire detection (as permitted by 21.3.9) shall be used to initiate Phase I Emergency Recall Operation. 

NFPA 72 (2016) 21.3.9 states that if "ambient conditions prohibit installation of automatic smoke detection" that other automatic fire detection initiating devices shall be permitted.

What type of ambient condition in an elevator shaft would qualify as prohibiting smoke detection? 

I understand smoke detectors in elevator hoistways can cause nuisance alarms (NFPA 72 2016 A.21.3.9) and are very difficult to test and replace within elevator shafts, so in my opinion a heat detector would be better for elevator recall in the shaft if it's allowed by code.

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Does anyone have a good resource for determining audibility loss (dB loss) through various door types? I recall seeing a reference chart that was perhaps printed in a fire alarm handbook in the 90's, but I don't have a copy.

​Intelligibility is a world all on it's own - if we need intelligibility I typically locate a speaker on the opposite side of closed doors (private offices, for instance). Is there a way I can model or predict intelligibility through closed doors? I've tried Ease EVAC years ago using door gaps, but it wasn't well suited to model the losses at that time.

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I work for an engineering consultant and we often do work directly with university and healthcare clients that expect an estimate as part of the deliverable package.

I typically track square footage costs whenever I receive them (on past projects), but even that is rare. I've since transitioned to using RS Means unit cost pricing and adjusting for location and historical cost increases.

For others doing cost estimation, have you found relative accuracy using RS Means? Are there other estimating providers that are better suited for cost estimating in our industry?

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Other than the Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping (NFPA 13) and System Record of Completion (NFPA 72), where can I find a good procedures for acceptance testing for fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems?

​Is there a step by step approach that I can add to for my particular project?

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A middle school is being expanded by two classrooms and about six small offices and supports spaces. The addition is separated by a fire barrier from the main school, and the existing school has a temporal-3 horn/strobe fire alarm system throughout (and is fully-sprinklered).

Current code requires an emergency voice/alarm communication system for the expansion, which the design team intends to provide.

The question is how to address the interaction between the new voice system and the existing? Is this purely and AHJ call?

Ideally, the school should consider upgrading their entire fire alarm system to voice for a cohesive message and best benefit. However, funding is very tight and we're not confident they'll have the support they need to do a full upgrade at this time.

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We occasionally have inadvertent fire alarm activations that we can't get to stop until a fire alarm company arrives to correct the issue at the facility where I work. Are we permitted to turn off the alarm and conduct a fire watch during this time instead?

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Can a municipal property - such as a fire station in this instance - have it's fire alarm system directly monitored by their own call dispatch center?

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For those who regularly bid and/or review "performance-specification" or "delegated-design" drawings, what important pieces of information are often left out?

In other words, what should engineers always include for you to price or review a job effectively that you often don't get?

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A building which has an old fire alarm system is going to have its interior completely gutted (all systems, walls, everything but the structure and exterior walls are to be removed). The fire alarm system is to be demolished and replaced entirely, and the building will change to a business occupancy once complete.

Is a fire alarm system required by code to be active during the renovation?

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The activation time (in seconds) of a standard response (RTI of 85 m^1/2s^1/2), Ordinary Temperature (65 deg C) heat detector within a room that has an initial temperature of 22 deg C and exposed to a ceiling plume at 78 deg C traveling at 2.3 m/s is most nearly?
     a. 10 s
     b. 36 s
     c. 54 s
     d. 82 s

Solution | Posted 10/24/18

Determine the response time index (in ft^1/2 s^1/2) for a 160-degree F heat detector with a listed spacing of 30 feet.
a. 44
b. 80
c. 169
d. 180

Solution | Posted 08/15/18

Which of the following is not a preferred interface between fire alarm and smoke control systems due to the requirement for equipment to be listed as compatible?
a. Equipment connected to Building Automation/Management System, which is connected to Fire Alarm by network connection
b. Equipment connected to Building Automation/Management System, which is connected to Fire Alarm by electrical contact/relays
c. Digital Control Equipment connected directly to Fire Alarm System via network connection
d. Mechanical Equipment connected directly to Fire Alarm System via contacts/relays

Solution | Posted 08/06/18

A liquid storage tank rupture results in a fire containing an open 45 gallon (130 kg) tank containing animal fat. Using gross heat of combustion, estimate the time it would take to burn the remaining fuel without interruption if the tank is half filled and the 􀃍re is approximately 2.45 MW.
a. 1.2 seconds
b. 11 minutes
c. 18 minutes
d. 17.6 hours

Solution | Posted 08/03/18

Daily Discussion question submitted from a member:

I wanted to see if you have heard of any great programs, apps, databases, etc. that are appropriate for creating and maintaining panel schedules.  We currently use Microsoft Access to collect data and turn it into easy to understand panel schedules for the other fire protection engineers and the maintenance team.  Our panel schedules contain info such as how to impair a building (which switch’s to enable/disable), building contact info, a list of all devices and modules, info on all NACs and Power Supplies, sprinkler components and their corresponding alarm device.  Microsoft Access is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain and it appears that this program has been put on the back burner for Microsoft. 

Have you heard about programs that other sites/companies are using?  With iPad integration? With the ability to limit who can actually edit the data?  Thanks for the help.

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Daily Discussion question submitted from a member:

It seems that I must have missed something in the 23 years I've been in Code Enforcement.  Since when has it been required for a smoke detector to be in the pit of the elevator?  This is absolutely insane.  We've had more nuisance alarms recently in new buildings.  One is a 4 story nursing home, that the alarm has gone off 4 times.  The alarm company changed the detector and it been good now.  However there is still dirt, moisture, humidity, etc.  All the things that smoke detectors don’t like.

I've looked and Googled it and have only come up with a heat detector within 24" of the sprinkler head, which I understand.  I know smoke rises so why isn't the top of the shaft sufficient?  I feel we are going backwards.

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Which of the following installations can be acceptable for smoke detectors?
a. Wall-mounted smoke detector located 3 inches down from the ceiling
b. Smoke detector located at the bottom of a shallow beam
c. Ceiling-mounted smoke detector located 2-1/2 inches from a wall
d. Smoke detector located adjacent (1 ft) to a supply diffuser

Solution | Posted 06/25/18

A fire alarm system containing horn/strobes, manual pull stations, fire sprinkler monitoring, and heat
detectors would be considered what type of fire alarm system?
a. manual, temporal-3
b. manual and automatic, temporal-3
c. manual, emergency voice/alarm communication
d. manual and automatic, emergency voice/alarm communication

Solution | Posted 06/12/18

Solution | Posted 06/11/18

Solution | Posted 06/08/18

A project has restroom stall walls that run floor to ceiling. There are gaps above and below the door for venting. Are strobes required in each stall? Audibility would be provided with a combination horn/strobe in the main restrooms space.

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For duct smoke detector functionality testing, is there guidelines to use either aerosol spray, smoke bomb, or magnet? Which are acceptable method(s)?

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NFPA 72 (2016) Edition 10.4.1 states that all systems "are to be installed in accordance with plans approved by the AHJ." When designing your fire alarm system, what do you frequently coordinate with the AHJ? If you're an AHJ, what questions are you commonly asked from fire alarm designers?

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