Ceiling Pockets with No Sprinklers in Skylight?

We have a skylight scenario that's slightly different than a prior discussion here.

NFPA 13 Section 8.5.7.1.1 states:
"when a sprinkler is installed directly beneath a skylight not exceeding 32 sq.ft., the distance to the ceiling shall be measured to the plane of the ceiling as if the skylight was not present".

Two things I'm not understanding here:

1) "..sprinkler installed directly beneath..": does this mean a sprinkler in the opening, somewhere in the depth of the skylight, from the finished ceiling up to the clear glass?

2) "..as if the skylight was not present." : the way I'm interpreting this is the distance from where the sprinkler is installed (the deflector) at the lower ceiling level - or we could say at the ceiling level where the skylight opening is - can be measure as if the skylight isn't there, meaning the deflector should be placed a min. 1" down from the opening, even if from the opening to the skylight glass is say 5 feet?

If that is the case where a sprinkler is installed in this manner (so as to ignore the depth of the skylight), then here's one last proposal/query: a bulkhead is installed at a lower elevation than this ceiling level. So now, are we able to implement ceiling pocket requirements?

The total volume of ceiling pockets is less than 1000 cu.ft. in the compartment, and with the other requirements fulfilled from 8.6.7.2, we'd be able to get away with sprinklers only in the the lower bulkhead ceiling.

My issue with this though is the presence of the skylights. Hoping someone can help me out here. Thank you.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe