Client wants us to install a fire sprinkler system that is not connected to an automatic water supply.
This is a small marina located on a large body of water that could eventually serve as an automatic water supply, but not in the immediate future. This marina is about 4,000 sqft and I would like to provide an OH2 pipe schedule system that would clearly be identified in the contract documents and drawings that the system is not connected to an automatic water supply and therefore is not considered to be in accordance with NFPA requirements until connected to an automatic water supply or other means is provided and found acceptable to the AHJ. The end goal here is to install a system that eventually will be tied into an automatic water supply. Any thoughts? Good...Bad...Indifferent? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
15 Comments
Pete H
9/5/2023 06:33:26 am
What's the IBC occupancy for a marina?
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Anthony
9/5/2023 07:16:40 am
You can install the piping, but you can't install the sprinkler heads. you can't have the appearance of fire protection without fire protection. So, cap or plug all the outlets no heads.
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Dan Wilder
9/5/2023 07:29:11 am
To clarify, the proposed system is a pipe schedule (OHII) sprinkler system installed but will be a dead (likely empty & dry) system until sometime in the future when an automatic supply would be connected from the land side? There is no booster pump to pull water from the marina? Is there an FDC?
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Christopher Nelson
9/5/2023 08:16:02 am
Why install the system now? As anthony said, you cant/morally shouldnt give people the belief they are protected when they arent.
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James Evans
9/5/2023 08:35:05 am
I have seen and also designed systems that were put in place before the city utilities arrived. In these cases we installed an FDC for fire department connection to supply the sprinkler system.
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James Art. FPE
9/6/2023 01:05:43 pm
2. In San Francisco the BARTD, an electric train system, went thru and destroyed their very old fire cisterns on Market Street, and replaced them .
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Jesse
9/5/2023 09:57:33 am
I've seen this more than once, and don't think its great idea.There will always be financial reasons not to install a pump and finish the job.
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DS
9/5/2023 10:31:59 am
As an AHJ what would be the advantage of having the non-automatic system installed? How will it operate? Is this an open type deluge system to provide a total flood approach? How far is the closest fire station that provides fire services? How far away is the water supply for the fire department? Too many questions and too much liability for the AHJ to take on.
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Glenn Berger
9/5/2023 10:53:21 am
In my experience, all of the authorities would marked the facility as unsprinklered until the water supply is connected. In some cases occupancy permits were delayed until the water supply was connected.
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9/5/2023 12:15:06 pm
As others said, why are you installing the system now?
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Chad
9/5/2023 12:31:20 pm
Everything that others mentioned aside, and they are all valid concerns, I have to ask...
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James Art, FPE
9/6/2023 12:46:08 pm
1. Years ago app'd a "Not Required" sprinkler system
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Julie-AHJ
9/7/2023 09:36:40 am
Great question. Like the others have mentioned, you shouldn't have the appearance of equipment that does not function. I am wondering if you can try to pose it to the AHJ as a dry/manual system? Needing to be pumped by the fire department upon arrival. If you have air pressure in the piping, the breaking of a sprinkler even without water would send a signal to dispatch at least, resulting in warning of fire conditions and evacuating people from the marina etc. It is sort of a weird way to do it, but you could request this as an alternate means and methods request through your AHJ, propose a timeline for the connection, and offer the option of fire department connection and detection (sprinkler activation) as the alternate means of protection on a temporary basis.
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Dale Morris
9/8/2023 01:22:33 pm
I did several projects for a large University, where an area of the building was being renovated, and the building was old and did not have a sprinkler system. They had me provide 1 1/4" branch lines, with welded outlets every 10 to 12 feet, and usually a 4" main for the branch lines to connect to, and it would all get installed, so that "when" the building got a full sprinkler system, this work was already done. No water information, no flow test......I think it was mostly done to appease the AHJ to show that they were working towards getting more and more of these existing buildings to have a sprinkler system. I am not with that company anymore, so I don't know for sure, I'll bet my empty pipes are still above the ceiling, waterless.
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