Main Drain, Placards at Each Floor Control Valve?

5/27/2024

Consider a multi-story building with floor control valves (FCV) at each level.

Is a main drain test required to be performed at each of the floor control valves and tagged at startup?

Is a hydraulic placard required at each floor control valve? If so, is the base of riser pressure to be the pressure at floor control valve or at the base of riser in the sprinkler riser room?

Is it allowable to hang each of the floor's hydraulic placard together at the main riser in the sprinkler riser room?

Thanks in advance.

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4 Comments

Glenn Berger

5/27/2024 08:24:37 am

"Main Drain" is located at the building's sprinkler system main riser. As such this test is only required at this one point. The drains at each floor control valve shall still be operated.

Hydraulic Placard located at each floor - Yes - The water pressure indicated shall be carefully documented for if it is a the floor control valve connection or at the base of the riser.

Your question did not state that each floor had the same layout, occupancy, or any type of configuration.

Is it "allowable to hang each of the floor's hydraulic placard together" - I seen it both ways and preferred that they be hanged in both locations to properly allow system information to be present especially if it is out of the public reach.

Jack G

5/27/2024 07:34:08 pm

For my own preferences I do a printed vinyl sticker at each floor control valve with machine print.
Standpipe valve number with flows and pressure(s)— top of standpipe in vinyl and metal.
And then do everything again in metal at the pump.
I like to sell a 5 year after I install, but if working for a contractor the owner usually buys that out.
For some reason your signs seem to disappear, a couple years down the road when you get the inspection back. Also furnish a thumb drive for owner.

Matthew Mueller

5/28/2024 08:12:30 am

The question of placard placement is an important question, and one that has been interpreted in different ways. We recently asked the NFSA's "Expert Of the Day" this very question and their response was as follows: "No, the data plate does not need to be at each control valve if they are not different design criteria. NFPA 13, 2019 Section 28.5.2 States that the sign shall be placed at the alarm, dry, preaction, or deluge valve supplying the corresponding hydraulically designed area. If the entire mall is fed from the same watersupply and the design criteria is the same throughout, only the main riser would require the sign. Note that the 2022 edition of NFPA 13 requires a dataplate at all system risers. A riser is defined as aboveground horizontal or vertical pipe between the water supply and mains, cross or feed that contains a control valve, gauge, drain and alarm device.

We are using this interpretation to reduce the sheer number of inspection deficiencies that were being reported if they were required at each valve even if the design is the same throughout.

Dan Wilder

5/28/2024 08:44:27 am

13-22' Ed. - Every drain valve as there is no allowance to only test a single valve for Acceptance Testing 29.2.3.4

25-23' Ed. - A single main drain test is required only, additional testing of every drain valve is not required unless it has a maintenance issue.
13.2.2.1 /13.2.2.2-

13'-22 Ed. 29.4.2 (newer section) - Hydraulic placard located at every system riser/floor control valve assembly unless the AHJ allows an alternate location.

25'-23 ed. 5.2.5 requires that the placard is installed and legible (assumed that its location is per NFPA 13 so depending on that edition, it may or may not be clear as to specific locations).

I would say that the BOR location is the control valve for that system or floor. Standpipe would be at the main control valve (not the isolation valves) that feeds the system

Where to hang the sign is called out to be at the control valve (29.4.2 section above, or at least the valve that coincides with the hydraulic area), again unless the AHJ allows an alternate location.

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Main Drain, Placards at Each Floor Control Valve?

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