A small, wood-structure apartment complex is getting an NFPA 13R fire sprinkler system. Based on hydraulic calculations, the incoming water service only needs to be 2-inch, and the backflow can be as small as 1-1/2-inch.
Many backflow preventers with indicating butterfly valves don't get down to the 1-1/2-inch size - rather many of the small backflows only have ball valves which I'm not sure can actually be supervised. Are the valves on a backflow preventer for an NFPA 13R system required to be supervised? Is there ever a case where the backflows can use ball valves on an NFPA 13R system? Posted anonymously by a member for discussion. Discuss this | Subscribe
6 Comments
TJ Jones III
1/15/2019 10:14:30 am
NFPA 13 R (2010 Edition) 6.8.2 says yes you need to have the valves supervised or "Valves that are locked open". The Ames 2000 B-FP makes a 1" supervised BFP.
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sean
1/15/2019 11:31:49 am
the building code (IBC) requires electronic supervision
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Mike
1/15/2019 03:24:37 pm
Could you give the chapter references
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sean
1/15/2019 03:30:27 pm
2018 IBC/IFC
Mike
1/15/2019 08:00:43 pm
I don't want to sound like a know it all. Locks are allowed for 13R - family homes - to keep the costs of a fire sprinkler system low. Cost is the major argument by developers against sprinkler systems.
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Brian
10/15/2020 07:10:28 pm
Mike, is it 13D one and two Family dwellings you are talking about..
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