Excess Pressure Pump, I have seen these in the St. Louis, Missouri area, at a warehouse that had about 130 psi static pressure. The reason for their use was to help prevent false alarms due to pressure surges in the system, which would simulate a water flow.
Here is a link that better describes the device: http://books.google.com/books?id=kZEz-ogMXGwC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&dq=excess+pressure+pump&source=bl&ots=LbbYgLvWsg&sig=rnvTM4SWhrc1SsMZYMBY3mVp4-Y&hl=en&ei=dcFISuLqC4imNtjGpaMB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6 Yours truly, FRANK J. HERRICK CITY OF LEAWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSHAL 14801 MISSION ROAD LEAWOOD, KS. 66224-9560 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 12:00 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Sprinklerforum Digest, Vol 44, Issue 27 Send Sprinklerforum mailing list submissions to [email protected] To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to [email protected] You can reach the person managing the list at [email protected] When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Sprinklerforum digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: mercoid switch on wet riser ([email protected]) 2. DoD UFC - 13R System Design (Update) ([email protected]) 3. RE: mercoid switch on wet riser (Tom Duross) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:11:24 -0400 From: [email protected] Subject: Re: mercoid switch on wet riser To: [email protected] Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The old Gamewell excess pressure pumps had a very homemade look about them. And that sounds like what is being described. Used to be required in Canada and parts of Europe don't know if they still are.. Richard -----Original Message----- From: Todd Williams <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sat, Jun 27, 2009 12:37 pm Subject: Re: mercoid switch on wet riser Sounds like an excess pressure pump. These were used in areas with a lot of pressure fluctuations to prevent false alarms. This was before flow switches with delays. Gamewell was famous for these but Firematic made a fairly simple version of the same thing. Some towns (at least in this part of the world) required them At 11:38 AM 6/27/2009, you wrote: >I saw something which I do not understand and hope someone can explain >this to me. >A 35 year old wet system, manifold with 2 alarm valves. There is a >electric flow switch on each riser, I think added recently. >The valves were trimmed with the normal motor gongs, etc. >The system side gauges are piped together between the two risers, with >check valves, a mercoid switch labeled pump switch, and another mecoid >switch labeled alarm switch. On this piping there are 3 check valves >and a small test cock, presumably for testing. >There is a small pump with 1/2 in inlet from supply side of valve 2, >which discharges into the pressure gauge piping described above. > >What is the purpose of this? Was it standard at one time? > >_______________________________________________ >Sprinklerforum mailing list >http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum >For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] > >To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] >(Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) Todd G. Williams, PE Fire Protection Design/Consulting Stonington, Connecticut www.fpdc.com 860.535.2080 _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:20:31 -0700 From: [email protected] Subject: DoD UFC - 13R System Design (Update) To: [email protected] Message-ID: <20090627132031.549a35b4b357aaf0be1435c7563e30f7.08742f8e71....@email.secureserver.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" For those interested in the UFC 3-600-01 design approaches, I received an informal opinion on the appropriate method to apply NFPA 13R calculation methods. Of course this is based on using NFPA 13R for the correct buildings in the first place. 1. Inside the dwelling unit use NFPA 13R. 2. Outside the dwelling unit use NFPA 13R and any references to NFPA 13. 3. A four head corridor calculation in the dwelling unit is acceptable (see NFPA 13, Figure A.11.3.1.2). 4. No hose stream is necessary. Last, no fire department connection is required. The project RFP or project plans and specs could overrule any or all of the above and local installation guidelines might also differ. Bill Brooks William N. Brooks, P.E. Brooks Fire Protection Engineering Inc. 372 Wilett Drive Severna Park, MD 21146 410-544-3620 Phone 410-544-3032 FAX 412-400-6528 Cell ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:51:04 -0400 From: "Tom Duross" <[email protected]> Subject: RE: mercoid switch on wet riser To: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" What Todd said. They probably replaced the original compound type with a mercury one. >From what I know, Gamewell isn't making them anymore. I think they ceased last summer, I drove out to get a diff. switch and they told me. Just as an aside, my grandfather is on the patent for this and a few other things Gamewell made before and after the depression when they were in Newton, MA. I have a beautiful one I "kept" in my basement along with a couple of those McCullough type switches I posted about last summer too in really nice shape. Of course, nothing official but my Dad has a picture of him and the crew taken in the shop after another patent was awarded. Funny coincidence. :) TD Go Red Sox! The old Gamewell excess pressure pumps had a very homemade look about them. And that sounds like what is being described. Used to be required in Canada and parts of Europe don't know if they still are.. Richard Sounds like an excess pressure pump. These were used in areas with a lot of pressure fluctuations to prevent false alarms. This was before flow switches with delays. Gamewell was famous for these but Firematic made a fairly simple version of the same thing. Some towns (at least in this part of the world) required them At 11:38 AM 6/27/2009, you wrote: >I saw something which I do not understand and hope someone can explain >this to me. >A 35 year old wet system, manifold with 2 alarm valves. There is a >electric flow switch on each riser, I think added recently. >The valves were trimmed with the normal motor gongs, etc. >The system side gauges are piped together between the two risers, with >check valves, a mercoid switch labeled pump switch, and another mecoid >switch labeled alarm switch. On this piping there are 3 check valves >and a small test cock, presumably for testing. >There is a small pump with 1/2 in inlet from supply side of valve 2, >which discharges into the pressure gauge piping described above. > >What is the purpose of this? Was it standard at one time? > ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) End of Sprinklerforum Digest, Vol 44, Issue 27 ********************************************** _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
