Timothy,
Short answer to your question - I am not aware of any standard or code
requirement to do a battery test.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long answer to your question - This sounds like a reference to a FM Global
requirement for deluge/pre-action releasing control panels (aka fire alarm
control panels). FM wants to be sure that there is more than one day (24hours)
of standby in the secondary power supply (normally batteries, though UPS and
automatic starting generators can be used) in case of a power outage.
No surprise here, we all know how much FM likes sprinklers to protect the
properties they insure. I've been in the industry for more years than I care to
admit (lets' just say decades and leave it at that) and for as long as I can
remember they have required 90 hours of backup in the panels for sprinkler
releasing (I'm open to correction on this, as I certainly have been wrong
before). They do not however require a 'battery test' other than a load test
during annual inspections.
Once in a while I've run into the 72 hour requirement in specs. The only place
I've seen this will any consistency is DOD applications.
As Ron stated below, NFPA 72 only requires 24 hours of standby battery.
Again, I point out that this kind of testing is not required by NFPA, FM or
IFC. It may be in a DOD document - to that I will not attest. And it could of
course be spec driven.
That said, in the jurisdiction I am in it has become practice for the AHJ to
require it. What is expected (intentionally using that word as it is not
actually written anywhere) is that a when a new fire alarm system is installed
it be operational and ready to function. The installer then turns off the
120VAC breaker prior to the acceptance test date so that the system is on
battery for the required time (24, 72, 90 hours); after which the acceptance
test is done - while still on batteries.
But to go a bit further with the discussion I can tell you that NFPA 72
requires that battery chargers in fire alarm control panels be able to bring up
the battery set to full charge in 48 hours. This is an often overlooked caveat
and worth including in discussion because once the batteries have been drained
(which they will be after the prescribed time frame has passed without AC
power) there is a window of time (possibly up to 48 hours) that there will not
be adequate battery capacity to carry the system as it was
designed.............this could potentially lead to a liability to someone.
Regards,
Pat Thompson
ATS Alaska
Direct: 907-375-4176
-----Original Message-----
From: Sprinklerforum [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Rahe Loftin - 7PMC
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2015 11:42 AM
To: SprinklerFORUM <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: 72 or 90 hour battery test on the Foam panel and the foam
controllers
It is an old FM requirement.
*Success Through Code Compliance*
*Rahe Loftin, PE *
*Regional Fire Protection Engineer*
*General Services Administration*
*Region 7 - TX, OK, NM, AR, LA*
*Facilities Management & Support 7PMC*
*c - 817-371-3102*
*o - 817-978-7299*
On Fri, Oct 23, 2015 at 1:46 PM, rongreenman . <[email protected]>
wrote:
> First off what does this mean? What kind of test? That the batteries
> hold a charge for this duration? That the batteries don't turn into
> pumpkins at midnight? That the batteries can hold a charge and still operate
> the SLC.
> The only duration I can find in 72-2013 that even remotely relates to
> suppression systems are the same that apply to panels. In a protected
> premise 24 hours of standby followed by five minutes of full load
> operation or fifteen minutes if there is voice evacuation. Maybe I'm
> looking for love in the wring place but it seems to me that if the
> release relay operates between 24 hours and 24 hours plus five minutes
> then you've met the criteria.
>
> On Fri, Oct 23, 2015 at 11:11 AM, Easter, Timothy <
> [email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > Is there an actual requirement during acceptance testing of foam
> > systems to conduct a 72 or 90 hour battery test on the Foam panel
> > and the foam controllers, if so where is the information located? I
> > have a contractor telling me its required.
> >
> > Feel free to contact me with any questions.
> > Regards,
> >
> > Timothy Easter, E.I.T.
> > Graduate Fire Protection Engineer
> > Direct: (757) 383-6217
> > [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
> >
> > AECOM
> > 11832 Rock Landing Drive Suite, 306, Newport News, Virginia 23606
> > www.aecom.com
> >
> >
> >
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>
> --
> Ron Greenman
> Instructor
> Fire Protection Engineering Technology Bates Technical College
> 1101 So. Yakima Ave.
> Tacoma, WA 98405
>
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>
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>
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>
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