Thank you, Ken. That is extremely helpful.
Micah Davis, SET NICET #124745 Water Based Systems Layout, Level IV Dynamic Fire Designs Mail: [email protected] Mobile: 931-242-1299 www.dynamicfiredesigns.com<http://dynamicfiredesigns.com> Dynamic Fire Designs • 247 Winthrop Dr. • Spring Hill • FL • 34609 This message is confidential. It may also be privileged or otherwise protected by work product immunity or other legal rules. If you have received it by mistake, please let us know by e-mail reply and delete it from your system; you may not copy this message or disclose its contents to anyone. The integrity and security of this message cannot be guaranteed on the Internet. ________________________________ From: Sprinklerforum <[email protected]> on behalf of Parsley Consulting <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 1:11 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Clearance @ Sprinkler in Seismic Area Micah, The requirement for clearance between the hole for a pendent sprinkler and the adjacent ceiling around that penetration is clearly identified in ASCE/SEI 7. Specifically, those requirements are: * In the event that the suspended ceilings are not rigidly braced per ASME E580, the sprinklers are to be installed in the suspended panels with either a 2” clearance around the penetration through the panel, or the use of a flexible drop fitting, per ASCE7-10, section 13.5.6.2.1 through 15.6.3 * Please note that this reference to a "flexible drop fitting" does not refer to a drop to a sprinkler with a flexible coupling at some point in the drop. Rather it refers to a device like that from Flex-Head, AquaFlex, Victaulic or other manufacturers which hold the sprinkler tight in a bracket where the sprinkler moves with the ceiling. * Suspended ceilings with areas less than or equal to 144 ft² that are surrounded by walls or soffits that are laterally braced to the structure above are exempt from this requirement * Suspended ceilings constructed of screw or nail attached gypsum board on one level that are surrounded by and connected to walls or soffits that are laterally braced to the structure above are exempt from these requirements We could argue the semantics that the hole only needs to be 1" larger vs. a 2" diameter hole, and I can testify that this argument has been made endlessly to me. Now, my take on your question is this: If that ceiling is rigidly braced per the parameters of ASME E580, then there is no need for you to provide either the 2" oversize ring or a flexible drop fitting. I would suggest that it's the responsibility of the ceiling contractor to provide that information not yours. Similarly, if you're dropping the sprinklers into a gyp board ceiling there's no additional requirement. As I'm a member of the hanging and bracing committee, see the disclaimer below. Ken Wagoner, SET Parsley Consulting 350 West 9th Avenue, Suite 206 Escondido, California 92025 Phone 760-745-6181 Visit the website<http://www.parsleyconsulting.com/> IMPORTANT NOTICE: This correspondence is not a Formal Interpretation issued pursuant to NFPA Regulations. Any opinion expressed is the personal opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official position of the NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this correspondence is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services It should be noted that the above is my opinion as a member of the NFPA Automatic Sprinkler System Hanging and Bracing Committee in accordance with the NFPA Regulations Governing Committee Projects and should therefore not be considered, nor relied upon, as the official position of the NFPA or its Committees On 08/17/2018 10:00 AM, Micah Davis, SET wrote: On a seismic job, I have always designed such that there is either a flexible drop or a hole 1" larger than required for the sprinkler head in gypsum board ceilings. I was thinking that practice was based on NFPA 13, but as I look for it now, I do not see it. Instead, it appears this requirement is found in ASCE 7. While NFPA 13 says nothing of ASCE 7 regarding seismic protection, the IBC states that all non-structural components be protected in accordance with ASCE 7. As I understand it, the protection requirements of NFPA 13 were developed to comply with the ASCE 7 requirements. Soooo, my question is, am I required to provide this 1" clearance at sprinkler drops in rigid ceilings or does NFPA 13's silence mean I am not held to this? Micah Davis, SET NICET #124745 Water Based Systems Layout, Level IV Dynamic Fire Designs Mail: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Mobile: 931-242-1299 www.dynamicfiredesigns.com<http://dynamicfiredesigns.com> Dynamic Fire Designs • 247 Winthrop Dr. • Spring Hill • FL • 34609 This message is confidential. It may also be privileged or otherwise protected by work product immunity or other legal rules. If you have received it by mistake, please let us know by e-mail reply and delete it from your system; you may not copy this message or disclose its contents to anyone. 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