American Fire Sprinkler Association 12750 Merit Dr., Suite 350 * Dallas TX 75251 Ph: (214) 349-5965 Fax: (214) 276-0908
--------------- April 23, 2010 --------------- “8.16.2.4.3 allows control valves in the riser down stream of the fire department connection (FDC) when installed on the underground. If the underground supplies more than one riser can the FDC be installed on the underground so that one FDC is serving both systems even if the risers have control valves on them?” We have reviewed NFPA 13, 2002 Edition that you indicated as the applicable standard as well as the 2010 Edition. Our informal interpretation is that the FDC can be located on the underground with riser control valves in place. There may be some confusion where the fire department connection is made to the underground main on the supply side or system side. The connection must be downstream of the backflow preventer or check valve to ensure the water from the fire department connection does not flow back into the municipal water supply. The typical city water valve pit arrangements are located in figures A.8.16.2 (a) and A.8.16.2 (b) (A.8.17.2 (a) and (b) 2010 Edition) that shows the fire department connection piping connecting on the system side of the backflow preventer. Additionally, there is the issue of the control valves between the fire department connection and the sprinkler systems. Some control valves are permitted in the fire department connection piping as identified in section 8.16.2.4.4 (8.17.2.4.4 2010 Edition). It indicates that he requirements of 8.16.2.4.2 and 8.16.2.4.3 (8.17.2.4.2 and 8.17.2.4.3 2010 Edition) shall not apply where the fire department connection is connected to the underground piping. Section 8.16.2.4.2 indicates that fire department piping connections are on the system side of system control, check, and alarm valves for wet pipe systems, and section 8.16.2.4.3 indicates the connection shall be between the supply control valves and the system control valves for multiple systems. As such, Section 8.16.2.4.4 allows control valves to be located on the riser downstream of the FDC. This was clarified in the 2010 Edition of NFPA 13 from new Figures A.8.17.2.4.4(a) and A.8.17.2.4.4 (b). ----------------- Technical Update is prepared by the Technical Services Dept. of the AFSA: Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services Roland Huggins, a PE registered in fire protection engineering; Phill Brown, a NICET IV certified automatic sprinkler technician and NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and Tom Wellen, a degreed fire protection engineering technologist. This is provided with the understanding that the AFSA assumes no liability for this opinion or actions taken on it and they are not to be considered the official position of the NFPA or its technical committees. Copyright © 2010, American Fire Sprinkler Association. All Rights Reserved -------------------------- If you’d rather not receive future faxes from AFSA, fax your removal request to Amy Sweeney at Efax (214) 242-3155 or call toll free (888) 839-4830 or send e-mail request @ [email protected]. Please include your company name and the specific fax numbers(s) at which you do not wish to receive faxes from us. Our failure to comply with your request may be unlawful. _______________________________________________ Sprinklernotes mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklernotes
