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Fire sprinkler out of order

e hilton

e hilton

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
3,149
Location
Virginia
I went through charlotte CLT airport this weekend, terminal C. Its being renovated, no flooring, no ceilings, some temporary plywood walls. I saw this fire sprinkler condition throughout the terminal, never did see an installed head. So that bothered me.
And I’m wondering about the flex hose ... never seen that before. Looks like it’s intended yo be a permanent condition. I’m wondering what keeps the head in position when the water flows, what keeps the head from whipping around. I have always seen heads on the end of pipes.
 
e hilton said:
I went through charlotte CLT airport this weekend, terminal C. Its being renovated, no flooring, no ceilings, some temporary plywood walls. I saw this fire sprinkler condition throughout the terminal, never did see an installed head. So that bothered me.
And I’m wondering about the flex hose ... never seen that before. Looks like it’s intended yo be a permanent condition. I’m wondering what keeps the head in position when the water flows, what keeps the head from whipping around. I have always seen heads on the end of pipes.
Click to expand...


There is a bracket the flex attached to.

The bracket is than normally attached by two screws to the ceiling grid or in other settings a clamp.

Part of the inspection is the broom test

Take a broom handle and hit the bracket to see if they fastened it down.
 
cda said:
Take a broom handle and hit the bracket to see if they fastened it down.
Click to expand...
Right. Just my luck to hit the head and get a rusty water shower.

Interesting bracket, never seen that before. Looks like it would be very useful.
 
I first saw flex pipe in the microchip maker places.

Some of the idea now a days with designers changing places yearly, if a sprinkler has to be adjusted a little. The flex allows that, without having to cut steel pipe.
 
I can envision the T-bar contractor having a hard time with this.

49153401307_7f719d298d_z.jpg

I can see that this is putting pressure on the grid.

49153195956_a44d0f9d22_n.jpg
 
cda said:
Normally the T Bar is professionally installed first,,

Then the sprinkler person installs the bracket.
Click to expand...

It has been my practice to not allow anything to be added to the T-bar other than troffers or exit signs. Some years ago the electrician was allowed to anchor a support wire but that's it. It's probably a nonissue if nobody is complaining.
 
Sprinkler techs love these flexheads. The only real problem is making sure the pipes don't get bent too much. Sometimes there isn't much space between a drop ceiling and hard ceiling. That orange and white sleeve must slide freely throughout the sprinkler pipe flex hose.
 
And when they don't figure the hydraulics right or use the wrong heads...Common practice here....I was inspecting a job years ago and the sprinkler fitter was installing CSST sprinkler drops, so I asked what they did to the hydraulics and if they were approved as they were not in the permit submittals. He said they are listed...I said, so is my chainsaw, but it doesn't put out a fire....They were all replaced with the braided hose on the next inspection.
 
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