NFPA 25 Dry Pendent Testing

[artbuc]

Our HOA clubhouse was built in 2000. We were 5 years late testing dry pendents. They should have been tested after 15 years service in 2015. We did not test until 2020. I discovered this yesterday when talking to our inspection/testing contractor. They pulled 4 pendents, sent them to approved lab for testing and replaced with new pendants. They sent us a separate invoice since this testing falls outside our annual maintenance contract. No one here recognized this was done…they just paid the bill.

So, can we wait 10 years from 2020 to do testing? Or, did the 10 year clock start in 2015 when we should have done the first testing after the initial 15 years of service? Thanks.

 

[tmurray]

NFPA 25 states sprinklers are to be tested at a 10 year interval, so I would say that testing would need to happen 10 years after the most recent test.

 

[TheCommish]

Testing is based on the head installed date or last tested, so if the new head stay then 10 years from their install date, if the old heads past the test and can be reinstalled then 10 years after the date of testing.

 

[artbuc]

Testing is based on the head installed date or last tested, so if the new head stay then 10 years from their install date, if the old heads past the test and can be reinstalled then 10 years after the date of testing.

I do not understand your comment. We have 132 heads so we pulled 4 for testing. These 4 passed and were replaced with new heads according to code. I want to know when we need to pull another 4.

Your comment does raise an interesting question not covered by the code. I assume the next time we have to test, we can not pull any of the 4 that were tested previously. That would defeat the purpose.

If we wait 10 years from the last test in 2020, the heads will have been in service 30 years. The code says we must test after first 15 years and then every ten years. We were 5 years late on first test. Do we need to make that up by reducing next interval to 5 years.

 

[TheCommish]

With the new critical information: We have 132 heads so we pulled 4 for testing. Testing needs to be done on 10 year intervals from the original instillation date on heads that have not been tested or the new heads just installed.

The premis is to test older heads for failure due to age, and if the sample heads fail, then you have to test more or replace all the heads

 

[artbuc]

With the new critical information: We have 132 heads so we pulled 4 for testing. Testing needs to be done on 10 year intervals from the original instillation date on heads that have not been tested or the new heads just installed.

The premis is to test older heads for failure due to age, and if the sample heads fail, then you have to test more or replace all the heads

Yes, I know that. My question relates to the fact we were 5 years late on the first test. You are supposed to test the greater of 1% or 4 after the first 15 years of operation. We waited until 20 years. so when does the 10 year clock start for the next test? If we wait until 10 years after we tested, the heads will have been in operation 30 years. if we had tested on time, the second test would take place when heads were in service 25 years.

 

[artbuc]

My understanding is you must replace all heads in the area if any of the 4 sample heads fail. You do not get to retest.

 

[TheCommish]

Yes, I know that. My question relates to the fact we were 5 years late on the first test. You are supposed to test the greater of 1% or 4 after the first 15 years of operation. We waited until 20 years. so when does the 10 year clock start for the next test? If we wait until 10 years after we tested, the heads will have been in operation 30 years. if we had tested on time, the second test would take place when heads were in service 25 years.

Hire a qualified sprinkler company, or a Fire Protection Engineer to advise you.

 

[artbuc]

Hire a qualified sprinkler company, or a Fire Protection Engineer to advise you.

Thanks. I talked with my AHJ today. They do not inspect fire sprinklers or review the UL results of our tests. They leave it up to us. So, I will ask our contractor and go with what they say. Thanks for your help.