Thanks to everyone for the input. To explain further about what I do to try to insure the greatest amount of longevity and reliability for a system within some reason, I also specify that all light hazard sprinkler coverage is 130 square feet rather than 225 square feet. This helps when walls are moved and sprinklers are not. Happens a lot. I don't allow extended coverage sprinklers. I don't allow any piping with a CRR less than 1. All threaded pipe must be Schedule 40 and all roll groove pipe must be Schedule 10 minimum. Threadable lightwall piping is not allowed. The calculated design area must be the hydraulically most remote and must be calculated at 1500 square feet, not 900 no matter what the conditions. No mechanical "Ts" are allowed. No flexheads allowed. No adjustable drop nipples allowed. If I have a fire pump for elevation loss, then all calculations must be through the bypass loop until the point of the need for the pump for elevation; usually the 4th or 5th floor. Just call me old fashioned, but once I sign the Certificate of Occupancy, all changes are out of my hands. Remember sprinklers may be moved, added, subtracted, changed, etc. all without any calculation of any kind. You would not believe the systems in some of our buildings.
All of this, and more, is on the drawings and in the specifications so that the playing field is level. If you only knew where most of your tax dollars go in the government, you would gladly pay for the beefed up sprinkler system. Across the nation, our Federal Courthouses will cost from $80 million up to $400 million. Sprinkler systems at twice the usual cost are extremely cheap insurance. Thank You Rahe Loftin, P.E. Region 7 - GSA Office - 817-978-7299 Fax - 817-978-8644 Cell - 817-371-3102 _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum
