And I'll be seeing YOU next year!

On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 6:33 PM, George Church <[email protected]> wrote:
> Nice. And todd, you DO have a professional responsibility to advise- as in
> "its legal but it won't work."
> And Ron, the exception for your upsizing rule is ok is ez-
> In a dry system, upsizing will increase capacity, and generally that'll slow 
> trip time and transit time alike; Confirm with trip test or FDT calc.
>
> The ability to give a hard time to a friend from Forum and Convention a day 
> after he saves you $1,000-PRICELESS.
>
> George Church'
> Rowe Sprinkler
> [email protected]
> 570-837-7647
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] 
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ron Greenman
> Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:45 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: Hydraulic Calcs
>
> But again that wasn't the issue: Is replacing a system, like for like, any 
> different  than replacing a head with a different head with the same K as the 
> old one (another twist)? This started with a question about calcing a system 
> that was having some old main replaced. If I were to read into this I'd say 
> the question is does it matter because it's big pipe or that it's main? If 
> George's scenario holds and I "change" a pipe to a bigger size do I need to 
> calc it? If I replace a pipe with the same size do I need to then? And if I 
> change it to a smaller size, what then? I think what one needs to get out of 
> one's head is that size matters regarding replace. If all things remain 
> unchanged then replacing like for like is replacement, not change. If any 
> condition has changed (storage where no storage existed before) then anything 
> done may be change.I've had an AHJ make me calc both identical systems in a 
> single building off the same manifold, wherein each was a mirror of the other 
> wi
>  th each covering half of the building. His argument was that I didn't 
> understand calcs, it needed to be done because the design areas were at 
> separate ends of the building. I didn't argue since the time it took to Xerox 
> the single calc and mark one set system 1 and the other system 2 was worth 
> the laugh over this guy "understanding ho calcs work."
>
> On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 4:04 PM, Todd Williams <[email protected]> wrote:
>> George,
>>
>> Replacing a 3" main because of MIC is very different than replacing an
>> entire system. On the situation you described, I agree that it is a
>> maintenance issue and analysis and hydraulics are not necessary. My
>> rhetorical question is at what point does maintenance end and a new
>> system begin?
>>
>> Being a cynical PE, I don't always accept that what was done before is
>> necessarily correct. In my history of doing 3rd party review,
>> approximately
>> 2/3 of the drawings have been rejected the first time around due to
>> technical errors. That and some of the things that I have seen AHJs
>> miss, make me take a second look at everything. When I see a main
>> replacement come across my desk I try to take a look and see if what
>> we have for a design appears to be OK. If I have to prepare drawings
>> to submit for a main replacement, because the contractor cannot get a
>> permit without a stamped drawing, I want to be covered. I will
>> typically push for a letter from the AHJ stating that he accepts the
>> present installation and there is no need for analysis. Or if there is
>> an issue, sometimes I will flash my PE plumage and say we may have a
>> problem and see where it goes. It's something I see as my professional
>> responsibility but also a little bit of CYA. I want to have some basis
>> for my actions in case I'm dragged into court if something happens.
>>
>> As you say, if you want credibility, you need to earn it.
>>
>>
>> At 06:05 PM 1/12/2011, you wrote:
>>>
>>> This is pretty basic, and certainly there are exceptions for every rule.
>>> Existing system, we're to assume it was designed, installed and
>>> tested in accordance with applicable codes/laws at that time, pipe schedule.
>>> No change in occupancy, same owner doing same processes.
>>> You're replacing a 3" main because of MIC.
>>> You're going to somehow find a requirement to provide calcs for the
>>> MRA, using 3/4" end lines?
>>> Could be adding 30% to the MRA for that sloped roof that didn't
>>> impact the pipe schedule?
>>> So your calcs show it massively undersized.
>>> You go to the owner and point out he needs to replace the existing 4"
>>> lead-in with 8", new city tap and pit, new 6" riser to replace the 4"
>>> that is functional and meets code cause the new requirements aren't 
>>> retroactive.
>>> He looks at the $85,000 you want to add to replacing a couple lengths
>>> of
>>> pipe- or a 600' run- to get rid of some drippage.
>>> Think he's opening up his checkbook to give you a deposit?
>>> Or is he kicking your butt out the door for trying to sell him
>>> something he's NOT required to do?
>>> If you want credibility, you need to earn it. You could tell em its
>>> prudent, but if he's not getting sky-high insurance quotes or the AHJ
>>> isn't padlocking his door, then I doubt he'll be doing anything but
>>> replacing the 3". And likely it will be someone other than you doing the 
>>> work.
>>>
>>> George Church'
>>> Rowe Sprinkler
>>> [email protected]
>>> 570-837-7647
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: [email protected]
>>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Todd
>>> Williams
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 2:31 PM
>>> To: [email protected]
>>> Subject: RE: Hydraulic Calcs
>>>
>>> If a system is installed that is an exact duplicate of an existing
>>> system, which it is to replace, is that considered a new system under
>>> the Code or a "repair" of a system under 25? Where is the cut-off
>>> between the two? How would any of the AHJ's out there address this?
>>>
>>> Now George, supposed your building has 12ft storage of expanded
>>> plastics or flammable liquid storage? Most likely the pipe schedule
>>> system is not going to be able to protect those occupancies. Would
>>> you swap the system old for new as it was installed? How would the
>>> attorney for the plaintiff react to that?
>>>
>>> I didn't even bring up the issues about 3/4", 3-1/2" and 5" pipe.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> At 12:33 PM 1/12/2011, you wrote:
>>> >So you run new UG into a building that was legally pipe schedule
>>> >because the calc (that wasn't required under the valid but old
>>> >design
>>> >criteria) doesn't work? It doesn't have to, its designed to the
>>> >applicable code at installation.
>>> >
>>> >George Church'
>>> >Rowe Sprinkler
>>> >[email protected]
>>> >570-837-7647
>>> >
>>> >-----Original Message-----
>>> >From: [email protected]
>>> >[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Todd
>>> >Williams
>>> >Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 12:20 PM
>>> >To: [email protected]
>>> >Subject: Re: Hydraulic Calcs
>>> >
>>> >Ok, so in Doug's situation, it constitutes a new installation and
>>> >not repair work (based on your first statement) and it is based on a
>>> >prior design. However, as a new installation wouldn't the design
>>> >need to meet current Codes irregardless of when the design was done
>>> >and probably require hydraulic calculations?
>>> >
>>>
>>> Todd G. Williams, PE
>>> Fire Protection Design/Consulting
>>> Stonington, CT
>>> 860.535.2080
>>> www.fpdc.com
>>>
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>>
>> Todd G. Williams, PE
>> Fire Protection Design/Consulting
>> Stonington, CT
>> 860.535.2080
>> www.fpdc.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Sprinklerforum mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum
>>
>> For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected]
>>
>> To Unsubscribe, send an email
>> to:[email protected]
>> (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Ron Greenman
> Instructor
> Fire Protection Engineering Technology
> Bates Technical College
> 1101 So. Yakima Ave.
> Tacoma, WA 98405
>
> [email protected]
>
> http://www.bates.ctc.edu/fireprotection/
>
> 253.680.7346
> 253.576.9700 (cell)
>
> Member:
> AFSA, SFPE, ASCET, NFPA, NFSA, AFAA, ASEE, NIBS, WSAFM, WFC
>
> They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations. -Francis Bacon, 
> essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626) 
> _______________________________________________
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>
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> For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected]
>
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>



-- 
Ron Greenman
Instructor
Fire Protection Engineering Technology
Bates Technical College
1101 So. Yakima Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98405

[email protected]

http://www.bates.ctc.edu/fireprotection/

253.680.7346
253.576.9700 (cell)

Member:
AFSA, SFPE, ASCET, NFPA, NFSA, AFAA, ASEE, NIBS, WSAFM, WFC

They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations. -Francis
Bacon, essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626)
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