Adding to Mark Phelps comments, Sometime around 1979 or 1980, Frank Hill, of Culligan Fire, conducted a series of tests that determined the delivery time of around 50 dry systems (tree, looped, and gridded). Around half of them were gridded. He presented the results to the NAS-FCA Engineering Committee. The Committee did not have adequate time to conduct a complete review prior to the NFPA 13 Committee meeting held in November of 1980. So, the Technical Committee created rules for the 1985 edition to limit the sizes of gridded dry systems.
The original summary of the tests indicated that gridded systems could deliver water in the following times: >750 gallons volume 4:30 w/o accelerator 2:30 with accelerator 595 gallons 3:58 with accelerator <500 gallons 3:13 w/o accelerator 1:00 w/ accelerator In fact, the original summary indicated that only 3 of the systems below 500 gallons, having an accelerator, delivered water in 60 seconds or less. The final 1982 report presented to the NAS-FCA Committee led to the NFPA 13 Technical Committee's acceptance of a proposal to disallow gridded dry pipe systems. It should be recognized that the above is my opinion as a member of the NFPA, and has not been processed as a formal interpretation in accordance with the NFPA Regulations Governing Committee Projects and should therefore not be considered, nor relied upon, as the official position of the the NFPA, nor any of their technical committees. Sincerely, Cecil Bilbo Academy of Fire Sprinkler Technology Champaign, IL 217.607.0325 www.sprinkleracademy.com [email protected] OUR STUDENTS SAVE LIVES!! ________________________________________ From: Sprinklerforum <[email protected]> on behalf of [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 3, 2016 12:07 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Gridded dry system In late 79 early 80, FM and IRI both were doing research on the performance of dry grids. By late 80 IRI was no longer approving plans for dry grids. FM followed in 81. It took NFPA a few years to process through revisions to resolve the issue. Mark at Aero 602 820-7894 Sent from my iPhone > On May 3, 2016, at 9:42 AM, "Steve Sorrell" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > All, > I have come upon a gridded dry system fed by a fire pump that was installed > in 1985. > I was sure that these are not legal, but could they have been in 1985 ? > Any help would be appreciated, > Steve > > > Stephen J. Sorrell, CET > NICET# 77901 Level III > E mail: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > Design Manager > > Performance Fire Protection, LLC > Corporate Office > 179 Gasoline Alley - PO Box 4510 > Mooresville, NC 28117 > Phone: 704-663-1664 Fax: 704-663-1652 > Cell : 704-309-1242 > > Web: www.performancefire.com<http://www.performancefire.com/> > Licensed in NC, SC, VA, TN, GA, AL > > "Performance on Every Level." > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org
