sprinklernotes
Hydraulic Data Plate Inspection
The following information was provided regarding the project in question:
NFPA states that a hydraulic placard shall be inspected annually to verify that
it is provided, attached securely to the sprinkler riser, and is legible. If a
hydraulic design information sign is missing or illegible, it shall be
replaced.
You asked the following question: “Does every zone control station in a
multi-zone system need to have a hydraulic placard or is only one required in
the building at the base of the riser?”
In response to your question(s) below, we have reviewed NFPA 13, Standard for
the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2010 through 2019 editions and have
answered each question individually.
Our informal interpretation is for systems installed under the 2010 edition and
earlier of NFPA 13, the hydraulic design information sign is only required at
the water control valve at the base of the riser. For systems installed under
the 2013 edition and later of NFPA 13, a hydraulic design information sign is
required at each floor control valve assembly.
This interpretation comes down to the definition of a sprinkler system. In the
2010 edition of NFPA 13, a sprinkler system was defined as:
3.3.18* Sprinkler System. For fire protection purposes, an integrated system of
underground and overhead piping designed in accordance with fire protection
engineering standards. The installation includes at least one automatic water
supply that supplies one or more systems. The portion of the sprinkler system
above ground is a network of specially sized or hydraulically designed piping
installed in a building, structure, or area, generally overhead, and to which
sprinklers are attached in a systematic pattern. Each system has a control
valve located in the system riser or its supply piping. Each sprinkler system
includes a device for actuating an alarm when the system is in operation. The
system is usually activated by heat from a fire and discharges water over the
fire area.
A.3.3.18 Sprinkler System. A sprinkler system is considered to have a single
system riser control valve. The design and installation of water supply
facilities such as gravity tanks, fire pumps, reservoirs, or pressure tanks are
covered by NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire
Protection, and NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection.
In the 2010 edition, a sprinkler system consisted of the single riser that
supplied a building, as explained in the annex note, but the committee changed
their mind for the 2013 edition of NFPA 13 and the definition’s intent has
remained the same through the 2019 edition.
Per the 2019 edition:
3.3.206* Sprinkler System. A system, commonly activated by heat from a fire and
discharges water over the fire area, that consists of an integrated network of
piping designed in accordance with fire protection engineering standards that
includes a water supply source, a water control valve, a waterflow alarm, and a
drain. The portion of the sprinkler system above ground is a network of
specifically sized or hydraulically designed piping installed in a building,
structure, or area, generally overhead, and to which sprinklers are attached in
a systematic pattern.
A.3.3.206 Sprinkler System. As applied to the definition of a sprinkler system,
each system riser serving a portion of a single floor of a facility or where
individual floor control valves are used in a multistory building should be
considered a separate sprinkler system. Multiple sprinkler systems can be
supplied by a common supply main.
Any portion of a piping network that contains a water supply, water control
valve, waterflow alarm device, and drain is considered a sprinkler system. As
explained in the revised annex note, individual floor control assemblies on a
multistory building are considered individual sprinkler systems.
You asked the following question: “What does NFPA consider as missing?”
Our informal interpretation is that NFPA does not define missing. “Missing” is
determined by the ordinarily accepted meaning, within context, based on
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition.
The hydraulic design information sign is only “missing” if it was required to
be there in the first place. Again, the determination of “missing” is based on
the standard used for installation and acceptance.
