Advise architects, builders, and other construction personnel on fire prevention equipment and techniques and on fire code and standard interpretation and compliance.If the article was written based on the 2007 - 2013 editions of NFPA 13 then it would have an incorrect statement there. 2016 tells you to basically do the room area / # of sprinklers right in Chap 11. You can't apply the section in Chap 8 of the 2016 edition of NFPA 13 to residential because you are no longer directed back there. Since it was written in 2020, the article is correct.
Understand though, these are very specifically listed sprinklers.Įdited to add: I just skimmed the NFSA article. So if you are 12x14, you calc at 168 sq ft, not at 14x14 spacing or 196 sq ft. Also, the Tyco EC-25 sprinklers have similar listings. If I were using a regular EC sprinkler like a Tyco EC-11, then I would have to calculate something spaced at 15x12 at the criteria for 16x16. So, I can space at 15X12 and calc for 180 sq ft vs 256 sq ft. But, you can calculate them based on actual spacing. For the Tyco CC3 sprinklers, they can cover up to 16x16.
Now, there are some special listings that come into play. You can use it with residential because the residential calc section directs you specifically to that section. That section referenced above is specific to standard spray. No, you can't apply that same rule to EC sprinklers. I assume the committee found too many AHJs not correctly applying this, so they just clarified the language to make it crystal clear. 20 don't redirect you back there any longer, it just re-states the information right in the section on residential sprinklers. So, because Chap 11 directs you to that section specifically, you can apply the room area / # of sprinklers. In Chap 11 of the 2007-2013 editions, the residential section refers you to do either the SxL or sends you back to the section in Chap 8 for small room rules. It was also clarified in the 2016 and newer editions so people wouldn't get confused on this.
Read through the standard very carefully. RE: NFPA 13 - Residential fire sprinklers in bedrooms Danefre (Mechanical) 1 Apr 21 19:21 Since a 4.9k residential pendent at 20' spacing requires 20 gpm, you can space your sprinklers as much as 20' between sprinklers and no more than 10' off walls and still be in compliance, provided that the rooms/compartments you are calculating meet the requirements of a small room. So, you can get up to 256 sq ft of coverage per sprinkler. If you are arbitrarily calculating your residential sprinklers at 25.6 gpm since you are spaced at 16', you may be doing way above the minimum requirements - which is perfectly acceptable. However, the listing of the sprinkler requires 17 gpm so you calculate for 17 gpm. Since the criteria in 13 allows you to apply the "small room rule" for area of coverage (Room area / # of sprinklers per room), this requires a minimum of 16 gpm. In your room example, you are covering a space that is ☑60 sq ft. At 18' spacing, the minimum flow is 17 gpm. So, if you have something like a Tyco LFII 4.9k sprinkler, you must look at both the minimum from the data sheet and the minimum flow with a 0.10 density. The room meets the requirements for a small room. I believe I know what you are looking for:ġ - Can you use the sprinkler at 14'x18' spacing? Yes, if it is listed for 18' spacing.Ģ - What is the required minimum discharge for the sprinkler? RE: NFPA 13 - Residential fire sprinklers in bedrooms And yes, if your room measured 18'x4' you would still need a minimum discharge of 17.0 gpm or 18x4x0.10=7.2 gpm whichever is greater. However if your system is a NFPA #13 system then you must discharge 17.0 gpm AND 28.8 GPM showing compliance with a density of. Even if the room measured 18'x4' your minimum discharge would still be 17.0 gpm. Let assume you are using the Viking FREEDOM® RESIDENTIAL PENDENT SPRINKLER VK466 (K5.2) įor a NFPA #13R system in a room measuring 16'x18' with the sprinkler no more than 9'-0" from any wall your minimum discharge would be 17.0 gpm. If the standard is NFPA #13 and you are using residential sprinklers then you must use the discharge requirement for the 18'x18' sprinkler in addition to doing a second calculation demonstrating you can achieve a discharge of 25.2 gpm which would be a density of. If the standard is NFPA 13R then you must use the discharge requirements of the residential sprinkler for 18'x18' spacing. You mentioned NFPA 13 so it is a 13 and not 13R? If I understand your question correctly the inspector is correct.