Fire Sprinkler Antifreeze

Started by flyingvan, March 06, 2013, 09:38:45 AM

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flyingvan

   Fire sprinklers were required for my build....Most of San Diego County doesn't have to deal with freeze issues but we've had more places up here damaged by burst systems than by fires lately.  I've been either cranking up the heat or draining the system whenever the temp is predicted to drop into the teens.
   Does anyone have experience with the marketed fire sprinkler system antifreeze?  You can't buy it here, and I'm not even sure it's legal.   I've looked online at FSS ProTect and Noble.  All my CPVC pipes are wrapped in the neoprene insulation, but two of my neighbors had their systems burst at the brass riser just past the check valve.  Is one brand better than the other?  How do I charge the system---I could shut off the main, open the drain, and climb up onto the roof with a hose connected to the bib and let it gravity fil I guess.  How often do you change it out?  When I go to test the system, can I recover and re-use the stuff?
   Up in Truckee they had a system charged with flammable glycol based product.  When the system did what it was designed to do things got really ugly really fast
Find what you love and let it kill you.

JRR

Are dry-pipe systems allowed?  If so, that would be my choice.  Large air ballast reservoir.  Two small air compressors ... and a rigid maintenance program.


Don_P

It's one of the reasons I haven't been at all excited about mandating them. The last time I checked a few years ago I believe they were saying replace annually. I seem to remember from somewhere, and I can't confirm it, that the glycol settles out and ends up being the first thing to hit the flames after too long in the pipes.

Dave Sparks

I am doing electrical for a new offgrid home with  a fire sprinkler system. The inspector does not want stagnation and so the domestic and the fire sprinkler are the same run off a 2 HP pump.  The inspector thinks the attic water will cook in the summer if it is not moving. The owner is not worried about the cold as the PEX is all under R30 insulstion. Maybe he should be? We do get down to 20F but mostly mid 30's.

It has been a challenge to get a slow start pump and controller for variable frequency drive to keep power and surging reasonable. I have 2 choices for pump systems that i know of. Anybody have a favorite or one that has been reliable?
"we go where the power lines don't"