Re: 2 Waterflow Switch Questions

[JoeRaisin <joeraisin2001@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 7/28/2013 11:52 AM, ssmith39 . wrote:
> (1) If the inspector's test valve is not accessible (blocked by more
>stuff than I can move) can I use the main drain to test the waterflow?
>
> (2) I performed 5 fire inspections at different locations last week
>and not one waterflow switch worked. Is that unusual? Some switches
>had not been tested since 2010.

The inspector's test valve mimics the flow of water through one
sprinkler head - and ensures that amount of water flow is enough to trip
the switch.

Using the drain, assuming the drain is AFTER the flow switch, is not a
good test - to much water flow - and could easily mean that if there is
a fire and one or two heads pop, the alarm won't sound.  If the drain is
before the switch you would just be wasting water.

If the valves are not accessible, you need to either move the stuff or
impress upon the building owners/occupants the importance of this test
and ask for assistance in accessing them.  If the Fire Marshall were to
show up to do a test, he wouldn't be nearly as accommodating.  Their
insurers won't be very understanding either in the event the is a loss
incurred and it comes to light you hadn't tested the system properly.

As for the flow switches;

When the switch didn't work, was it that the switch, when thrown, did
not cause alarm or was the amount of flow not enough to trip the switch?
  Did you manually test the switch to see if it operated?  Did you open
the switch housing to see if the wiring had been altered?

When I do a fire alarm test and something doesn't work, I do my best to
be able to explain why - don't always get to the exact reason, but you
should be able to narrow it down enough that follow on troubleshooting
won't take too long.