Sprinkler

TechNotes

Volume XXX No. 2 March/April 2007

Kenneth E. Isman, P.E., Editor

Significant Changes to NFPA 24

The 2007 Edition of NFPA 24 has been published by the NFPA and is available for
purchase. The following is a compilation of important changes that were made to the
standard. This list is not intended to be all inclusive, but is meant to pick up the
highlights of issues that the editor thinks are most important.
Working Plans (4.1.3) A new section covers 10 items that have to be provided to the
AHJ as a part of the working plan submittal:
Name of owner
Location, including street address
Point of compass
A graphic representation of the scale used on all plans
Name and address of contractor
Size and location of water supplies
Size and location of standpipe risers, hose outlets, hand hose, monitor nozzles,
and related equipment
The following items as they pertain to the private fire service main:
- Size, length, location, weight and material of pipe
- Point of connection to city main
- Sizes, types, and locations of valves, valve indicators, regulators, meters and
valve pits
- Depth at which the top of the pipe is laid below grade
- Method of restraint
The following items as they pertain to hydrants:
- Size and location, including size and number of outlets and whether outlets
are equipped with independent gate valves
- Whether hose houses and equipment are provided and by whom
- Static and residual hydrants used in flow tests
- Method of restrain
Size, location and piping arrangements for FDCs
Installation Instructions (4.1.4) The working plans are also required to include the
manufacturers installation instructions for any specially listed equipment including
descriptions, applications and limitations.
Published bimonthly by the National Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc. for its members.
40 Jon Barrett Road z Patterson, NY 12563 U.S.A. z (845) 878-4200 z FAX (845) 878-4215
Information contained in this newsletter is derived from sources believed to be reliable. NFSA cannot guarantee
accuracy of all information. Statements and conclusions are based on the best judgment of the NFSA Engineering Staff.
2007 NFSA, Inc. Cannot be reproduced without permission of the editor.

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Signage (5.9.5.4) Where the system demand pressure exceeds 150 psi, a sign is
required on the FDC that contains the demand pressure.
Post Indicator Valves (6.3) Unless the requirements in the next sentence are met,
every connection from a private main into a building needs a PIV. A PIV can be
eliminated if the AHJ allows it and if a valve is installed to isolate the fire protection
system from the private main.
Grounding and Bonding (10.6.8) In no case can the underground piping be used as
the grounding electrode. Bonding for lighting protection in accordance with NFPA 780
is okay. Bonding together multiple grounding mechanisms that include the underground
fire protection piping is okay and required by the NEC (NFPA 70).
Inspections Prior to Installation (10.7.1) All pipes, valves, hydrants and fittings will
be required to be inspected when they are received and again prior to installation.
Installation contractors will be asked to state that they have done this on the acceptance
test form.
Restrained Joint Systems (10.8.3) A new section was added to clarify that restrained
joints includes one or more of the following:
Locking mechanical or push-on joints
Mechanical joints utilizing setscrews retainer glands
Bolt Flange joints
Heat-fused or welded joints
Pipe clamps and tie rods
Other approved methods or devices
Hydrostatic Test Pressure (10.10.2.2) The standard was clarified regarding the
pressure to use during the hydrostatic test. The base requirements of a test pressure of
200 psi or 50 psi over the maximum system working pressure are pretty standard. But
the new rule is a tolerance during the test of 5 psi for 2 hrs. The committee also
clarified that the pressure is to be recorded at a hydrant or the lowest point in the system
where no hydrant is provided.
Hydrostatic Test (10.10.2.2) The committee also clarified the following four items with
respect to the performance of the hydrostatic test:
A test of the fire department connection piping is also required
Thrust blocks need to be hardened before testing
Backfill between joints is permitted to prevent movement of the piping, but
covering joints is discouraged so that leaks can be observed
An annex section recommends pre-stabilizing the system and an intermediate
check of the system 1-hour into the test for leakage

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Leakage (10.10.2.2.4) The old leakage test has been replaced with a Hydrostatic
Testing Allowance. The allowance will be based on the following formula:
L=

SD P
148,000

L = makeup water (gallons per hour)

S = length (feet)
D = diameter (inches)
P = average test pressure (psi)
Additional Hydrostatic Test Methods (10.10.2.3) NFPA 24 will also recognize the
Hydrostatic Test procedures from the following American Water Works Association
documents. However, it does not appear from the way that this new section is worded
that these procedures replace the requirements discussed previously. It only appears that
these tests are permitted to be done in addition to the other requirements of NFPA 24.
The other documents that are referenced are:
AWWA C600, Installation of Ductile Iron Water Mains and Their
Appurtenances, 1999
AWWA C602, Cement-Mortar Lining of Water Pipe Lines 4 inch and Larger in
Place, 1999
AWWA C603, Standard for the Installation of Asbestos-Cement Water Pipe,
1990
AWWA C900, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Pressure Pipe, 4 inch through 12 inch,
for Water and Other Liquids, 1989
Operational Tests of Valves and Hydrants (10.10.2.4) The following tests were
added to be performed at the system acceptance:
Hydrants are to be fully opened and closed under system pressure
Dry-barrel hydrants are to be checked for drainage
All valves are to be fully closed and opened under pressure
Where fire pumps are installed, run all of the above tests are to be run with the
fire pump running
Acceptance Test of Backflow Preventers (10.10.2.5) Language was added to require
the forward flow testing of backflow prevention devices. The minimum flow during the
test is required to by the maximum fire protection system demand downstream of the
backflow preventer, including inside and outside hose stream demands if these demands
are applicable (hydrants or hose connections are downstream of the backflow preventer).
Contractors Certificate (10.10.1) Updated as required to contain new items as
discussed above.

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Inside Diameter of Pipe (A.10.1.6) A new Table A.10.1.6 has been added to the
standard with the actual inside diameter for different classes of lined ductile iron pipe.
The new table has been necessary because people have been forgetting to subtract the
lining thickness when performing hydraulic calculations. Most people have been getting
the pipe criteria from the manufacturer and using the inside diameter of the unlined pipe,
forgetting about the lining thickness. This new table is only good for manufacturers that
use standard thickness linings. Some manufacturers use double thickness linings, so the
actual inside diameter of their pipe will be even less than what is in the standard.

Flow Testing and Hydrant Marking (Annex) NFPA 291 used to be a recommended
practice that outlined the procedures to use in conducting flow tests of private fire service
mains (water supplies) and also recommended methods of painting fire hydrants different
colors in order to tell how much flow was available from the hydrants. Several years ago,
the NFPA contemplated eliminating this recommended practice because few proposals
ever came in to revise the documents, so the NFPA thought that they were not being
used. When the NFPA floated the idea out to the public to eliminate the recommended
practice, they got a lot of feedback that it would not be a good idea. So, the
recommended practice was given to the NFPA 24 committee, which decided that it would
be good to continue printing this material in NFPA 24 as annex material. Two new
annexes have been added to the standard:

Annex C Recommended Practice for Fire Flow Testing

Annex D Recommended Practice for Marking of Hydrants