# You learn something all the time "Five minute rule"



## cda (Jan 15, 2016)

Anyone heard of the five minute rule???

""NFPA 13 requires a local waterflow alarm for all sprinkler systems. This alarm must sound within five minutes of sprinkler activation, per Section 6.8.1 (2016 ed.). """"


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## Insurance Engineer (Jan 16, 2016)

Yep and 90 seconds on electronic waterflow type devices, so we can teach an old dog new things....LOL


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## cda (Jan 16, 2016)

> Yep and 90 seconds on electronic waterflow type devices' date=' so we can teach an old dog new things....LOL[/quote']It is hard though, normally have to have a steak on a stick.
> 
> I read NFPA 13 to say, if you were just to have an electric bell, and no fire alarm system, it can still be five minutes??


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## Insurance Engineer (Jan 16, 2016)

Yea think about that bell ringing for 5 minutes, I am sure someone will call the FD.......maybe in 1962 BUT not in 2016. They will have ear buds talking on the phone or listening to music way too loud and will never hear it, or will tune it out just like all the car alarms going off, what me get involved.  That is why anyone with a local alarm such as a mechanical water motor gong pays more insurance. I never pay any attention to the testing once they say they had no off site alarm monitoring from an insurance point of view.


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## cda (Jan 16, 2016)

""""alarm must sound within five minutes of sprinkler activation""""

Did not understand why the "within five minutes"???

Seems like that is a long time? I don not think I have ever flowed the inspector test, to see how long it takes a mechanical gong to activate?

I know when done at the riser, it is as soon as you open the test line.


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## Msradell (Jan 16, 2016)

That 5 minutes sounds wrong, I've never seen one take over about 30 seconds if that long to activate one flow starts.


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## cda (Jan 16, 2016)

> That 5 minutes sounds wrong' date=' I've never seen one take over about 30 seconds if that long to activate one flow starts.[/quote']That comes directly from NFPA 13. If no fire alarm system is installed.
> 
> NFPA 72 is 90 seconds or less. Only if a fire alarm system is installed.


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## FM William Burns (Jan 17, 2016)

It's been in the standard for as long as I can remember. Here is some commentary to clarify the rational of 5 minutes for local exterior/interior alarm attachments and for those connected to a fire alarm system (if required by a building or other governing code) and in compliance with NFPA 72.

Commentary: AHJ FAQ In fire prevention courses, it is often taught that the sprinkler alarm must sound within 90 seconds of initial waterflow. Did the 2013 edition change this to 5 minutes?

ANSWER: NFPA 13 has traditionally required that the alarm sound only within 5 minutes of initial waterflow, so nothing has changed within the sprinkler standard. The intent of this alarm is to notify someone that the system has activated — it is not intended to be a life safety evacuation alarm. Where a waterflow alarm switch is connected to the fire alarm system, 17.12.2 in the 2013 edition of NFPA 72 requires sounding the alarm within 90 seconds of the initial waterflow because, in that situation, the alarm is being used as an evacuation alarm. Although these two time limitations are different, there is no conflict between the standards, as it is possible to comply with both NFPA 13 and NFPA 72 simultaneously by setting the waterflow switch to activate the alarms within 90 seconds of initial waterflow.


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## RFDACM02 (Jan 29, 2016)

We require an "old style" water motor gong still. You can use the electric switch for building alarms and notification, but nothing beat hearing the water motor gong on arrival. Typically you can tell if this was an water pressure problem or a significant flow by the speed of the gong, much better information for firefighters as they step off the apparatus.


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