This self-paced online course covers the application, operation, inspection, testing, and maintenance of dry-pipe automatic sprinkler systems. A dry-pipe automatic sprinkler system uses closed automatic sprinkler heads fed by a piping system containing compressed air or nitrogen to hold the dry-pipe valve closed until a fire fuses a sprinkler head. When the compressed gas is released, the dry-pipe valve opens allowing water into the sprinkler piping.

Upon completion you should be able to:

• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of dry-pipe sprinkler systems
• List and describe the major components of a dry-pipe valve.
• Understand which components of a dry-pipe valve system must be tested quarterly, annually, and every three years.
• Understand the required timing of visual inspection, testing, and maintenance of sprinkler control valves and waterflow alarms.
• List and describe acceptable methods of valve supervision.

Who Will Benefit

Anyone whose job involves designing, reviewing, evaluating or installing fire protection systems, including: designers, installers, engineers, electrical contractors, technicians, project managers, fire marshals, and architects.

Course Summary

• A dry-pipe valve must be trip tested every year, and full flow trip tested once every three years.
• Quick opening devices must be tested quarterly.
• Each sprinkler control valve must be visually inspected to assure it is fully open. The frequency of the visual inspections depends on the method of supervising the valve.
• Acceptable methods of valve supervision include:
  • Sealing the valve
  • Locking the valve
  • Electronic supervision
• Each sprinkler control valve must be tested and maintained on at least an annual basis.
• A main drain test is conducted to determine if there are any major blockages in the water supply for the sprinkler system. A main drain test must be conducted on each wet-pipe sprinkler system at least annually and each time the system control valve is operated.
• All sprinkler waterflow alarms must be tested at least quarterly.