Chapter 14 Acceptance Testing, Performance, and Maintenance
14.5 Component Replacement
ACCEPTANCE TESTING, PERFORMANCE, AND MAINTENANCE 20-69
14.2.7 Controller Acceptance Test for Electric and Diesel Driven Units.
14.2.7.1* Fire pump controllers shall be tested in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended test procedure.
14.2.7.2 As a minimum, no fewer than six automatic and six manual operations shall be performed during the acceptance test.
14.2.7.3 An electric-driven fire pump shall be operated for a period of at least 5 minutes at full speed during each of the operations required in 14.2.7.2.
14.2.7.4 An engine driver shall not be required to run for 5 minutes at full speed between successive starts until the cumulative cranking time of successive starts reaches 45 seconds.
14.2.7.5 The automatic operation sequence of the controller shall start the pump from all provided starting features.
14.2.7.6 This sequence shall include pressure switches or remote starting signals.
14.2.7.7 Tests of engine-driven controllers shall be divided between both sets of batteries.
14.2.7.8 The selection, size, and setting of all overcurrent protective devices, including fire pump controller circuit breaker, shall be confirmed to be in accordance with this stand‐
ard.
14.2.7.9 The fire pump shall be started once from each power service and run for a minimum of 5 minutes.
CAUTION: Manual emergency operation shall be accom‐
plished by manual actuation of the emergency handle to the fully latched position in a continuous motion. The handle shall be latched for the duration of this test run.
14.2.8 Alternate Power Supply.
14.2.8.1 On installations with an alternate source of power and an automatic transfer switch, loss of primary source shall be simulated and transfer shall occur while the pump is operat‐
ing at peak load.
14.2.8.2 Transfer from normal to alternate source and retrans‐
fer from alternate to normal source shall not cause opening of overcurrent protection devices in either line.
14.2.8.3 At least half of the manual and automatic operations of 14.2.7.2 shall be performed with the fire pump connected to the alternate source.
14.2.8.4 If the alternate power source is a generator set required by 9.3.2, installation acceptance shall be in accord‐
ance with NFPA 110.
14.2.9 Emergency Governor for Steam Driven Units.
14.2.9.1 Emergency governor valve for steam shall be oper‐
ated to demonstrate satisfactory performance of the assembly.
14.2.9.2 Hand tripping shall be acceptable.
14.2.10 Simulated Conditions. Both local and remote signals and fire pump alarm conditions shall be simulated to demon‐
strate satisfactory operation.
14.2.11* Test Duration. The fire pump or foam concentrate pump shall be in operation for not less than 1 hour total time during all of the foregoing tests.
14.2.12* Electronic Fuel Management (ECM). For engines with electronic fuel management (ECM) control systems, a function test of both the primary and the alternate ECM shall be conducted.
14.3* Record Drawings, Test Reports, Manuals, Special Tools, and Spare Parts.
14.3.1 One set of record drawings shall be provided to the building owner.
14.3.2 One copy of the completed test report shall be provi‐
ded to the building owner.
14.3.3* One set of instruction manuals for all major compo‐
nents of the fire pump system shall be supplied by the manu‐
facturer of each major component.
14.3.4 The manual shall contain the following:
(1) A detailed explanation of the operation of the compo‐
(2) Instructions for routine maintenancenent (3) Detailed instructions concerning repairs (4) Parts list and parts identification
(5) Schematic electrical drawings of controller, transfer switch, and fire pump control panels
(6)* List of recommended spare parts and lubricants
14.3.5 Any special tools and testing devices required for routine maintenance shall be available for inspection by the authority having jurisdiction at the time of the field acceptance test.
14.4 Periodic Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance. Fire pumps shall be inspected, tested, and maintained in accord‐
ance with NFPA 25.
plate, and the results shall be within the accuracy limits of field testing as stated elsewhere in this standard.
14.5.2 Centrifugal Pumps.
14.5.2.1 Whenever a critical path component in a piece of centrifugal pump equipment is replaced, changed, or modi‐
fied, a field/on-site retest shall be performed.
14.5.2.2 The replacement of components in fire pumps, fire pump controllers, and drivers shall be performed by factory- authorized representatives or qualified persons acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
14.5.2.3* When an ECM on an electronic fuel management–
controlled engine is replaced, the replacement ECM shall include the same software programming that was in the origi‐
nal ECM.
14.5.2.4 Component Replacement. The requirements of Table 8.6.1 of NFPA 25 shall be followed for component replacement testing.
14.5.2.4.1 Replacement parts shall be provided that will main‐
tain the listing for the fire pump component whenever possi‐
ble.
14.5.2.4.2 If it is not possible to maintain the listing of a component or if the component was not originally listed for fire protection use, the replacement parts shall meet or exceed the quality of the parts being replaced.
14.5.2.5 Critical path components include the following features of the pump equipment:
(1) Fire pumps
(a) Impeller, casing (b) Gear drives
(2) Fire pump controllers (electric or diesel): total replace‐
(3) Electric motor, steam turbines, or diesel engine driversment (a) Electric motor replacement
(b) Steam turbine replacement or rebuild (c) Steam regulator or source upgrade (d) Engine replacement or engine rebuild
14.5.2.6 Whenever replacement, change, or modification to a critical path component is performed on a fire pump, driver, or controller, as described in 14.5.2.5, a new acceptance test shall be conducted by the pump manufacturer, factory- authorized representative, or qualified persons acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
14.5.2.7 Field Retests.
14.5.2.7.1 The field retest results shall be compared to the original pump performance as indicated by the original factory-certified test curve, whenever it is available.
14.5.2.7.2 The field retest results shall meet or exceed the performance characteristics as indicated on the pump name‐
plate, and they shall be within the accuracy limits of field test‐
ing as stated elsewhere in this standard.
Annex A Explanatory Material
Annex A is not a part of the requirements of this NFPA document but is included for informational purposes only. This annex contains explan‐
atory material, numbered to correspond with the applicable text para‐
graphs.
A.1.1 For more information, see NFPA 25 and NFPA 70, Arti‐
cle 695.
A.3.2.1 Approved. The National Fire Protection Association does not approve, inspect, or certify any installations, proce‐
dures, equipment, or materials; nor does it approve or evaluate testing laboratories. In determining the acceptability of installa‐
tions, procedures, equipment, or materials, the authority having jurisdiction may base acceptance on compliance with NFPA or other appropriate standards. In the absence of such standards, said authority may require evidence of proper instal‐
lation, procedure, or use. The authority having jurisdiction may also refer to the listings or labeling practices of an organi‐
zation that is concerned with product evaluations and is thus in a position to determine compliance with appropriate standards for the current production of listed items.
A.3.2.2 Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). The phrase
“authority having jurisdiction,” or its acronym AHJ, is used in NFPA documents in a broad manner, since jurisdictions and approval agencies vary, as do their responsibilities. Where public safety is primary, the authority having jurisdiction may be a federal, state, local, or other regional department or indi‐
vidual such as a fire chief; fire marshal; chief of a fire preven‐
tion bureau, labor department, or health department; building official; electrical inspector; or others having statutory author‐
ity. For insurance purposes, an insurance inspection depart‐
ment, rating bureau, or other insurance company representative may be the authority having jurisdiction. In many circumstances, the property owner or his or her designa‐
ted agent assumes the role of the authority having jurisdiction;
at government installations, the commanding officer or depart‐
mental official may be the authority having jurisdiction.
A.3.2.3 Listed. The means for identifying listed equipment may vary for each organization concerned with product evalua‐
tion; some organizations do not recognize equipment as listed unless it is also labeled. The authority having jurisdiction should utilize the system employed by the listing organization to identify a listed product.
A.3.3.18.1 Diesel Engine. The oil-diesel engine operates on fuel oil injected near top dead center of the compression stroke. The combustion is effected within the working cylinder and not in external chambers.
A.3.3.29 Head. The unit for measuring head is the foot (meter). The relation between pressure expressed in pounds per square inch (bar) and pressure expressed in feet (meters) of head is expressed by the following formulas:
Head in feet Pressure in psi 0.433 specific gravity Head in
=
m
meters Pressure in bar 0.098 specific gravity
=
In terms of foot-pounds (meter-kilograms) of energy per pound (kilogram) of water, all head quantities have the dimen‐
[A.3.3.29]
ANNEX A 20-71
sions of feet (meters) of water. All pressure readings are converted into feet (meters) of the water being pumped. (See Figure A.3.3.29.)
A.3.3.29.3.1 Total Head (H), Horizontal Pumps. See Figure A.3.3.29.3.1. (Figure A.3.3.29.3.1 does not show the various types of pumps applicable.)
A.3.3.29.3.2 Total Head (H), Vertical Turbine Pumps. See Figure A.3.3.29.3.2.
A.3.3.29.6 Velocity Head (hv). For the purpose of this stand‐
ard, the velocity head is calculated using the average velocity, which can be obtained by dividing the flow in cubic feet per second (or cubic meters per second) by the actual area of pipe cross section in square feet (or square meters). The velocity head is the vertical distance a body would have to fall to acquire the velocity (v). The velocity head (hv) is expressed by the following formula:
h v
v = g
2
2 where:
v = velocity in the pipe [ft/sec (m/sec)]
g = acceleration due to gravity: 32.17 ft/sec2 (9.807 m/sec2) at sea level and 45 degrees latitude
[A.3.3.29.6]
Pump shaft centerline and datum elevation
Horizontal double-suction pump Pump centerline
First-stage volute CL
Datum elevation
Vertical double-suction pump Notes:
(1) For all types of horizontal shaft pumps (single-stage double- suction pump shown). Datum is same for multistage, single- (end) suction ANSI-type or any pump with a horizontal shaft.
(2) For all types of vertical shaft pumps (single-stage vertical double-suction pump shown). Datum is same for single- (end) suction, in-line, or any pump with a vertical shaft.
FIGURE A.3.3.29 Datum Elevation of Two Stationary Pump Designs.
A.3.3.42 No Flow (Churn, Shutoff). A small discharge of water is required to prevent the pump from overheating when operating under no flow (churn) conditions.
A.3.3.44 On-Site Standby Generator. It differs from an on-site power production facility in that it is not constantly producing power.
A.3.3.45 Peak Load. The maximum power requirements for a centrifugal pump typically occur when the pump is operating between 130 percent and 150 percent of the rated flow. The required power could continue to increase beyond 150 percent of rated flow, but NFPA 20 does not require testing beyond 150 percent of rated flow. The peak load can be determined by
Datum hv (discharge)
(velocity head) H
(total head)
hv (suction) (velocity head) Water level equivalent to suction gauge
reading Suction
gauge Discharge
gauge
Note: Installation with suction head above atmospheric pressure shown.
hd (total discharge
head)
Water level equivalent to
discharge gauge reading
hs (total suction
head)
FIGURE A.3.3.29.3.1 Total Head of All Types of Stationary (Not Vertical Turbine–Type) Fire Pumps.
hd (total discharge head)
hv (discharge) (velocity head)
Discharge gauge H
(total head)
Datum Ground level
Drawdown
Static water level h(vertical distance, datum to
pumping water level)
Pumping water level Water level equivalent to suction gauge
reading
FIGURE A.3.3.29.3.2 Total Head of Vertical Turbine–Type Fire Pumps.
Get more FREE standards from Standard Sharing Group and our chats
looking at the horsepower curve on the fire pump curve supplied by the pump manufacturer.
N A.3.3.47.2 Lowest Permissible Suction Pressure. The lowest pressure permitted by the authority having jurisdiction will likely be upstream of the backflow prevention device or at the connection to the water utility main. The permissible pressure at the pump suction could be lower than the limit stated by the authority having jurisdiction and could be determined by adding the friction loss and pressure elevation change between the cited location and the fire pump suction.
A.3.3.47.3 Net Pressure (Differential Pressure). The net pres‐
sure (differential pressure) includes the difference in velocity head correction (pressure) from the pump discharge to the pump suction. In many cases, the difference in suction and discharge velocity head correction (pressure) is small and can be ignored without adversely affecting the evaluation of the pump performance.
A.3.3.49.11 Multistage Multiport Pump. A multistage multi‐
port pump functions similarly to fire pumps arranged in series.
The primary difference between a multistage multiport pump and fire pumps arranged in series is that individual drivers are required for fire pumps arranged in series, and no shutoff valve is provided between the impellers on a multistage multiport pump.