# fire sprinkler flow switch



## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Anyone wire smoke detectors to a flow switch. Ive got the fire marshall coming to sign off on my residential sprinklers and my electrical sub is having problems getting them to go off simultaniously when you flip the flow switch. I thought id run it through here before I fire him


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## Stephen Foster (Jul 3, 2013)

Low voltage interconnected, high voltage interconnected or high voltage wireless?


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

Fire him. If he isn't sure what to do, the fire marshal will be all over him like caramel on a candy apple... stick and all :laughing:

But to give you some insight for your own information, there are generally two types of fire alarm systems (if we are talking about one that is centrally controlled through a main box or control panel) 

The first type entails a group of devices grouped together on a single circuit that will activate the entire fire alarm system if any of the devices detect a problem.

The second type is the addressable system where every device has it's own identification number so that you can reference exactly which smoke detector was activated or which exact area of the building is being affected.

In the first type of system, the flow switch is daisy-chained to the smoke detector so that when the flow is activated, it shorts the circuit and activates the alarm. In the second type of system, the flow switch has to be connected to an addressable module that communicates back to the main control panel. 

There is much more to this that I would have to explain in detail if you need more understanding so feel free to PM me if you need further help. But as I said earlier, if your guy doesn't know what he is doing, he isn't going to learn through this forum. Get a real fire alarm technician to do it.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Flow switches are usually a zone all by itself, never connected to other devices. If he is trying to get the flow switch to trip interconnected devices w/o a control panel it will not work because it cannot trip all of the interconnected zones. Flow switches are usually in systems with a control panel and are on a supervised zone, meaning the wiring is monitored all of the time. There is usually a tamper switch on that zone as well to identify when the water supply is turned off to the sprinkler system, when the valve is off the panel will go into trouble mode for that zone.

Fire him anyway


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Stephen Foster said:


> Low voltage interconnected, high voltage interconnected or high voltage wireless?


Just talked to another commercial electrician he said it needs a relay so when the Bell goods off it sends 9 volts to all the smoke ditectors. So if it doesn't have a relay it will burn out all the detectors. Assuming the relay has a transformer in it. Does this sound right?


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

A flow switch is just a normally open contact that closes when water moves the vane in the pipe. The easiest way to get it to work is by having a control panel with zones and a bell zone, not by using interconnected smokes where the sound comes from the smokes.

A relay is just another set of contacts, same as the flow switch. You need separate bells/horns for it to work properly.

Seems like a backwards way of doing it.
Is it a commercial building?


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

its a very simple residential job. Ive already got most of my inspections, all new homes here in California require sprinklers. I will just hire someone else. Fire sprinkler sub is very reputable. He had his electrician call me and we're going to work something out.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

It might be this?

http://www.cesco.com/b2c/product/262773


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

Do you have the model numbers of the smoke detectors? That would be helpful by allowing us to look up the specs to see if it has any kind of relay input of sorts. If that's the case, then it will be as simple as hooking up 2 wires and it's a done deal.

What is the desired result? Based on what I read, I am understanding that if the sprinkler system is activated, the flow switch should trigger the smoke detectors. Is this correct or am I misunderstanding your question?


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## Stephen Foster (Jul 3, 2013)

The question is very easy to answer but you have to provide the necessary information. Go get the model number of the smokes.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

tedanderson said:


> Do you have the model numbers of the smoke detectors? That would be helpful by allowing us to look up the specs to see if it has any kind of relay input of sorts. If that's the case, then it will be as simple as hooking up 2 wires and it's a done deal.
> 
> What is the desired result? Based on what I read, I am understanding that if the sprinkler system is activated, the flow switch should trigger the smoke detectors. Is this correct or am I misunderstanding your question?


Yes this is correct. Thanks


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Stephen Foster said:


> The question is very easy to answer but you have to provide the necessary information. Go get the model number of the smokes.


I might have to change the detectors out, ill get the numbers Monday. Thanks


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Never done this myself but here is a link i found for Kidde smokes.
http://www.firebusters.com/downloads/smoke-detector.pdf

It would seem using figure #3 you could use the flow switch in place of the heat detector. At least for this brand of smoke anyway.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

woodchuck2 said:


> Never done this myself but here is a link i found for Kidde smokes.
> http://www.firebusters.com/downloads/smoke-detector.pdf
> 
> It would seem using figure #3 you could use the flow switch in place of the heat detector. At least for this brand of smoke anyway.


That's it right there, thanks woodchuck. :thumbsup:


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## floornerd (May 14, 2013)

Californiadecks said:


> Anyone wire smoke detectors to a flow switch. Ive got the fire marshall coming to sign off on my residential sprinklers and my electrical sub is having problems getting them to go off simultaniously when you flip the flow switch. I thought id run it through here before I fire him


It wouldn't be wired directly to flow switch, it would be wired to a panel then panel to flow switch unless you have a smoke detected right next to every head.... That's silliness?!


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

floornerd said:


> It wouldn't be wired directly to flow switch, it would be wired to a panel then panel to flow switch unless you have a smoke detected right next to every head.... That's silliness?!


Actually that's incorrect I've already got my fire inspection and am done with that. It was a simple relay module that connected all the smokes to the flow switch. It took my electrician all but about 30 minutes to correct. There is no panel, just a flow switch. When the sprinklers are activated it triggers a switch when the water pressure drops, which then triggers the module that sends 9 volts to all the smokes. They worked like a charm. :thumbsup:


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## floornerd (May 14, 2013)

Californiadecks said:


> Actually that's incorrect I've already got my fire inspection and am done with that. It was a simple relay module that connected all the smokes to the flow switch. It took my electrician all but about 30 minutes to correct. There is no panel, just a flow switch. When the sprinklers are activated it triggers a switch when the water pressure drops, which then triggers the module that sends 9 volts to all the smokes. They worked like a charm. :thumbsup:


Is this a dry head system? or is the plumbing from fixture to sprinkler? and if you have one smoke detector that goes off then the entire system gets ready? What happens when you have a false alarm you will need to get all the dry heads changed out..... Correct?


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

floornerd said:


> Is this a dry head system? or is the plumbing from fixture to sprinkler? and if you have one smoke detector that goes off then the entire system gets ready? What happens when you have a false alarm you will need to get all the dry heads changed out..... Correct?


No it's not a dry head system, when you say panel yes it has an access panel but not a computerized control panel. It's pretty simple. Sprinklers are plumbed in from a 1-1/4" main every room in the house has them. The smokes don't trigger the sprinklers or the fire bell. It's the other way around, when a sprinkler goes off it triggers the fire bell and all the smokes in the home. All this is through the flow switch.


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