Wet Pipe

Sprinkler
Presentation
Wet systems are the most common and reliable types of
sprinkler systems. This is because no equipment other than
the sprinkler heads are required to operate.
Wet systems use automatic sprinkler heads attached to piping
containing water and connected to a water supply. Water will
be discharged immediately from an open sprinkler.
Straight Pipe
(Shotgun) Riser
This type of system does not have an alarm check valve. It
may have a riser check valve similar to the one shown here.
It has a main pipe, (Riser), being fed directly from the water
supply. The Riser goes through a mainshut off valve which is
usually an OS&Y or Butterfly valve. There will be a 2” main
drain immediately above the main control valve. On this
drawing, the main drain is part of the riser check valve.
Retard times on the water flow switches are generally set for
30-40 seconds.
The AHJ or engineer may require a different retard time. The
retard is needed to prevent false alarms due to water surges.
The water flow switch will trip after a continuous flow of at
least 10gpm for the length of time the retard is set for.

These systems MUST use a vane [paddle] type of flow

switch. There is no way to use a pressure switch on these
types of systems.
Potter recommends that the water flow switch be installed at
least 24” above the check valve or shut off valve. This is to
prevent any turbulence caused by the valves from affecting
the operation of the switch.

If the system has a riser check valve similar to the one

shown here, there may be two gauges, 1 indicates the
supply pressure and the other indicates the system pressure.
The system gauge will usually read higher than the supply
gauge, this is because any pressure increases in the supply
line should be captured by the check valve, so if the supply
pressure drops, the system pressure should stay the same.
The system gauge should not go down. If the two gauges
always read the same, the check valve may not be holding
Branch Lines
This represents a typical branch line on a multi story
building. The riser comes up and branches off on every floor.
There is a shut off valve for the branch, so that, that section
can be shut off if necessary and the rest of the system will
remain operational.

There will be a flow switch for each branch line along with
test and drain valves.

Frequently the test & drain assembly will be immediately

after the flow switch as shown here. Occasionally the test
valve will be located at the end of the branch line.

The inspectors test valve is supposed to simulate the

smallest sprinkler head on the branch. The valve should also
be labeled “INSPECTORS TEST VALVE”
Branch Lines
When the inspectors test valve is opened, it simulates an
opening of the smallest sprinkler on that line. If the valve is
left open for the amount of time the retard is set for, the flow
switch will trip.

There may be a sightglass on the system so that the water

can be observed while it is flowing.
Wet Systems
with Alarm
Check Valves
There are three ways to monitor
for water flow on a system with
an alarm valve.
Wet Systems
with Alarm
Check Valves
(1) A Pressure type flow switch
installed on top of a retard
chamber:
An alarm check valve is basically a check valve with an
alarm port. The main purpose of the alarm check valve is to
ring a mechanical bell called a water motor gong. The valve
should, (if properly maintained), help hold the system
pressure steady and reduce the possibility of false alarms.
Under normal circumstances, the clapper of the valve is
closed, blocking the alarm port, maintaining the system
pressure, and preventing the sprinkler system water from
leaking back into the city supply. When a sprinkler opens
due to fire, or there is a large surge in the city pressure, the
clapper of the valve opens. The alarm port is now exposed
to the incoming water supply. When the pressure at the
PS10 reaches 6psi, the pressure switch trips.
These systems can use a vane type flow switch with a retard
or they can use a pressure type flow switch. The pressure
type flow switch would be installed on the alarm port, in line
with a water motor gong if one is being used. The pressure
switch must be installed on top of a retard chamber to
prevent false alarms due to water surges.

Retard chambers are metal containers that fill with water

when there is a surge in city pressure. They absorb the
pressure increase thereby allowing the pressure switch to
only operate in an actual alarm condition.
Wet Systems
with Alarm
Check Valves
Here the clapper of the valve is opening allowing water to
flow into the alarm port, and the retard chamber is starting to
fill. If this were just a surge in the supply, the retard chamber
would only partially fill. The pressure at the PS10 would not
reach 6psi so the device would not trip.

There must be an automatic drain on this line to allow the

water to drain and the pressure to drop back to zero so the
pressure switch can reset after a surge or activation of the
alarm valve.

Since the retard chambers are metal containers that are

constantly getting wet and drying out, they require
maintenance to make sure that the drain stays clear and
doesn't get clogged with rust or corrosion. If a surge does
not drain from the retard chamber before another surge
happens, the retard chamber may fill causing the pressure
switch to send a false alarm.

On the left side of the alarm valve there is a bypass line with
a check valve and 2 pressure gauges. This allows small
surges to flow through here to build up the system pressure
causing excessive wear and tear on the clapper of the alarm
valve. The gauges show the system pressure and the supply
pressure, The system gauge will usually read higher than the
supply gauge, it should never read lower. The 2 gauges will
read the same immediately after a surge in supply pressure
and until the supply pressure drops back down. If the system
gauge drops down with the supply gauge, the clapper of the
alarm check valve is not seating properly and needs to be
serviced.
Wet Systems
with Alarm
Check Valves
(2) A Pressure type flow switch
with a built in retard:
This is the same type of system except this one uses a
pressure switch with a built in retard instead of installing the
pressure switch on top of the retard chamber. In this case
the retard chamber is only being used to delay the water
motor gong. If there is no water motor gong, the retard
chamber can be eliminated.

The retard time will start when the pressure at the WFSR-F
reaches 6psi. The pressure must remain there for the length
of time the retard is set in order for the device to trip.

Pressure type flow switches can be installed without disabling

the sprinkler system. Since they are installed on the alarm
port, there is no pressure or water present under normal
conditions. The sprinkler system does not have to be
drained, they can be installed without shutting off the water
supply. Therefore the sprinkler system is never out of
service.
A pressure switch with a built in retard allows the system to
remain operational at all times, and eliminates the
maintenance required on the retard chamber. An automatic
drain is still required to relieve the pressure on the line.

Note: All water control valves should be supervised.

Pressure type flow switches must be installed before any

shut off valve, or such valve must be electronically
supervised if the sprinkler system is required to be
supervised in accordance with NFPA72
Wet Systems
with Alarm
Check Valves
Here a sprinkler fused so the alarm valve will remain open
due to water flowing from the supply out through the open
sprinkler.

The water filled the retard chamber and is being discharged

through the water motor gong.

The WFSR-F tripped because there was pressure in the

alarm line for the length of time the retard was set.

The BVS is a supervised ball valve that is used as an alarm

shutoff valve for the WFSR-F and water motor gong.
Wet Systems
with Alarm
Check Valves
(3) Vane Type Water Flow
Switches:
A vane type flow switch can be used just like on a straight
pipe riser system.

However, one of the benefits of the alarm valve is that it

allows the waterflow switch to be installed or replaced
without draining the sprinkler system. Therefore the sprinkler
system can remain in service while the flow switch is being
replaced.
Test valve
location
The trim on the alarm valves allows for testing of the
pressure type flow switch without flowing water throughout
the entire system.

There is an alarm test valve that is connected to the supply

water before the alarm valve. When this valve is opened it
allows water to flow from the supply to the pressure switches
and bells.