Sprinkler heads In Large Rooftop AHU

[Jeremiah187]

Has anyone ever heard of or seen sprinkler heads installed in a large rooftop unit with a side attached service space with large plenums.

I understand having heads in the service spaces, and large plenums, but having them in each section of the unit, ie: Coil section and fan section?

Any Questions or comments?

For instance if you had a rooftop unit large enough to get inside would you provide sprinkler heads inside? Does NFPA 13 cover this instance?

Cheers!

 

[cdafd]

Not normally

IF it was an entire room on top of the building with hvac yea maybe

Now if someone one is requireing it insurance, company policy or the such than yea I guess stick them in.

 

[stookeyfpe]

Its a piece of noncombustible equipment. Sprinklers are not required by NFPA 13.

And if an insurance company was wanting it, I would challenge it, especially if the RTU is located in a climate subject to freezing.

 

[FFP1]

I have seen automatic sprinklers in these spaces when the construction is combustible and I have seen sprinklers in these spaces at textile facilities (primarily due to the lint accumulation issue) even when the roof top "units" are non-combustible.

NFPA 13 does not specifically exclude or omit the requirement for sprinkler protection for this instance. I would be comfortable with these "units" being unsprinklered as long as the construction is completely NC or minimal combustible and there are no combustible contents (including lint accumulation).