Where should the fire department connection be installed when required?

Where should the fire department connection be installed when required?

• A. On the supply side of the proportioner
• B. On the discharge side of the foam proportioner
• C. Inside the building near the control panel
• D. On the exterior wall near the main entrance

Answer: (B)

Foam-water systems rely on a dedicated proportioner to mix foam concentrate into the water before it enters the sprinkler piping. Placing the fire department connection on the discharge side of the foam proportioner ensures that the external water supplied by firefighters enters the system after the foam has been proportioned and mixed. This arrangement helps maintain the intended foam-to-water ratio and prevents backflow or interference with the proportioning process, while still allowing firefighters to boost system supply from an accessible exterior connection. If the connection were on the supply side of the proportioner, water from the fire department could bypass the intended proportioning sequence, potentially upsetting the foam concentration and complicating system operation. Inside the building near the control panel isn’t accessible to firefighters and isn’t the standard external access point, and simply placing the connection on an exterior wall near the main entrance doesn’t address the required relationship to the proportioner.

Foam-water systems rely on a dedicated proportioner to mix foam concentrate into the water before it enters the sprinkler piping. Placing the fire department connection on the discharge side of the foam proportioner ensures that the external water supplied by firefighters enters the system after the foam has been proportioned and mixed. This arrangement helps maintain the intended foam-to-water ratio and prevents backflow or interference with the proportioning process, while still allowing firefighters to boost system supply from an accessible exterior connection.

If the connection were on the supply side of the proportioner, water from the fire department could bypass the intended proportioning sequence, potentially upsetting the foam concentration and complicating system operation. Inside the building near the control panel isn’t accessible to firefighters and isn’t the standard external access point, and simply placing the connection on an exterior wall near the main entrance doesn’t address the required relationship to the proportioner.