S12 Certificate of Fitness Sprinkler Exam
Questions and Answers
-vExhaustvsystemv-vcheckvforvanyvleakage,vthevdrainvcondensatevtrapvweekly;v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
-vThevvalvevenclosurevheatingvequipmentvsubjectvtovfreezingvconditionsvshallvbevinspectedv----
vduringvcoldvweathervforvitsvabilityvtovmaintainvavminimumvtemperaturevofvatvleastv4°Cv(40°F);v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-daily
-vValvesvenclosuresvequippedvwithvlowvtemperaturevalarmsvshallvbevinspectedv----
duringvcoldvweather.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-weekly
----vcanvbevusedvtovboostvwatervpressurevandvvolumevforvwatervbased
firevprotectionvsystems.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Firevpumps
----
visvAvconditionvinvwhichvthevapplicationvofvthevcomponentvisvnotvwithinvitsvdesignedvlimitsvorvspecific
ationsv-vCORRECTvANSWER-Deficiancy
----
visvAvdeficiencyvthat,vifvnotvcorrected,vcanvhavevanveffectvonvthevperformancevofvthevfirevprotectionvsy
stem.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-CRITICALvDEFICIENCY
----
visvAvsprinklervfabricatedvwithvcorrosionvresistantvmaterials,vorvspecialvcoatingsvtovbevusedvinvanvatm
ospherevthatvwouldvcorrodevstandardvsprinklers.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-CORROSION-
RESISTANTvSPRINKLER
----
visvAvsprinklervsystemvemployingvopenvsprinklersvthatvarevattachedvtovavpipingvsystemvthatvisvconnec
tedvtovavwatervsupplyvthroughvavvalvevthatvisvopenedvbyvthevoperationvofvavdetectionvsystemvinstalled
vinvthevsamevareasvasvthevsprinklers.vWhenvthisvvalvevopens,vwatervflowsvintovthevpipingvsystemvandv
dischargesvfromvallvsprinklersvattached.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-DELUGEvSPRINKLERvSYSTEM
----
visvAnvapprovedvsystemvofvdevicesvandvequipmentvwhichvdetectsvavfirevandvdischargesvanvapprovedvf
irevextinguishingvagentvontovorvinvthevareavofvavfire.vSuchvtermvincludesvautomaticvsystemsvand,vwhe
revsuchvsystemsvarevauthorizedvbyvthisvcodevorvthevBuildingvCode,vmanuallyvactivatedvsystems.v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-FIREvEXTINGUISHINGvSYSTEM
,----
vshallvnotvbevusedvtovfastenvthevsystemvorvbuildingvattachmentsvtovthevstructure.vHangersvusedvwithv
----vpipingvmustvbevlistedvforvusevwithvthevpipingvmaterial.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-plastic
----vshouldvnotvbevallowedvtovbuild-
upvonvthevgravityvtank.vThevextravweightvofvitvmightvweakenvthevsupportsvofvthevtankvandvcausevthevta
nkvtovcollapsev-vCORRECTvANSWER-ice
----
vsupervisionvdevicesvmonitorvthevwatervtemperaturevandvthevwatervlevelvinvthevgravityvtank.Thesevde
vicesvsendvsignalsvtovanvapprovedvcentralvstationvcompanyvaboutvthevwatervlevelvandvwatervtempera
ture.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Electrical
----vsystemsvmustvbevinstalledvtovputvoutvfiresvthatvstartvinvthevcompactorvchute.v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-Sprinkler
-----vandv-----
Impairmentvcoordinators/buildingvownersvshallvensurevthevplacementvofvthesevtagsvbyvMFSPC'svorv
MPv(asvrestricted).v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Impairmentvcoordinators/buildingvowners
-----
vsprinklervheadvpervsystemvtowardvthevendvofvonevbranchvlinevshallvalsovbevremoved.vThisvisvdonevforv
investigatingvforvthevpresencevofvforeignvorganicvorvinorganicvmaterial.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-1
------
visvAvsprinklervsystemvemployingvautomaticvsprinklersvthatvarevattachedvtovavpipingvsystemvcontaini
ngvairvorvnitrogenvundervpressure.vThevreleasevofvthevairvorvnitrogen,(asvfromvthevopeningvofvavsprinkl
er)vresultsvinvthevwatervpressurevopeningvavvalvevknownvasvavdryvpipevvalve,vresultingvinvthevflowvofvw
atervintovthevpipingvsystemvandvoutvofvthevfusedvsprinklersvheads.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
DRYvPIPEvSPRINKLERvSYSTEM
----
Avpumpvthatvisvavprovidervofvliquidvflowvandvpressurevdedicatedvtovfirevprotection.vAvfirevpumpvisvavpa
rtvofvavfirevsprinklervsystem'svwatervsupplyvandvcanvbevpoweredvbyvelectric,vdieselvorvsteam.vThevpum
pvintakevisveithervconnectedvtovthevpublicvundergroundvwatervsupplyvpipingvorvavstaticvwatervsourcev(
e.g.,vtank,vreservoir,vlake).vThevpumpvprovidesvwatervflowvatvhighervpressurevtovthevsprinklervsystemv
risersvandvhosevstandpipes.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-FIREvPUMP
----arevdesignedvtovcontrolvavfirevuntilvitsvoriginalvfuelvsourcevisvdepletedvorvuntilvfire-
fightingvactivitiesvcanvcommence.vAvfirevisvcontrolledvbyvcoolingvthevceiling-
levelvairvtemperatures,vreducingvthevfire'svratevofvheatvreleasevandvpre-
wettingvadjacentvcombustibles.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
CONTROLvMODEvSPECIFICvAPPLICATIONvSPRINKLERSv(CMSA)
,----
arevlikelyvtovmakevautomaticvsprinklersvinoperativevorvslowvdownvthevspeedvofvoperation.vTheyvcanva
lsovseriouslyvblockvthevsprayvnozzlesvinvthevsprinklervheads.vTheyvcanvdamage,vweakenvorvdestroyvth
evdelicatevpartsvofvthevsprinklervheads.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-corosivevvapors
----isvavconditionvwhereva
suddenvincreasevinvpressurevmayvcausevthevvalvevto
trip.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-WatervHammer
----
isvAvdeficiencyvthatvdoesvnotvhavevanveffectvonvthevperformancevofvthevfirevprotectionvsystem,vbutvco
rrectionvisvneededvforvthevpropervinspection,vtesting,vandvmaintenancevofvthevsystem(s)v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-NONvCRITICALvDEFICIENCY
----isvanvindicatingvtypevofvcontrolvvalvevusedvforvfirevsprinklervsystem.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
OSv&vYvvalv
----
loadedvsprinklervheadsvwithvnewvsprinklervheadsvrathervthanvattemptingvtovcleanvthem.vIfvthevdeposi
tsvarevhard,vattemptsvtovcleanvthevheadsvarevlikelyvtovdamagevthem.vThisvdamagevmayvpreventvthevsp
rinklervheadsvfromvworkingvproperly.vThevdamagevmayvalsovcausevthevsprinklervheadvtovleak.v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-Replace
----pumpsvsupplyvthevwatervtovmostvgravityvtanksv-vCORRECTvANSWER-Automaticvfill
----
Switchesvhavevavpaddlevinsertedvinsidevthevmainvsupplyvpipingvperpendicularvtovthevdirectionvofvflo
w.vUponvwaterflow,vthevpaddlevswitchvtransmitsvanvalarm.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
Vanevtypevwaterflowv-
----systemsvarevdesignedvforvsituationsvwherevtherevisvdangervofvseriousvwater
damage.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Preaction
---,---,---vandvothervdebrisvmayvcausevdamagevtovthevpumpvorvobstructvthevsprinklervsystemvpipingv-
vCORRECTvANSWER-mud,vgravelvandvleaves
.vSprinklervsystemvsupervisionvisvcommonlyvprovidedvforvseveralvpurposes.vTheyvarevusedvtov-
vCORRECTvANSWER-
1)vwatervsupplyvcontrolvvalves,v2)vlowvwatervlevelvinvwatervsupplyvtanks,v3)vlowvtemperaturevinvwaterv
supplyvtanksvorvgroundvlevelvreservoirs,v4)vhighvorvlowvwatervlevelvinvpressurevtanks,v5)vhighvorvlowvair
vpressurevinvpressurevtanks,v6)vhighvorvlowvairvpressurevinvdryvpipevorvpre-
actionvsprinklervsystems,v7)vfailurevofvelectricvpowervsupplyvorvphasevreversalvtovfirevpumpsvand,v8)v
automaticvoperationvofvelectricvfirevpumps.
, .vThevsprinklervsystemvcannotvbevsuppliedvifvtherevisvnotvenoughv-vCORRECTvANSWER-
watervinvthevtank
.Avpressurevtankvisvusuallyvhousedvinvanv----vstucturev-vCORRECTvANSWER-enclosed
(centrifug)Av----
vtankvcanvbevusedvifvthevtankvsuppliesvthevpumpvduevtovgravity.vsupplyvsource.vAvwatervtankvcanvbevu
sedvifvthevtankvsuppliesvthevpumpvduevtovgravity.vInvothervwordsvthevweightvofvthevwatervforcesvthevw
atervtovflowvintovthevpumpv-vCORRECTvANSWER-water
(dryvpiping)Invmostvcasesvthe
airvpressurevinvthevpipingvisvcontrolledv-vCORRECTvANSWER-
automaticallyvbyvanvairvmaintenancevdevice
(FDC)v.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
(FDC)Avworkingvspacevofvnotvlessvthan
----vinchesvinvwidth,v----vinchesvinvdepthvandv----vinchesvinvheightvshallvbevprovidedvand
maintainedvinvfrontvofvandvaroundvwall-mountedvandvfree-standingvfirevdepartment
connections,vexceptvasvotherwisevrequiredvorvapproved.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-36/26/78
(gravity)vDuringvfreezingvweather,vthevtemperaturev
ofvthevwatervinsidevthevtankvandvthevriservmustvbevcheckedv(howvoften)v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
dailyvorvweekly
(gravity)vThevpumpsvfillvthevtankvatvavratevofv----
vgpmv(gallonsvpervminute)vorvmore.vThevfloatsvturnvonvthev----
vpumpvwhenvthevwatervinvthevtankvisvtoovlow.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-65/fill
(howvman)devicesvarevusedvtovreducevthevtimevneededvtovopenvthevclappervandvallowvwatervinto
thevsystem.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-2
(PIV)vThevbuildingvorvsectionvofvthevbuildingvcontrolledvby
thevvalvevisvusuallyvmarkedvonvthev-vCORRECTvANSWER-post
(preaction)Watervdamagevisvusuallyvcausedvby----vorv----
.vUndernormalvconditionsvtherevisvnovwatervinvthevpiping.vThevairvinvthevpipingvmayvorvmayvnotvbe
undervpressure.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-damagedvsprinklers/brokenvpiping.
(pressvtankvalarm)vThevalarmvsystemvautomaticallyvmonitorsvthevair-to-
watervvolumevratiovwhichvshouldvalwaysvbev1v(---)vtov2v(----).v-vCORRECTvANSWER-air/water
(pressurevtank)vsome
Questions and Answers
-vExhaustvsystemv-vcheckvforvanyvleakage,vthevdrainvcondensatevtrapvweekly;v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
-vThevvalvevenclosurevheatingvequipmentvsubjectvtovfreezingvconditionsvshallvbevinspectedv----
vduringvcoldvweathervforvitsvabilityvtovmaintainvavminimumvtemperaturevofvatvleastv4°Cv(40°F);v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-daily
-vValvesvenclosuresvequippedvwithvlowvtemperaturevalarmsvshallvbevinspectedv----
duringvcoldvweather.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-weekly
----vcanvbevusedvtovboostvwatervpressurevandvvolumevforvwatervbased
firevprotectionvsystems.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Firevpumps
----
visvAvconditionvinvwhichvthevapplicationvofvthevcomponentvisvnotvwithinvitsvdesignedvlimitsvorvspecific
ationsv-vCORRECTvANSWER-Deficiancy
----
visvAvdeficiencyvthat,vifvnotvcorrected,vcanvhavevanveffectvonvthevperformancevofvthevfirevprotectionvsy
stem.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-CRITICALvDEFICIENCY
----
visvAvsprinklervfabricatedvwithvcorrosionvresistantvmaterials,vorvspecialvcoatingsvtovbevusedvinvanvatm
ospherevthatvwouldvcorrodevstandardvsprinklers.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-CORROSION-
RESISTANTvSPRINKLER
----
visvAvsprinklervsystemvemployingvopenvsprinklersvthatvarevattachedvtovavpipingvsystemvthatvisvconnec
tedvtovavwatervsupplyvthroughvavvalvevthatvisvopenedvbyvthevoperationvofvavdetectionvsystemvinstalled
vinvthevsamevareasvasvthevsprinklers.vWhenvthisvvalvevopens,vwatervflowsvintovthevpipingvsystemvandv
dischargesvfromvallvsprinklersvattached.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-DELUGEvSPRINKLERvSYSTEM
----
visvAnvapprovedvsystemvofvdevicesvandvequipmentvwhichvdetectsvavfirevandvdischargesvanvapprovedvf
irevextinguishingvagentvontovorvinvthevareavofvavfire.vSuchvtermvincludesvautomaticvsystemsvand,vwhe
revsuchvsystemsvarevauthorizedvbyvthisvcodevorvthevBuildingvCode,vmanuallyvactivatedvsystems.v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-FIREvEXTINGUISHINGvSYSTEM
,----
vshallvnotvbevusedvtovfastenvthevsystemvorvbuildingvattachmentsvtovthevstructure.vHangersvusedvwithv
----vpipingvmustvbevlistedvforvusevwithvthevpipingvmaterial.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-plastic
----vshouldvnotvbevallowedvtovbuild-
upvonvthevgravityvtank.vThevextravweightvofvitvmightvweakenvthevsupportsvofvthevtankvandvcausevthevta
nkvtovcollapsev-vCORRECTvANSWER-ice
----
vsupervisionvdevicesvmonitorvthevwatervtemperaturevandvthevwatervlevelvinvthevgravityvtank.Thesevde
vicesvsendvsignalsvtovanvapprovedvcentralvstationvcompanyvaboutvthevwatervlevelvandvwatervtempera
ture.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Electrical
----vsystemsvmustvbevinstalledvtovputvoutvfiresvthatvstartvinvthevcompactorvchute.v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-Sprinkler
-----vandv-----
Impairmentvcoordinators/buildingvownersvshallvensurevthevplacementvofvthesevtagsvbyvMFSPC'svorv
MPv(asvrestricted).v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Impairmentvcoordinators/buildingvowners
-----
vsprinklervheadvpervsystemvtowardvthevendvofvonevbranchvlinevshallvalsovbevremoved.vThisvisvdonevforv
investigatingvforvthevpresencevofvforeignvorganicvorvinorganicvmaterial.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-1
------
visvAvsprinklervsystemvemployingvautomaticvsprinklersvthatvarevattachedvtovavpipingvsystemvcontaini
ngvairvorvnitrogenvundervpressure.vThevreleasevofvthevairvorvnitrogen,(asvfromvthevopeningvofvavsprinkl
er)vresultsvinvthevwatervpressurevopeningvavvalvevknownvasvavdryvpipevvalve,vresultingvinvthevflowvofvw
atervintovthevpipingvsystemvandvoutvofvthevfusedvsprinklersvheads.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
DRYvPIPEvSPRINKLERvSYSTEM
----
Avpumpvthatvisvavprovidervofvliquidvflowvandvpressurevdedicatedvtovfirevprotection.vAvfirevpumpvisvavpa
rtvofvavfirevsprinklervsystem'svwatervsupplyvandvcanvbevpoweredvbyvelectric,vdieselvorvsteam.vThevpum
pvintakevisveithervconnectedvtovthevpublicvundergroundvwatervsupplyvpipingvorvavstaticvwatervsourcev(
e.g.,vtank,vreservoir,vlake).vThevpumpvprovidesvwatervflowvatvhighervpressurevtovthevsprinklervsystemv
risersvandvhosevstandpipes.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-FIREvPUMP
----arevdesignedvtovcontrolvavfirevuntilvitsvoriginalvfuelvsourcevisvdepletedvorvuntilvfire-
fightingvactivitiesvcanvcommence.vAvfirevisvcontrolledvbyvcoolingvthevceiling-
levelvairvtemperatures,vreducingvthevfire'svratevofvheatvreleasevandvpre-
wettingvadjacentvcombustibles.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
CONTROLvMODEvSPECIFICvAPPLICATIONvSPRINKLERSv(CMSA)
,----
arevlikelyvtovmakevautomaticvsprinklersvinoperativevorvslowvdownvthevspeedvofvoperation.vTheyvcanva
lsovseriouslyvblockvthevsprayvnozzlesvinvthevsprinklervheads.vTheyvcanvdamage,vweakenvorvdestroyvth
evdelicatevpartsvofvthevsprinklervheads.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-corosivevvapors
----isvavconditionvwhereva
suddenvincreasevinvpressurevmayvcausevthevvalvevto
trip.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-WatervHammer
----
isvAvdeficiencyvthatvdoesvnotvhavevanveffectvonvthevperformancevofvthevfirevprotectionvsystem,vbutvco
rrectionvisvneededvforvthevpropervinspection,vtesting,vandvmaintenancevofvthevsystem(s)v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-NONvCRITICALvDEFICIENCY
----isvanvindicatingvtypevofvcontrolvvalvevusedvforvfirevsprinklervsystem.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
OSv&vYvvalv
----
loadedvsprinklervheadsvwithvnewvsprinklervheadsvrathervthanvattemptingvtovcleanvthem.vIfvthevdeposi
tsvarevhard,vattemptsvtovcleanvthevheadsvarevlikelyvtovdamagevthem.vThisvdamagevmayvpreventvthevsp
rinklervheadsvfromvworkingvproperly.vThevdamagevmayvalsovcausevthevsprinklervheadvtovleak.v-
vCORRECTvANSWER-Replace
----pumpsvsupplyvthevwatervtovmostvgravityvtanksv-vCORRECTvANSWER-Automaticvfill
----
Switchesvhavevavpaddlevinsertedvinsidevthevmainvsupplyvpipingvperpendicularvtovthevdirectionvofvflo
w.vUponvwaterflow,vthevpaddlevswitchvtransmitsvanvalarm.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
Vanevtypevwaterflowv-
----systemsvarevdesignedvforvsituationsvwherevtherevisvdangervofvseriousvwater
damage.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-Preaction
---,---,---vandvothervdebrisvmayvcausevdamagevtovthevpumpvorvobstructvthevsprinklervsystemvpipingv-
vCORRECTvANSWER-mud,vgravelvandvleaves
.vSprinklervsystemvsupervisionvisvcommonlyvprovidedvforvseveralvpurposes.vTheyvarevusedvtov-
vCORRECTvANSWER-
1)vwatervsupplyvcontrolvvalves,v2)vlowvwatervlevelvinvwatervsupplyvtanks,v3)vlowvtemperaturevinvwaterv
supplyvtanksvorvgroundvlevelvreservoirs,v4)vhighvorvlowvwatervlevelvinvpressurevtanks,v5)vhighvorvlowvair
vpressurevinvpressurevtanks,v6)vhighvorvlowvairvpressurevinvdryvpipevorvpre-
actionvsprinklervsystems,v7)vfailurevofvelectricvpowervsupplyvorvphasevreversalvtovfirevpumpsvand,v8)v
automaticvoperationvofvelectricvfirevpumps.
, .vThevsprinklervsystemvcannotvbevsuppliedvifvtherevisvnotvenoughv-vCORRECTvANSWER-
watervinvthevtank
.Avpressurevtankvisvusuallyvhousedvinvanv----vstucturev-vCORRECTvANSWER-enclosed
(centrifug)Av----
vtankvcanvbevusedvifvthevtankvsuppliesvthevpumpvduevtovgravity.vsupplyvsource.vAvwatervtankvcanvbevu
sedvifvthevtankvsuppliesvthevpumpvduevtovgravity.vInvothervwordsvthevweightvofvthevwatervforcesvthevw
atervtovflowvintovthevpumpv-vCORRECTvANSWER-water
(dryvpiping)Invmostvcasesvthe
airvpressurevinvthevpipingvisvcontrolledv-vCORRECTvANSWER-
automaticallyvbyvanvairvmaintenancevdevice
(FDC)v.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
(FDC)Avworkingvspacevofvnotvlessvthan
----vinchesvinvwidth,v----vinchesvinvdepthvandv----vinchesvinvheightvshallvbevprovidedvand
maintainedvinvfrontvofvandvaroundvwall-mountedvandvfree-standingvfirevdepartment
connections,vexceptvasvotherwisevrequiredvorvapproved.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-36/26/78
(gravity)vDuringvfreezingvweather,vthevtemperaturev
ofvthevwatervinsidevthevtankvandvthevriservmustvbevcheckedv(howvoften)v-vCORRECTvANSWER-
dailyvorvweekly
(gravity)vThevpumpsvfillvthevtankvatvavratevofv----
vgpmv(gallonsvpervminute)vorvmore.vThevfloatsvturnvonvthev----
vpumpvwhenvthevwatervinvthevtankvisvtoovlow.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-65/fill
(howvman)devicesvarevusedvtovreducevthevtimevneededvtovopenvthevclappervandvallowvwatervinto
thevsystem.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-2
(PIV)vThevbuildingvorvsectionvofvthevbuildingvcontrolledvby
thevvalvevisvusuallyvmarkedvonvthev-vCORRECTvANSWER-post
(preaction)Watervdamagevisvusuallyvcausedvby----vorv----
.vUndernormalvconditionsvtherevisvnovwatervinvthevpiping.vThevairvinvthevpipingvmayvorvmayvnotvbe
undervpressure.v-vCORRECTvANSWER-damagedvsprinklers/brokenvpiping.
(pressvtankvalarm)vThevalarmvsystemvautomaticallyvmonitorsvthevair-to-
watervvolumevratiovwhichvshouldvalwaysvbev1v(---)vtov2v(----).v-vCORRECTvANSWER-air/water
(pressurevtank)vsome
