How a fire sprinkler works. (featuring broken glass and spatter.)

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How a fire sprinkler works. (featuring broken glass and spatter.)

Рет қаралды 842,383

Күн бұрын

I didn't realise you could buy sprinkler heads on eBay until I was looking for something completely different. Being fond of workwear I was trying to find an American supplier who would ship a Carhartt R28 carpenters overall to the UK. I discovered that particular style of overall is very popular with mechanical trades because of the built-in tool pouch. That makes sense as standard tool belts are prone to slipping down your waist when loaded with tools and hardware.
Seeing images of sprinkler fitters wearing them then reminded me of how intriguing fire sprinkler heads are. Especially the mysterious little vial of coloured liquid. So it turns out that you can buy them from China on eBay from the electronic component suppliers. And they're very cheap, probably because they're a mass produced item. Apparently 40 million sprinkler heads are installed every year. It's also interesting to note that buildings with sprinklers tend to have 96% of fires extinguished by the sprinklers alone.
With these accessories readily available it opens up the possibility of fitting your own home sprinkler system in critical areas like workshops, and just hooking it up to the cold water supply if it has good pressure.
I did get the overall. It's really rugged compared to typical European workwear.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
www.bigclive.co...
This also keeps the channel independent of KZfaq's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.

Пікірлер: 1 400

@davidwebb2318 6 жыл бұрын

"It might not go very quickly....oh". Another classic Clive video...

@marcandreservant8824 6 жыл бұрын

The bubble size is in fact what sets the trigger temperature. Heated alcohol expands, and the increased pressure shrinks the bubble. When the bubble disappears, the expanding alcohol has nowhere to go but out.

@marcandreservant8824 6 жыл бұрын

As to how they set the bubble size, I have no idea. The simplest way seems to set the fill pressure to get an acceptable average bubble size, and then sort them optically, but since they are different colors, that doesn't work.

@superdau 6 жыл бұрын

As another comment mentioned, it will be much easier to heat the capsule to the burst temperature, then seal it (without any gas in it). The bubble is just what forms whenthe liquid contracts to room temperature in the now sealed tube.

@wolfgangmcq 6 жыл бұрын

I think you can actually see the bubble in the vial shrinking as Clive heats it.

@felixb.1756 3 жыл бұрын

Wouldn't it be a bit contraproductive to put a flameable liquid in a fire sprinkler

@mastertintiger 3 жыл бұрын

@@felixb.1756 It's only counter productive if it fails to stop the fire. For example, it would be counter productive if your fire sprinkler sprayed gasoline instead of water.

@drusha 6 жыл бұрын

It would be pretty ironic, if there would be flammable liquid in a fire extinguishing sprinkler glass pellets.

@koosnaamloos 6 жыл бұрын

Im gonna make sprinkler heads now with flamble liquids

@stanpatterson5033 6 жыл бұрын

Uncle Stalin, you'll be really popular with the insurance companies :)

@TehMG 6 жыл бұрын

The amount in the glass vial is so small, in the grand scheme of things even if the liquid is flammable, it will have a negligible effect on the spread of fire, especially since the liquid is soon followed by vast amounts of water!

@throttlebottle5906 6 жыл бұрын

in wet pipe system not flushed often, the water can separate into oxygen and hydrogen gases, when it release you get pockets of highly flammable gasses. vast majority here is dry-type systems, so they don't freeze up in unconditioned spaces. and not to forget, some may have had alcohol as antifreeze. booo

@davidturbo8566 6 жыл бұрын

MGKZfaq Account the flammable effect would be so vague ..

@pinterelectric 6 жыл бұрын

I work for a pharmaceutical company and the covers are used in clean, sealed rooms that have positive pressures to keep the dust out.

@eliotmansfield 6 жыл бұрын

Jeff Pinter Also used in server rooms as you need to maintain integrity of the room

@psirvent8 5 жыл бұрын

Eliot Mansfield No, usually server rooms are equipped with water mist or gas systems. To prevent water damage of course. And the heads of those systems are not concealed.

@LOUDcarBOMB 5 жыл бұрын

I would think that it would be trying to fight electrical fires since they have to be fought in a different way. I bet the servers would be toast when the fire is cooking them (don't know a proper way of saying it).

@copperhamster 5 жыл бұрын

@@LOUDcarBOMB Magnetic spinning drives can be recovered after being subjected to hundreds of degrees C with enough dedication. SSD's even more so. A dedicated data center fire suppression system usually sends an emergency shutdown to the servers at one temp, a kill switch to all backup power at a higher temp, and finally trips the water. In some states halon, co2, etc systems are now illegal because people have been killed by them. In mine they're illegal for new installations

@blameburr8722 5 жыл бұрын

@@copperhamster some may use Halon gas, it really does vary but you can buy a lot of these things anyway (,such as CO2) so I can't understand why they'd be banned except for Halon.

@LaterMeansBrick 6 жыл бұрын

Many modern systems use a "dry" sprinkler system. They are pressurized with air, as soon a detector notices a sudden pressure drop (a single sprinkler pops) high volume pumps start up and all hell breaks loose. The dry system has the advantage that the water inside won't go septic i.e turn into a stinky brownish soup that smells like crap, when not in use.

@RSOFT92 6 жыл бұрын

The "dry System" you are talking about also has the advantage that it can be installed outside (e.g. in a car park) without the danger of freezing water in the pipes.

@LaterMeansBrick 6 жыл бұрын

The one I saw with my own eyes was in a big-ass sawmill, in the main building. Due to no heating and great drafts in winter. They were connected to 4 enormous pumps, those also had a backup generator in case the power would fail. They were doing some testing, the amount of water those things pumped out was staggering.

@andrewholdaway813 6 жыл бұрын

RSOFT92 That's the usual reason for a dry system. No reason why a wet system should become 'septic'.

@andrewholdaway813 6 жыл бұрын

LaterMeansBrick Deluge systems can be positively dangerous to be caught in - you could suffocate.

@jaredd9297 6 жыл бұрын

Dry systems are used for cold areas they cannot remain heated. Water in wet pipe sprinkler systems can get a little Skunky after a while, but after flowing for a couple moments it is clear. Wet systems are more advantageous because water is at the point of ignition instantly.

@condew6103 6 жыл бұрын

From 1950 to 1997 there was a Science Fiction convention in the Washington, D.C. area called Disclave A fire sprinkler played a key role in the demise of this convention. You see, Disclave was a very open minded and tolerant convention, and so a group of S&M bondage types decided to hold their own annual gathering in the same hotel using the convention's negotiated room rate. For many years the two groups coexisted peacefully; the S&M people got a room discount, the SF people got help filling their room block. But in 1997, a guy (purported to be a NY city cop on vacation) needed an attachment point to tie his love interest to as they pursued their "interests", and he thought the sprinkler head in his room was just the thing. He attached her. It broke. So the couple immediately packed up their belongings, went down to the front desk and checked out. About 5AM everybody else was aware of the consequences of the sprinkler head failing the impromptu stress test. Four floors of the hotel were flooded out, including the elevator shaft and a portion of the hotel lobby. And so ended the tradition of Disclave. To this day you may see the occasional SF fan wearing a button that says "The sprinkler head is not a sex toy." and that is why.

@MrBilld75 5 жыл бұрын

Hahahahaha, what an awesome story.

@danpowell806 5 жыл бұрын

Interesting that he would be able to pack his belongings with water coming out of the sprinkler, and then check out while the fire alarm was active. But other than those details, everything checks out.

@highdesert50 6 жыл бұрын

If I remember correctly from fire classes, the vial is called a frangible tube and contained alcohol. Keep in mind the hot air rises and temperatures at ceiling level can be hundreds of degrees higher than at floor level. Hence if you are ever in a house fire, roll out of bed, don't sit up, and exit low.

@OZf1re 6 жыл бұрын

highdesert50 interesting that Australian standards state they only contain water, might be different per region

@chriseber7714 5 жыл бұрын

Yet when they freeze and blow without there being a fire, the mess is just as big, if not bigger to clean up in the end

@TorqueSlayer 5 жыл бұрын

@ADEBISI ADEBISI fuck you bitch

@hakemon 6 жыл бұрын

I guess it's safe to say then based on how they work, that blowing one of these doesn't blow them all, like they show in the movies.

@gordonrichardson2972 6 жыл бұрын

Not automatically no. However, in another video I saw a description of an upstream pressure sensor, which triggers a high-volume fire pump and blows them all out!

@bikendishark7672 6 жыл бұрын

As somebody who works on these for a living, that's semi-correct. There is a sprinkler system such as that called a deluge system. usually you'll see these in places such as wooden cooling towers, conveyor belt areas, etc. basically places where soaking all burnable things is the priority verses enabling occupants to leave a building or suppressing the fire. 95% of your sprinkler systems you see will only flow heads that have had their element fused.

@GigsVT 6 жыл бұрын

Gordon Richardson You are right that some buildings have fire pumps but it would never blow sprinklers out. It is possible to have a dry pipe system that uses electronic valves to set off sprinkler banks all at once but the heads are not built with this sort of pop off link. The vast majority of sprinklers are wet pipe with no mechanism for tgem to go off other that direct heat per head. There is a vane in the standpipe that triggers an alarm circuit on flow though.

@gordonrichardson2972 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I was quoting from memory, and may be confusing two different concepts. Edit: Clive should be made aware that leaving water standing for years will produce an awful mess of corrosion, and could be illegal if it back-flows into the main water supply.

@christopherpulliam7232 6 жыл бұрын

Did everyone know that some high power laser pointers will crack the vials and set off the sprinkler.

@Richard-zu3gz 6 жыл бұрын

Don't suppose you could point the heat gun at the cover and see what happens?

@GigsVT 6 жыл бұрын

Richard Berridge I popped a fusible cover off a heat sensor trying to test the rate off rise without popping it... Its somewhat anticlimatic. In my case my reaction was whelp there goes $20. I did get to take it apart after. Clever simple mechanism in heat detectors.

@Spartacusse 6 жыл бұрын

I think it's more likely, because it's cheaper and easier to manufacture, that instead of melting the metal tabs holding the cover, it's actually supported by a very thin metal bent inwards, when the whole case becomes like an oven from the heat, the glass breaks and and just the water weight is enough to unbend the metal tabs and release the cover. The drop down defuser looks like it's purpose is to stick out of the case to spread the water, but even before it's allowed to drop down, when the glass breaks the whole case is already filling with water.

@al35mm 6 жыл бұрын

Wouldn't they be bimetalic strips that will bend with heat?

@jaredd9297 6 жыл бұрын

To cover drops off 20° before the head activates. So with a head that is 155°F the cover drops off at 135°F. Those just are solder points where he was pointing.

@rich1051414 6 жыл бұрын

Pretty sure the covers are soldered on under leaf spring pressure, so the instant the solder melts, it pops off with force, albeit, very light, unspectacular force. Just flings off and hits the cook in the head. :) (Since the only place I have seen them was when I was a cook, and once one popped off and flew right at me in the middle of dinner in a packed house). Thankfully, the glass part didn't pop, just the bottom part with the cover. I can confirm that the bottom cover releases FAR before the glass does. I assume that one popped loose too early because the solder was old, but at least it fails by breaking loose when it shouldn't instead of not breaking loose at all when it should.

@Alex-us2vw 5 жыл бұрын

Those hidden sprinkler covers are what they use inside residential units like new condos and apartments. They are very nice since they pretty much unnoticeable compared to the ones in older construction. My last condo had them all over the unit and it took me a few months to even notice there were sprinklers inside my unit when I decided to pull off a cover while painting.

@eddeh0772 5 жыл бұрын

No idea how I came across this video, but “a pride flag of explosive liquid capsules” has such an oddly lovely layer of poetry to it, and your observations were surprisingly interesting. I’ve literally never thought about sprinkler systems before this, but learnt a lot. Great video, thank you!

@tobylatino8737 5 жыл бұрын

This guy has a way of asking every possible question and i love it

@benhawkes2752 5 жыл бұрын

When I saw the cap I realised I had finally accidentally found the answer to the question I always had “wtf is that plastic circle on the roof”

@misterhat5823 6 жыл бұрын

What is that liquid? It's how the Chinese have figured to export toxic waste for free.

@cup_and_cone 6 жыл бұрын

For whatever amount of toxic waste China exports, you can be sure there is at least double that amount in their landfills, floating in their rivers or oceans, or just laying in an open field. Truly an ecological nightmare.

@n-steam 6 жыл бұрын

I assume it's the same stuff they put in non-mercury thermometers, because for both applications you'd want a liquid with the greatest thermal expansion.

@zee-lusay4087 6 жыл бұрын

That would be alcohol.

@CurmudgeonExtraordinaire 6 жыл бұрын

You wouldn't want pure water to be in there since it would make quite the mess if it broke from being exposed to freezing temperatures.

@gordonrichardson2972 6 жыл бұрын

They would contain varying mixtures of ethanol and water for the low-temperature range, and water and glycerine for the high temperature ones. You cannot use a liquid above its boiling point, the thin tube would explode long before it reached the rated temperature.

@realmenshoot3085 6 жыл бұрын

A quick google search (and a run for ice cream) says a mix of water and either alcohol or glycerin.

@GiatrosDys 6 жыл бұрын

There is also the clear ones that break at 100C for the cheapest pure water slow blows.

@mikeoliver3254 6 жыл бұрын

John Howard you have not had my grandma's ice cream.

@obnoxiouspriestify 6 жыл бұрын

Next video: making vaping e-juice from fire sprinklers

@cnervip 6 жыл бұрын

why not make fire sprinkler with e-juice?

@gordonrichardson2972 6 жыл бұрын

Pure water would freeze and break the glass in outdoor parking garages in cold-climate winters.

@marybergquist8017 6 жыл бұрын

I didn't know I wanted to learn about sprinklers this week, but if big clive's uploading, I'm watching. Fuckin' fascinating.

@twocvbloke 6 жыл бұрын

A damned firework went off nearby right as that vial popped, didn't half make me jump... :S But that aside, you'd probably want to have a separate water supply for the sprinkler system, such as a header tank system, this way you wouldn't contaminate the mains water supply given that most sprinkler systems are unused for years while they're filled with water that is going yucky... :)

@user-gx6jb6wc5g 6 жыл бұрын

Theoretically for a home system the pipework could form part of the normal supply, so water flowed through it continually on a daily basis.

@twocvbloke 6 жыл бұрын

I suppose that could work, the only thing I'd be concerned about there (as mentioned in other comments) is pipe knock, where something like a washing machine suddenly stopping the flow of water could damage the sprinkler valve, or at worst, pop the vial from the physical shock, probably something worth testing there, outdoors of course... :D

@Peter_S_ 6 жыл бұрын

It's worth noting that these may be built using a leaded alloy which is banned in the US for domestic water supplies. They used to make most faucets from such alloys because they form good seals and they're easy on the mill tooling, but they've since been banned.

@danohstoolbox 6 жыл бұрын

It would have a check valve in line of the supply line

@rockinatmidnight 6 жыл бұрын

Doubt it would be set from a header tank or similar set up. Could still save your life, then kill you from Legionaires!

@FarrellMcGovern 6 жыл бұрын

A friend of mine used to be a manager at a hotel, and she told me a very funny story about why those hidden sprinklers are becoming more and more popular in the hotel industry... It seems that every so often, a couple (or more) people get together for a assignation at a hotel, and part of their amorous play involves some, shall we say, restraint. Upon checking in to the room, they notice these things that look just like they were designed to put handcuffs, or ropes through for tying things off. So they do so...with predictable results!

@gmcnewlook 6 жыл бұрын

Farrell McGovern 😂😂😂

@islagkage15963 6 жыл бұрын

People also have a bad habit of using them for coat hangers...

@CableGuyJoeCCTV 6 жыл бұрын

Many years ago before I retired as a volunteer firefighter we saw the Inception of residential sprinkler a new product on the market came out made of PVC and they're calling it something along CPVC fire-sprinkler systems... it's a fire rated sprinkler that works wonderful in the house about 3000 to $5,000 more in a build .. in a big house it could be a lifesaver also there are the old systems that used to use lead that melted Hutchins fire doors and fire curtains and a garage roll up tight door that would bust the piece of lead, thus eleasing the door or and cause a sprinkler head to go off.. thanks sir always enjoy your videos.... my boys at my work call me Pooh Bear when I'm in my brown Carhartt winter coveralls..

@darkangle16 5 жыл бұрын

Those pvc pipes are made differently then normal pvc pipes.They are much harder to break and cut .

@agvulpine 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this bigclive. I wasn't aware about the bubbles and bubble sizes, and interesting about the melting alloy on the suspended ceiling covers. Here's a bit of history to add: Earlier sprinkler heads used a low melt bismuth alloy instead of glass vials. You can still find these sprinkler heads in older buildings, the bismuth as two metal tabs on either side of a dropping plunger mechanism. It is my understanding that earlier glass vials did contain a red colored alcohol, and though I've never sampled one myself, I suspect the bubble technology allows for inexpensive water to be used and control for temperature thresholds. You're going to want higher temp-rated vials inside your commercial stove's range hood that blasts K foam for grease fires. If you find any old sprinkler heads, peel off and save the bismuth tabs! Also, good call on the red vials being susceptible to green laser pointers. ;) shhh!

@Thereal111t 6 жыл бұрын

I bet the flatness of the water spreader has to do with how high above the ground they're meant to be mounted to create a given size spread.

@kraio-sfu 5 жыл бұрын

Exactly my thoughts!

@darkangle16 5 жыл бұрын

The flatness determines how far the radious of the water spreads aroubd the pipe.Smaller tops mean less radious.

@willwitt1020 5 жыл бұрын

The random things people watch at 2 am .

@SikConVicTioN 5 жыл бұрын

2:23am and I'm watching it 😂

@mcgregor797 5 жыл бұрын

2:10am.. how did you know?

@wauser5456 6 жыл бұрын

In the apartment I'm in, they've painted over the sprinklers and the tubes with it. Seems like asking for trouble if the coating is thick enough. Maintenance has a tendency to do that here. Hole in the wall? Push the piece back and paint over it. Leak in the ceiling and stripping the paint off? Just paint over, don't bother fixing the leak. Sadly they won't let me fix these things myself.

@mrtemple728 6 жыл бұрын

It’s against the ruling and the heads should be changed legally

@coolbrotherj 6 жыл бұрын

well of course not, you make them look bad and then people expect them to stop yanking their dicks and do something

@darkangle16 5 жыл бұрын

Painting the tubes ruin the sprinklers as it acts as a fire barrier and could prevent the sprinklers from going off.

@currbag 3 жыл бұрын

That's illegal to paint heads. Call your local fire chief he will make the landlord pay to change them

@h8GW 5 жыл бұрын

_heats up glass vials_ "Oh it just splattered everywhere. Yes, and hit me in the face, too." -Big Clive, 2017

@31TimM 4 жыл бұрын

then "I wonder what that liquid is... it looks like blood splatter."

@edmundfisher4951 6 жыл бұрын

From earlier experimentation when younger you can't 'pop' them with consumer grade lasers, it reflects most of the light in an interesting pattern (into the perpetrator's eye if you are lucky).

@linuxthemoon 6 жыл бұрын

Still better than aiming at airplanes!

@thefishguy8229 6 жыл бұрын

What about my 5 watt blue laser

@mieleguy1999 6 жыл бұрын

Totally didn't get shit scared when the capsule exploded

@tom7601 6 жыл бұрын

In the fire service, we had some "reverse pliers" on out pumpers that had rubber discs on the outside of the jaws. They could be placed in the gap to stop the water flow until the shop owner had the system serviced.

@TheDeankelly 4 жыл бұрын

I remember once working for a company called Tyco some years back assembling these sprinklers. The liquid that those viles contain is a form of Nitroglycerin. When the bubble has fully disappeared, the expansion of the liquid when heated breaks the vile. Thank you for the video, LOVE YOUR STUFF CLIVE. 👍😄

@TheDeankelly 4 жыл бұрын

@Question Everyfing Viles, not bikes

@paulgascoigne5343 6 жыл бұрын

Ah yes, I remember the hilarity of accidentally hitting one of these with a ladder.

@dragonrider4253 6 жыл бұрын

Did the fire alarm go off? I only ask because some moron at my high school decided it would be a great idea to see how it worked... with a lighter. so the alarms went off and it took about one to two hours (outside, about 90 degrees) for the fire marshal to come and shut down the system. and apparently the alarms cannot be turned off or silenced while a sprinkler is active, so for that time, all of the alarms were blaring.

@WilliamHaggerty 6 жыл бұрын

Jeremy Allen as long as the pipes are monitored, yes, an alarm will be activated. (electrician)

@johnpossum556 6 жыл бұрын

I unscrewed a valve outside a shopping mall when I was a teenager which resulted in a bunch of water wooshing out. As me and my friend turned the corner to get from the back of the mall to the front where my car was parked all of the sudden 4 fire engines were rushing in. I guess I had simulated a 4-5 alarm fire! Next time we were by there that valve was chained and padlocked closed. I guess I did some "failure mode testing" free for them, hunh? ;-)

@MickeyD2012 6 жыл бұрын

Were you working at MSU? ROFL.

@2000freefuel 6 жыл бұрын

just so you know setting off a false alarm can be a Felony in some places.

@RyanBrooks 6 жыл бұрын

Neat! I always assumed that they were more complicated inside, for some reason. I guess this explains why the sprinklers in my workplace seem to be dripping very slightly... the seals on the plungers are probably getting old.

@71dembonesTV 6 жыл бұрын

Pete S. Do you know if they were Omega brand heads? I worked at a building where we still had some of them in vacant suites even though the majority got recalled and replaced

@RusstyGX 6 жыл бұрын

Recalled heads were Made by a company called Central. If you look at them you will see they have a flat Seat where the bulb meets the main body. The recalled heads are Central GB’s. Omegas should still be fine.

@71dembonesTV 6 жыл бұрын

Tyler Jones The building is in Los Angeles county area, CA. They were definitely Omega brand heads but it was probably a specific model. The recall occurred in the early 2000s from what I can tell. Most of them were replaced then but some got missed and were replaced earlier this year. Unsure what the recall reason was but the ones I saw never leaked. Maybe they didn't activate when they were supposed to?

@RusstyGX 6 жыл бұрын

@dembones yup that’s the exact reason why. Some of them wouldn’t activate during a fire. It was a national recall but there are still buildings out there with them installed!

@warphammer 5 жыл бұрын

(Ancient, I know, but important) According to the recall FAQ, this is backwards. GBs are the replacements that were specified, and the Omegas were the recalled heads.

@senatorsmiles 4 жыл бұрын

Man, I just want you to know that during this quarantine I have been binging on your videos. I absolutely love your style of explanation and presentation. I learn a lot from you and I appreciate it!

@whitelined2 6 жыл бұрын

You'd probably need to put double check valve if you took a couple of heads off main supply to prevent backflow contamination from normally dead legs. UK standard is to use steel threaded or grooved, but copper with appropriate bsp adaptor fine for non certificated pipework. Interesting fact, in commercial buildings, they use a small jockey pump to maintain pressure in sprinkler pipework, which senses drops in pressure when a head goes off, and electronically starts a main fire pump to provide pressure for that head to make water flow.

@kevtris 6 жыл бұрын

Could the vials be filled with the liquid at a controlled temperature, so when it cools, the bubble forms automatically? I don't know how the bubble size could be controlled otherwise.

@danielthechskid 6 жыл бұрын

My thinking exactly. Fill and seal at the desired trip temp then when the capsule cools the partial vacuum vapor bubble forms.

@electronash 6 жыл бұрын

kevtris Sup. ;) Congrats on the Super NT. I'm thinking of getting one. (you sure kept that one quiet. lol)

@leerobinson8709 6 жыл бұрын

I think its more to do with the size of the bubble being the determinate factor in the failure of the capsule. Air compresses. So the more volume of air the more compression therefore the more the heat the capsule can withstand. That would be my guess.

@gordonrichardson2972 6 жыл бұрын

Using a vacuum would be a well controlled method. That would only work if the glass walls are able to contain the external atmosphere pressure. The walls look pretty thin, but they are probably strong under inwards compressive forces, and weak under an expansive outward cracking force. I'm still struggling the the whole vapour pressure issue...

@galfisk 6 жыл бұрын

If they're filled using a vacuum, the bubble size can be determined by the strength of the vacuum. The liquid is probably something similar to that in thermometers.

@simonblaser3365 5 жыл бұрын

I’ve always wondered how they work. This is fascinating.

@kevinutting6016 3 жыл бұрын

The glass bulbs used to be made by two German companies, Job and Giesler if I remember correctly. As well as the bubbles, the liquid has metal particles inside to allow the bubble to reappear after they test the bulb in a water tank a couple of degrees below the actuating temperature. At least that’s what I was told when I worked at the sprinkler factory. They also sold a sprinkler production line to China back in the 80’s which I guess eventually put them out of business in the UK.

@RusstyGX 6 жыл бұрын

I️ worked on special hazard fire-sprinkler systems for 7 years as a service tech in the DC Metro area prior to getting hired by the fire department. Its neat to see someone cover this stuff on KZfaq. Some of the comments on here make me LOL pretty hard. If you have any questions let me know! Sprinkler systems can be fascinating and some can move a lot of water very fast. Cheers!

@koconnor 6 жыл бұрын

As far as I can remember the sprinkler that points up is not for protection but for use in a dry sprinkler system. They are designed so that the system can be drained fully after activation without leaving pockets of water in the system that could freeze in cold weather.

@randomisoty422 6 жыл бұрын

I've seen them used in systems where the best place to anchor the pipe was a few feet below the ceiling so they would put the sprinkler on the end of a riser coming up from the feed pipe to be the correct height from the ceiling

@NOBOX7 6 жыл бұрын

very clever of you to spot the bubble size as being the calibration mechanism

@RAIDERxNATION 5 жыл бұрын

I have a friend that works as a sprinkler fitter in high-rises...I ask him about this and just wanted to know the basics of sprinklers and how they don't really damage property or don't really go off unless tempered with. Long story short, he didn't explain shiet and this video explained quite a bit. Thanks for helping my curiosity.👍

@alf3488 6 жыл бұрын

7:07 “oh! It splattered everywhere.” I’m weak.

@patprop74 6 жыл бұрын

it works almost a principal of the egg, easy to brake from it sides but stronger on its top and bottom . interesting video

@ParedCheese 6 жыл бұрын

The "protected" sprinkler seems like a good way of stopping miscreants popping the bulbs with a laser? 🤔 Edit: should have watched to the end of the video, eh? 🙄

@texasboykc09 6 жыл бұрын

ParedCheese or just the same though process as Clive.

@timothybarney7257 6 жыл бұрын

I think those covers are more cosmetic than tamper-proof. Instead of having a visually ugly sprinkler head exposed, you just have the flush cover (which can most likely be painted) that's less visually obtrusive showing.

@timothybarney7257 6 жыл бұрын

Makes sense. I don't have a normal need to be up on NFPA but it makes absolute sense.

@stanpatterson5033 6 жыл бұрын

@Pete S. - does anyone know exactly just how many colors ARE under the sun?

@zee-lusay4087 6 жыл бұрын

all of them.

@ilraeimoonstrike972 6 жыл бұрын

I used to be absolutely terrified of fire sprinklers when I was younger.

@polecatfan1627 5 жыл бұрын

I spent 10 minutes 17 seconds of my life on watching this. *_Worth It_*

@anameorsomething7241 6 жыл бұрын

My dumbass thought the title meant sprinklers that shot fire instead of water. 😂

@user-gx6jb6wc5g 6 жыл бұрын

It would be "interesting" if the sprinkler system was pressurised with gasoline.

@carolynmmitchell2240 6 жыл бұрын

bigclivedotcom I would love to see that

@nestrac 6 жыл бұрын

First thought.... why is there a paper cutout of some overalls of the bench.... it a colour match.....

@HerraHidalgo 5 ай бұрын

In Finland we have sprinklers in every new office building. We also have a tendency to put saunas into the top floors of office buildings adjacent to the top executive conference rooms. And it is a tradition for the builders’ bosses and top client executives to have the first sauna session in a new building… In the seventies a foreign architect designed the first really tall office building in finland and put sprinklers in every room… including the sauna. The sauna was filled with the cream of Finnish oil industry and politicians when the sprinlers went off and sprayed hot, murky water all over the hot room.

@robsmithresident-reptiles11 6 жыл бұрын

OMG.... I came across this video by mistake but really REALLY found this interesting. it's not something I have ever thought about but I can't believe how simple yet clever they are. thankyou for teaching me something new and interesting.

@JerryDodge 6 жыл бұрын

I'm no plumber, but I do know, if you want to install them, you need to make sure you have a drain valve somewhere, so that you can shut it off and flush the water out for when you work on it.

@ericcarabetta1161 6 жыл бұрын

134.6 °F 154.4 °F 174.2 °F 199.4 °F 285.8 °F 359.6 °F

@mat2941 6 жыл бұрын

Eric Carabetta lol

@Anvilshock 6 жыл бұрын

Those numbers mean nothing to me ...

@samuelruiz7377 6 жыл бұрын

Mr.Noodle _ thanks for the freedom translation

@synchronizeddissonance6243 6 жыл бұрын

Weak.

@gamingcujo9443 5 жыл бұрын

I was confused by this comment til I realized dude was translating temperatures for the Mericans lol

@nighthawk7x203 5 жыл бұрын

I'm officially scared of google, due to the fact I was thinking about this the other day, never said a single word about it though. It was pure thought... This still pops up on my recommendations.

@jtveg 3 жыл бұрын

A sprinkler as a manly necklace 📿 What an awesome idea. 👍🏻 Thanks so much for sharing. 😎👌🏻

@Bigrignohio 6 жыл бұрын

Please tell me you were wearing safety glasses! Now why not light one up with a LED. There are residential sprinkler systems that use PEX tubing. They are plumbed in with the regular plumbing (often the toilet) so you do not have to regularly flush them out. The diverter plates are shaped for the spread pattern. You can get close-to-wall 180 degree patterns, side wall emitters, etc.

@user-gx6jb6wc5g 6 жыл бұрын

+Bigrignohio I'm always wearing glasses for at least some protection.

@Bigrignohio 6 жыл бұрын

I knew you wore glasses. However I am constantly surprised by how many consider standard glasses to be sufficient protection. Still some protection is better than no protection. I am just as guilty of that feeling. Which now is so much worse because I had vision correction surgery and sometimes forget to wear goggles when I should.

@ERIFNOMI 6 жыл бұрын

Engage safety squints.

@twocvbloke 6 жыл бұрын

Regular glasses are indeed inadequate for eye protection, I know this only too well when I was grinding a metal part down, and a fragment of hot metal flew off and went almost dead-centre in my right eye, and stuck to the cornea, was fun extracting that, but left my eye a bit useless for a week before it started to heal up and clear, I got lucky though, others may not be so lucky...

@cheerfultrout4381 6 жыл бұрын

I was wondering if this sort of tie in was possible, thanks.

@paulgascoigne5343 6 жыл бұрын

You might not want them running off mains water supply incase the pressure is too high or you get water thumping from other equipment which utilises it, it wouldn't be pretty if they all went off because there was a sudden surge. If I remember rightly they often have a drenching tank/cistern somewhere in the building which is fed by mains water and topped up. That also helps incase the water supply is interrupted at some point.

@timothybarney7257 6 жыл бұрын

Cisterns/tanks would most likely be utilized in high-rise construction since water pressure drops the higher you go unless you pump it up to an even higher level and allow it to flow back down under gravity. That's why so many buildings in NYC have water tanks on the roof. And depending on whether the sprinkler installation is wet or dry, the supply is either mains pressure backed up in many cases by a dedicated "fire" pump (wet) or fed from an outside sprinkler connection that the fire department connects their pumper to to supply high pressure water (dry).

@matthewkriebel7342 6 жыл бұрын

Water hammering isn't a big problem. Reserve tanks are used when the municipal water supply cannot deliver the flow needed, such as more rural and well-fed water supplies. Low- and mid-rise buildings often have high-pressure water supply separate from domestic, like how hydrants are fed.

@bisrosolan 6 жыл бұрын

I worked at Viking Corp, a manufacturer of sprinkler system. Upstream of the heads is usually a pressure regulator. Also, dry systems don't require a detector. It's all done mechanically.

@jaredd9297 6 жыл бұрын

Sprinkler equipment is tested to 300 psi you need a really big surge to set a head off. Your plumbing devices are only rated for 120 give or take.

@throttlebottle5906 6 жыл бұрын

sprinkler heads are rated 175PSI working, special 250PSI high pressure are available. they're probably tested to 500PSI for the 175 working and higher for 250PSI

@throttlebottle5906 6 жыл бұрын

overalls lol! damned sprinkler heads, I've nearly set them off and gashed my head multiple times working in hotel hallways

@edb8120 6 жыл бұрын

In most of the US you can put sprinklers in you home for an exit route (not the whole house) using plastic supply pipe. After all it only needs to give you 90 sec to get out in case of fire. The little rubber seal is a big deal. A few years back one of the largest producers of these heads was required to recall millions of these because the rubber was corroding the metal and then the head would not release properly. They simply filed for liquidation.

@nigeljohnson9820 6 жыл бұрын

Do you really want to flood your workshop with water, particularly if your workshop uses lots of electrical or electronic tools, maybe you might want to isolate the mains supply in the event of fire. My old university had a very expensive main frame computer room that was isolated by a glass wall that ran the length of a corridor, so all who pass through could see this very expensive marvel working. This was in the days of drum disk drives and tape streamers, where all the indicator lights were tiny bulbs not LEDs. At each end of this corridor were automatic metal fire shutters that descended from the ceiling in the event of fire. Once down the whole area was flooded with halon gas. Interestingly, there were large fire warning notices at each end of the corridor that explained that the shutters would descend a few seconds after the fire alarm sounded. Anyone caught between the shutters after they closed would be suffocated by the fire suppression gas. There was much debate as to the relative value of the students, faculty and IT staff, compared with the computer equipment the gas was protecting.

@stargazer7644 6 жыл бұрын

For the love of Thor. Halon will not suffocate you. It doesn't remove oxygen from the room. Halon combines with oxygen at the very high temperature flame surface and starves the flame of oxygen. Standing in a room when Halon dumps is very loud, very cold and makes your voice go deep (opposite of helium). If you're caught in a Halon dump you stand still and protect your eyes until the release finishes. You won't be able to see anything as the cold expanding gas may cloud the room with water vapor (fog). Then when it finishes and you can see again, you calmly walk to the exit.

@nigeljohnson9820 6 жыл бұрын

Star Gazer The warning were very clear, "those remaining between the shutters after they descended would be suffocated". As I recall a small side room houses the gas cylinders which were about five feet tall, there were a larger number, a mix of green and black in colour. While halon is non toxic, any gas that displaces oxygen will kill in sufficient volume. Having read the technical documents on halon, I can only assume that CO2 was also being used.

@stargazer7644 6 жыл бұрын

Nigel Green cylinders with black tops would be nitrogen. Black cylinders with green tops would be argon. Both are inert gasses used for fire suppression, often mixed together (IG-55 is an example that uses 50% nitrogen and 50% argon). These systems are designed for the size of the server room so as not to endanger personnel. I've visited or worked in many data centers. Everywhere I've ever been that had a halon or inert gas fire suppression system there has always been someone who earnestly told me the gas sucked all of the oxygen out of the room and you'd die. Sometimes that person was the one who made the signs. Here is a quote from the folks that make IG-55 systems: "This type of suppression system extinguishes a fire by reducing the oxygen concentration to a level that will no longer support combustion. Because IG-55 does not decompose when extinguishing a fire, there are no toxic or corrosive decomposition products created. A normal IG-55 total flood suppression system is designed to provide a residual oxygen level between 10% & 15% after discharge from the usual 20%. Whilst the residual oxygen level will not support combustion of most fires, personnel within the protected space will still be able to breathe normally, allowing enough time to exit the room. The lowest oxygen limit acceptable for personnel occupancy over a short period of time is 10%." Fire suppression systems that are designed to kill the occupants of the room are rather counter-productive.

@nigeljohnson9820 6 жыл бұрын

Star Gazer no green cylinders and black cylinders. It was forty years ago, so the details may have been blurred over time, however my memory of the warning notices are very clear as these were a topic of converstation at the time. Maybe the intention of the signs was to expedite the evacuation of the area, we never had a fire, so we will never know:-).

@leejackson623 6 жыл бұрын

It would be asphixiate not suffocate really anyway! 🤓

@notarookee778 6 жыл бұрын

In the early 70's I was working in what was laughingly referred to as a "light psychiatric facility" which translates into "mostly harmless loony tunes ". One night at 0-dark-thirty one of the loons set off a fire sprinkler in the linen closet. They were allowed to smoke back then and he decided the closet was a good place to throw his still glowing butt. Chaotic pandemonium ensued as crazy folks don't like loud bells ringing and have no concept of evacuation when awakened from a Thorazine induced slumber. Soon the fire department arrived the fire was out but the one sprinkler had dumped inches of water that covered an entire wing of the building. Grandview Sanitorium was a very interesting place.

@tallman11282 6 жыл бұрын

Last year a co-worker hit a sprinkler head in some racking with a forklift. By the time the valves were closed half the aisles of the warehouse area had standing water. Took hours to get all the water cleaned up. Miraculously no products were damaged.

@AdhamOhm 5 жыл бұрын

All these years, I never knew that the color of the vial fluid indicated its break temperature. I just thought it varied by manufacturer. You learn something new every day.

@zman1508 6 жыл бұрын

57C doesn't seem all that high at all my back shed gets to about 50C or so in the summer

@gordonrichardson2972 6 жыл бұрын

Clive lives on the not-so-sunny Isle of Man, where its safe to assume that 50C hasn't been reached since the age of the dinosaurs...

@NightOfTheLiving8bit 6 жыл бұрын

Wow, it's crazy thinking that I was one of Clives first 1,000 subs...and here he is, at 300k now! Yikes!

@user-gx6jb6wc5g 6 жыл бұрын

It's crazy for me too.

@K-Riz314 4 жыл бұрын

Likewise! 583k now!

@jkobain 5 жыл бұрын

I read the title, watch the preview and I understand that it can be explained in a couple of short sentences. But I love videos from Big Clive, so I watch it. Thank you!

@easygoin2887 6 жыл бұрын

Fascinating video. I'd never really thought about sprinklers before.

@wickieworld 6 жыл бұрын

Try the Duluth Trading Company for overalls. They appear to ship to the UK. Their products are super durable.

@raymondmucklow3793 6 жыл бұрын

Do you know how to shut them off, I was in fire department, we all had these wood wedges, slip them in from opposing sides. Then hit with hammer til they just drip

@Doc_Hawk 6 жыл бұрын

Sprinkler wedges are just to stop the flow from a head in terms of stopping further water damage, you have to go to the sprinkler room, turn the main off and open the master drain

@raymondmucklow3793 6 жыл бұрын

Doc Hawk well of course, we never had to do that we had a fire training building with a 1 inch line feeding several heads each head had a shut off valve. They did that so they could change the test move things around, it cracked me up, after putting fire out, and smoke cleared. It was a trash can with hay in it. That stuff would fill that place up we couldn't see our hand in front of us. After going thru that it's very easy to see why people die from smoke inhalation. It was eye opening. We couldn't see our locators either.

@Doc_Hawk 6 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a run of the mill sprinkler demonstration for a fire class, i got lucky they didn't make my academy class wedge sprinkler heads

@waswestkan 6 жыл бұрын

Any particular reason sprinkler plumbing system wouldn't have a shut off valve?

@raymondmucklow3793 6 жыл бұрын

waswestkan they might now but the state hospital where I trained, was built a long time ago. So no shut off valve, it's for fires could you imagine someone turns off fire valve, then fire happens. Now a days they use a shut off valve usually a chain ran thru it, but another reason maybe just one room caught fire, and the valve shuts them all off, well if ya just had a fire there are hot spots that may reignite so, best to leave it on and shut off just one zone, or room with wedges. Also the buildings I trained in were huge. That plays a roll, hot spots and all. Maybe a crazy patient holds a lighter up to one, then you can just shit off that sprinkler. Without having to evacuate the entire unit because of one sprinkler.

@jamiesuvo7420 6 жыл бұрын

Yes it is the Bubble expansion and size I've been a sprinkler fitter for 30 years my older brother is a sprinkler fitter my two sons my nephews and even one of my sister's boyfriend is a sprinkler fitter now good to see that's some people use in mind to work things out that is intelligence right there

@pibblesnbits 6 жыл бұрын

They used to manufacture mechanical ones with a coil spring that would expand when heated, allowing a valve to open. You should do a review on one of those!

@nolanf7023 5 жыл бұрын

Episode 28 Why am I watching this

@johnsammut8540 6 жыл бұрын

Hmmm the colours almost replicate part of the resistor colour code.......

@KallePihlajasaari 6 жыл бұрын

Yeah, almost rainbow with the red and orange not well separated.

@iced_coffeelvr1069 6 жыл бұрын

Unknown liquid and broken glass just sprayed all over my face. Neat!

@MrAsBBB 3 жыл бұрын

And that necklace! Will make you an absolute fortune!

@TheScott10012 6 жыл бұрын

What happened to clive's left thumbnail?

@AestheticFunk 6 жыл бұрын

TheScott10012 Our Uncle Clive is a working man. He most likely hammered his nail or had something dropped on it.

@TheScott10012 6 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that's probably the case. Just wondered if he had mentioned it in one of his videos and I missed it.

@silberwolfy 6 жыл бұрын

It was a work shop accdent it was messing around with something spring loaded and a went bang on his nail he said it about 4 or 5 vids back

@McScrubington 6 жыл бұрын

He explains what happen to his nail in his "Lithuanian MRE" video, at around 2:30. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b7mJZNqS2LOlmJc.html

@BradpTMO 6 жыл бұрын

McScrubington thanks, I was wonder about that as well.

@RedFathom 6 жыл бұрын

the bubble is probably nothing. they are probably heated to their trip temperature then sealed. the bubble would form as the liquid shrank in volume creating a vacuum, or vapor bubble.

@superdau 6 жыл бұрын

That would make sense and sounds really easy to accurately control. I wouldn't know how they could otherwise put the exact amount of air/gas into the tube when every tube will seal slightly differently.

@cheerfultrout4381 6 жыл бұрын

If you think about it though, if the bubble is being formed as a by-product of a process like that, the size of the bubble should be fairly consistent each time and you could actually use it for quality control purposes.

@agvulpine 6 жыл бұрын

I expect earlier alcohol vials have been replaced with bubble-containing water vials, to cut production costs by millions of dollars. Same reason that bismuth tabs were replaced with alcohol vials in the first place.

@breid1102 6 жыл бұрын

Air can be compressed however liquid can not so the bigger the bubble the more heat is required to hit a high enough pressure IE explode . You will find the only difference with the liquid is the coloring being used to indicate temps however the higher temp units will have a larger bubble this offers more room for the liquid to expand before it hits the popping point.

@RedFathom 6 жыл бұрын

air would add a level of error in the accuracy of the temperature sensing, but a void or vacuum knowing the expansion rate will give you the exact temperature it will rupture at.

@RobertBeck-pp2ru Жыл бұрын

Yet another wonderful dissection by Clive. Just a note: These are not intended to "put out" the fire. Their purpose is to spray cooling water over a wide area to help absorb heat from the fire long enough to give the fire department time to get into position at the scene. The firemen put out the fire, which hopefully is not yet out of control. And I do have them piped near the ceiling in my shop building where I do welding jobs on my projects, along with a very loud siren. Cheap extra insurance.

@user-gx6jb6wc5g Жыл бұрын

It's notable that many fires in buildings with sprinklers are actually out before the fire brigade arrive.

@terrydavis3620 6 жыл бұрын

Old post but just stumbled across this. Love yer vids Clive. I design these systems for a living. The heads themselves can withstand more but the typical system working pressure is 175psi. Installed systems are tested at 200psi or 50psi above the expected working pressure before being placed in service. Each manufacturer makes 1200+ different variations. Into which they have invested millions of dollars in testing. Subtle deflector changes dramatically effect performance. Choosing a sprinkler for a specific application requires some experience. All sprinklers have to be proven and then listed by Underwriter Laboratories to be used in a system here in the states. The Chinese Ebay variants are likely not UL listed. A properly designed sprinkler system is proven hydraulically based on the available water supply. The pipe sizing is dictated by this math. This math in effect simulates a fire condition and proves how the system will perform in that scenario. There are minimum application densities needed for a given/expected fire load. Also, a system for your home has a different set of parameters than a commercial building.

@MrStevieDLFC 6 жыл бұрын

I always taught they had like a wax that melted to set them off

@mcgyver272000 6 жыл бұрын

Older sprinklers had a fusible link that released the plug. I don't think wax was used since it softened so close to room temperature.

@newjerseybill3521 6 жыл бұрын

Not sure I would trust Chinese quality and tolerances for a life safety appliance. :(

@tinytonymaloney7832 3 жыл бұрын

Firing a laser at a sprinkler bulb, new one on me. I thought that could only happen in star wars. 😂😂

@oracla 6 жыл бұрын

I like the odd funny thing that you say, but the splatter moment was just hilarious. Really LOLd.

@Thermalions 6 жыл бұрын

Big Clive, the king of understated segues.

@KyrosX27 6 жыл бұрын

Suggested to me by KZfaq. Huh. Knowledge I never knew I needed or was interested at. Thanks!

@Sizukun1 6 жыл бұрын

Carhartt makes some really good workwear. Their jackets, painter's pants, and just about everything else is really good quality. If you ever come to the US, spend a few hundred on good workwear and it'll last you a decade.

@aplusjimages 6 жыл бұрын

To answer your question about the high heat systems, we use them in the film industry for sets. Since we have all those high heat lights in the ceiling we need a fire suppression system that won't go off when we turn the lights on.

@cmnatic3953 4 жыл бұрын

If this Clives' answer to "buying whilst you're in there" then I dread to imagine Clive's answer to a KZfaq rabbit hole

@TheBlaert 5 жыл бұрын

I have literally 20 full boxes of the properly good ones of these from when my father worked as an industrial plumber. From the 60's so they might even be worth something nowadays. Well made little things

@user-gx6jb6wc5g 5 жыл бұрын

I wonder if there's a collector's market for them. You could try listing a few on eBay.

@ehsangaeini 6 жыл бұрын

That definitly was predictable but clive you didnt think it true, that was funny, love your videos.

@niiidar 5 жыл бұрын

Saunas around here have blue-colored ampules. I have long wondered why, but this explains it. Thanks!

@ArcAiN6 6 жыл бұрын

The liquid within the ampule of the sprinkler head is a mixture of alcohol and water or glycerin and water. The % of each is changed to determine the activation temperature of the head. The color is from a dye and indicates the activation temperature. It is put in the liquid so that you can visually inspect the ampule to make sure it is still intact and the liquid has not evaporated or drained out without climbing up to the head to look. This is most often caused by the glass of the ampule cracking and the liquid evaporating. This would cause the head to go off at other than the stated activation temperature (either lower or higher depending upon the type of fracture of the glass). As previously stated, the heating of the liquid creates an internal pressure within the ampule which breaks the glass at the activation temp. Low melting metal alloys such as woods metal are also used. Common temp ranges, based on maximum ceiling temperature are: 135-170 deg F, 175-225 deg F, 250-300 deg F, 325-375 deg F, 400-475 deg F, 500-575 deg F and 650 deg F. The faster the element is heated up the lower within the range it will activate.

@KantFromEC 5 жыл бұрын

This video seems the most appropriate use of my time at 2 am with a case study due tomorrow at 11:59am.

@StRoRo 6 жыл бұрын

Such a simple device and works so well

@hrnekbezucha 6 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad that there are more people who go on wild tangents. Last time I wanted to find out why Buchla's approach to sound synthesis wasn't as successful as Moog's and ended up an hour later reading about holomorphic functions on complex planes...

@MicraHakkinen 6 жыл бұрын

4:35 "There must be an alloy that melts" Could be, or maybe it's even simpler than that. I'd imagine a fire would heat up the inside of the little canister quickly enough for the sprinkler to simply go off and then the water pressure popping off the lid.

@maicod 6 жыл бұрын

that glass and red spatter is a neat way to prepare for halloween ;-)

@nathannolan1593 6 жыл бұрын

Those little glass vials are so satisfying I want to just go on ebay and buy like 30 of them

@user-gx6jb6wc5g 6 жыл бұрын

Do it. They're really neat.

@ifell3 6 жыл бұрын

I always thought they were triggered by the alarm system. Nice one Clive

@Dragonightess 6 жыл бұрын

Had no idea this is how they worked, really good idea.

@BritishBoy1971 6 жыл бұрын

I've often wondered about how sprinkler heads work etc. Thanks for showing us Clive!! 🙂

@wisteela 6 жыл бұрын

This explains why people try to set them off by hitting them. I like the pendant idea.

@Wackyscfm 6 жыл бұрын

You are correct, the liquid is alcohol. The hidden or recessed sprinklers cover plate is just held on with a low heat solder and little bubble is for the expansion and determines the temperature that the tubes will shatter.