{"id":7971,"date":"2020-12-03T16:23:23","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T15:23:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/esperto-risponde\/prohibited-electric-fire-pumps-what-not-to-use\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:46:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T07:46:29","slug":"prohibited-electric-fire-pumps-what-not-to-use","status":"publish","type":"esperto-risponde","link":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/esperto-risponde\/prohibited-electric-fire-pumps-what-not-to-use\/","title":{"rendered":"Prohibited Electric Fire Pumps: What Not to Use"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The use of electric fire pumps<\/em> is a topic that raises questions, especially when selecting (or verifying) the main pump for a sprinkler system. In this response, I clarify what is permitted and what is not, within the scope defined by UNI EN 12845. <br\/><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#la-domanda-e-perche-e-frequente\">The question (and why it comes up so often)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#il-riferimento-normativo-usato-in-questa-risposta\">The legal reference used in this response<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#quali-pompe-principali-vengono-citate-dalla-norma-secondo-il-punto-richiamato\">Which main pumps are mentioned in the rules (according to the referenced section)?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#elettropompe-antincendio-vietate-come-pompe-principali-quali-sono-nel-caso-descritto\">Electric fire pumps prohibited as primary pumps: which ones (in the case described)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#perche-non-sono-ammesse-il-requisito-chiave-spiegato-in-modo-operativo\">Why They Are Not Allowed: A Practical Explanation of the \u201cKey\u201d Requirement<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#cosa-succede-se-limpianto-esistente-ha-pompe-principali-non-previste-dalla-norma\">What happens if the existing system has main pumps that are not covered by the rules?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#quando-le-pompe-indicate-possono-essere-utilizzate-senza-confondere-i-ruoli\">When the specified pumps can be used (without confusing their roles)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#conclusione\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"la-domanda-e-perche-e-frequente\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The question (and why it comes up so often)<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The question is straightforward: Can <strong>vertical, multistage surface-mounted electric pumps<\/strong> be used as <strong>primary fire pumps<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Doubts often arise when an existing system already includes a pressurization unit, or when considering a \u201cconvenient\u201d solution for the pump room. Here, however, the deciding factor is not market practice: it is what the rules require for the main pump. <\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"il-riferimento-normativo-usato-in-questa-risposta\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The legal reference used in this response<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reference cited is <strong>Section 10.1 of UNI EN 12845:2016<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Based on this reference, a practical guideline can be established: verify <strong>which centrifugal machines<\/strong> are actually mentioned and which functional requirements are specified by the standard (particularly with regard to disassembly, maintenance, and inspectability).<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"quali-pompe-principali-vengono-citate-dalla-norma-secondo-il-punto-richiamato\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which main pumps are mentioned in the standard (according to the referenced section)?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sticking to the point mentioned, the <strong>only centrifuges<\/strong> mentioned are:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>END SUCTION<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>BACK PULL-OUT<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guideline is not \u201cmerely a preference\u201d: it is linked to a specific operational requirement, as set forth in the same regulatory framework referred to above.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"elettropompe-antincendio-vietate-come-pompe-principali-quali-sono-nel-caso-descritto\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Electric fire pumps prohibited as primary pumps: which ones (in the case described)<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the above, it follows that:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vertical multistage pumps<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>monoblock centrifugal electric pumps<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>They are not permitted as main pumps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words: when we talk about <em>prohibited electric fire pumps<\/em> (within the scope of this question), the issue is not that they \u201cdon\u2019t work,\u201d but that <strong>they fail to meet the requirements<\/strong> that the rules associate with the END SUCTION \/ BACK PULL OUT type.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"perche-non-sono-ammesse-il-requisito-chiave-spiegato-in-modo-operativo\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why They Are Not Allowed: A Practical Explanation of the \u201cKey\u201d Requirement<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reason given (again in the reference to section 10.1) is to allow for:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>the pump and motor can be removed separately<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the <strong>internal parts of the pump<\/strong> can be <strong>inspected or replaced<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>all of this takes place <strong>without affecting the inlet or outlet lines<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This clarifies the \u201cwhy\u201d behind the <em>ban on electric fire pumps<\/em>: it is not a general assessment, but a requirement related to <strong>the maintainability<\/strong> and<strong>accessibility<\/strong> of the equipment over time, without affecting the piping.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"cosa-succede-se-limpianto-esistente-ha-pompe-principali-non-previste-dalla-norma\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens if the existing system has main pumps that are not covered by the rules?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A very specific example is the <strong>certification<\/strong> or <strong>periodic inspection<\/strong> of a water supply system that includes a pressurization unit with <strong>main pumps not covered by the rules<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this situation, the text states that the technician must make a decision <strong>after verifying<\/strong> the pumps\u2019 capacity to supply:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the design <strong>FLOW RATE<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Project <strong>PREVALENCE<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following this review, the decision may be:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>keep the existing configuration<\/strong>, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Replace the machines<\/strong> with others that meet the criteria set forth in the regulations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key point here is the process: not a choice made \u201cregardless,\u201d but a choice based on an assessment of scope and prevalence and on compliance with the required criteria.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"quando-le-pompe-indicate-possono-essere-utilizzate-senza-confondere-i-ruoli\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">When the specified pumps can be used (without confusing their roles)<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The text makes a clear distinction: the pump types listed above (multistage vertical and monoblock) <strong>may only be used as pressurization pumps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, if the uncertainty stems from a mixed system configuration, the rule of thumb to keep in mind is:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Main pump<\/strong>: must comply with the specified criteria (END SUCTION \/ BACK PULL OUT);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pressurization pump<\/strong>: it may fall under the categories mentioned as being usable only for this purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This distinction helps avoid the most common mistake: using a pump designed for pressurization as if it were a main pump, which falls under the typical case of <em>electric fire pumps that are prohibited<\/em> from being used as main pumps.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"conclusione\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Based on the reference in Section 10.1 of UNI EN 12845:2016, <strong>vertical multistage surface electric pumps<\/strong> are not permitted as <strong>primary fire pumps<\/strong>, nor are <strong>monoblock centrifugal electric pumps<\/strong>. The criterion centers on the ability to remove the pump and motor independently and to inspect or replace internal parts without affecting the inlet and outlet lines. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prohibited electric fire pumps: Let\u2019s clarify whether vertical multistage surface-mounted electric pumps can be used as primary pumps. Let\u2019s see what UNI EN 12845 specifies and what to do in the event of an inspection or certification. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7973,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_angie_page":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"tags":[722,719,721,720,724,621,636,549,723],"class_list":["post-7971","esperto-risponde","type-esperto-risponde","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-back-pull-out","tag-electric-fire-pumps","tag-end-suction","tag-main-fire-pumps","tag-monoblock-pump","tag-pressurization-unit","tag-sprinkler-pumps","tag-uni-en-12845","tag-vertical-multistage-pumps"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/esperto-risponde\/7971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/esperto-risponde"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/esperto-risponde"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/esperto-risponde\/7971\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}