{"id":8028,"date":"2021-08-02T16:41:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T14:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/esperto-risponde\/sprinkler-valve-monitoring-requirements-and-alarms\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:46:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T07:46:44","slug":"sprinkler-valve-monitoring-requirements-and-alarms","status":"publish","type":"esperto-risponde","link":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/esperto-risponde\/sprinkler-valve-monitoring-requirements-and-alarms\/","title":{"rendered":"Sprinkler Valve Monitoring: Requirements and Alarms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Monitoring of Sprinkler Valves<\/em> and Fire Water Supply Systems: The UNI EN 12845 standard addresses both the requirements for valves and the issue of monitoring and supervisory alarms. Let\u2019s examine how the points mentioned in the standard are connected and what this means, in practice, for the valves installed in fire water supply systems. <\/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-in-parole-semplici\">The question (in simple terms)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#dove-la-uni-en-12845-entra-nella-centrale-capitolo-10-pompe\">Where UNI EN 12845 \u201ccomes into play\u201d in the plant: Chapter 10 (Pumps)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#requisiti-delle-valvole-capitolo-15-valvole-e-punto-15-2\">Valve Requirements: Chapter 15 (Valves) and Section 15.2<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#monitoraggio-valvole-sprinkler-cosa-richiede-l-appendice-h-h-2-2\">Sprinkler Valve Monitoring: Requirements of Appendix H (H.2.2)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lo-scopo-del-monitoraggio-h-1-operabilita-e-allarme-di-supervisione\">The Purpose of Monitoring (H.1): Operability and Supervision Alarms<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#conseguenza-pratica-per-la-centrale-idrica-quali-valvole-e-quale-allarme\">Practical implications for the water treatment plant: which valves and which alarm<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#un-modo-operativo-per-rilevare-on-off-valvole-a-farfalla-microswitch-e-centralina-allarmi\">A practical method for detecting ON\/OFF status (butterfly valves): microswitches and an alarm control unit<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#conclusione\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"la-domanda-in-parole-semplici\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The question (in simple terms)<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes: The question concerns whether, <strong>according to UNI EN 12845<\/strong>, \u201cremote\u201d monitoring of the status (open\/closed) of the valves installed <strong>inside the fire protection water supply system<\/strong> is required, and how this monitoring should be implemented in terms of alarm management.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer is derived by combining three references: <strong>Chapter 10 (Pumps)<\/strong>, <strong>Chapter 15 (Valves)<\/strong>, and <strong>Appendix H (Sprinkler System Monitoring)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"dove-la-uni-en-12845-entra-nella-centrale-capitolo-10-pompe\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where UNI EN 12845 \u201ccomes into play\u201d in the plant: Chapter 10 (Pumps)<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">UNI EN 12845, in <strong>Chapter 10\u2014Pumps<\/strong>, section <strong>10.5<\/strong>, states that:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A shut-off valve<\/strong> must be installed <strong>on the piping of each main pump<\/strong> (with the exception mentioned for the case of an overflow tank);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A check valve<\/strong> and <strong>a shut-off valve<\/strong> must be installed <strong>in the pump&#8217;s outlet line<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This passage is important because it clearly states that there are \u201ccritical\u201d valves in the plant that are directly connected to the main pumps and are therefore potentially capable of affecting the plant\u2019s water supply.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"requisiti-delle-valvole-capitolo-15-valvole-e-punto-15-2\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Valve Requirements: Chapter 15 (Valves) and Section 15.2<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <strong>Chapter 15\u2014Valves<\/strong>, section <strong>15.2<\/strong>, it is specified that all <strong>shut-off valves<\/strong> that could <strong>interrupt the water supply to the sprinklers<\/strong> must:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>close clockwise<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>be equipped with an <strong>indicator<\/strong> that clearly shows whether it is <strong>opening<\/strong> or <strong>closing<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>be <strong>secured in the correct position<\/strong> using <strong>a cable tie<\/strong> or <strong>padlock<\/strong> (or an equivalent method).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The logical connection is clear: the valves located in the control room\u2014 <strong>both on the inlet and outlet sides<\/strong> of the main pumps\u2014\u201cundoubtedly\u201d have the capacity to shut off the water flow to the sprinklers. Therefore, in addition to being required by Chapter 10, they must also meet the specifications set forth in Section 15.2. <\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"monitoraggio-valvole-sprinkler-cosa-richiede-l-appendice-h-h-2-2\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sprinkler Valve Monitoring: What Appendix H (H.2.2) Requires<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The topic of \u201cremote monitoring\u201d is explained<strong>in Appendix H \u2013 Monitoring of Sprinkler Systems<\/strong>. Specifically, section <strong>H.2.2<\/strong> states that: <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The position<\/strong> of all shut-off valves that, if closed, could prevent water from flowing to the sprinklers must be <strong>monitored<\/strong>, including the water supply valves, the control station, the auxiliary valves, and the isolation valves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the transition from the valve\u2019s \u201cconstruction requirement\u201d (Chapter 15) to the system\u2019s \u201cfunctional requirement\u201d: <strong>it is not enough for the valve to be suitable and lockable<\/strong>; its <strong>position<\/strong> must also be <strong>monitored<\/strong> when closing it could prevent flow to the sprinklers.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"lo-scopo-del-monitoraggio-h-1-operabilita-e-allarme-di-supervisione\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Purpose of Monitoring (H.1): Operability and Supervision Alarms<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Section <strong>H.1<\/strong> clarifies the purpose of sprinkler system monitoring:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ensure the <strong>continuous operation<\/strong> of the system\u2019s main functions (i.e., those whose failure could compromise automatic operation in the event of a fire);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trigger a <strong>monitoring alert<\/strong> to enable <strong>corrective action<\/strong> to be taken.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, \u201cremote control\u201d is not a generic concept: it is the idea that a change in the valve\u2019s status\u2014if it shifts to a condition that could compromise the system\u2019s operation\u2014must trigger a signal that can be processed by the dedicated system, so that corrective actions can be taken.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"conseguenza-pratica-per-la-centrale-idrica-quali-valvole-e-quale-allarme\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical implications for the water treatment plant: which valves and which alarm<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taking all of the above into account, the result is that the valves specified in section <strong>10.5<\/strong> (pumps), in addition to meeting the requirements of section <strong>15.2<\/strong> (valves), <strong>must be monitored<\/strong>; if they are <strong>closed<\/strong>, an <strong>alarm<\/strong> must be generated, <strong>transmitted, and managed by the supervisory system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In summary, the rules require that the following be monitored remotely (via a supervisory system) at the power plant:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the <strong>shut-off valves<\/strong> on the <strong>main pumps<\/strong> located on <strong>the inlet<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the <strong>shut-off valves<\/strong> for the <strong>main pumps<\/strong> located at <strong>the Outlet<\/strong>;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">and that, if a valve <strong>closes<\/strong>, an <strong>alarm<\/strong> is triggered.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"un-modo-operativo-per-rilevare-on-off-valvole-a-farfalla-microswitch-e-centralina-allarmi\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A practical method for detecting ON\/OFF status (butterfly valves): microswitches and an alarm control unit<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To monitor the status <strong>(ON\/OFF)<\/strong> of the valves\u2014in the case of <strong>butterfly valves<\/strong>\u2014an approach based on the following is proposed:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>use of <strong>two microswitches<\/strong> mounted as shown;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>connecting the microswitches to <strong>the alarm control unit<\/strong> of the corresponding <strong>main pump<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From the control unit, the <strong>alarm signal (valve closed)<\/strong> is sent to <strong>the supervisory system<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This diagram consistently links the objective of Appendix H (monitoring position and generating a supervision alarm) with a practical method for collecting and forwarding the signal.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"conclusione\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The UNI EN 12845 standard, which applies to shut-off valves in water distribution centers connected to the main pumps, leads to a clear conclusion: <strong>if closing the valve can prevent flow to the sprinklers, its position must be monitored, and closing the valve must trigger an alarm managed by the supervisory system<\/strong>. This monitoring complements the valve\u2019s \u201cphysical\u201d requirements (open\/closed indication and locking in the correct position) with continuous functional oversight. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sprinkler Valve Monitoring: The UNI EN 12845 standard requires that the position of shut-off valves that can block the flow to the sprinklers be monitored. In a water treatment plant, this applies, in particular, to the inlet and outlet valves of the main pumps, with an alarm triggered if they close. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8030,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_angie_page":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"tags":[805,808,804,742,807,806,549,803],"class_list":["post-8028","esperto-risponde","type-esperto-risponde","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-fire-protection-water-station","tag-main-pumps","tag-shut-off-valves","tag-sprinkler-system","tag-supervision-alarm","tag-supervision-system","tag-uni-en-12845","tag-valve-monitoring"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/esperto-risponde\/8028","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\/8028\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}