The Dropmaster can be used to remove antifreeze solution but you would still need to pull (and then replace) every pendent sprinkler to get all of the antifreeze out of every drop if your intention is to truly get as much of the previous antifreeze solution out of the system as possible. The water/antifreeze solution in a drop only gets sucked out by the Dropmaster when the sprinkler is removed – it won’t pull the water/antifreeze solution out of drop with the sprinkler still installed. You need air to be pulled in through where the sprinkler was to carry the water up and out of the drop. Here is a video of the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp-p-aVROOs&t=77s. Notice at 1:17 how the water in the drop isn’t being removed until the sprinkler is removed.
In regards to the need to remove the previous antifreeze solution from each drop, NFPA 25 makes the following comment in the annex of NFPA 25 (A.5.3.4 in the current, 2024 edition): Where systems are drained in order to be refilled, it is not typically necessary to drain drops. Most systems with drops have insufficient volume to cause a problem, even if slightly higher concentration solutions collect in the drops. For drops in excess of 36 in. (915 mm), consideration should be given to draining drops if there is evidence that unacceptably high concentrations of antifreeze have collected in these long drops. I struggled with this statement myself given how strict listings are so I reached out to a manufacturer when listed products started coming to market. At that time, that manufacturer agreed with the statement. I’d still get your manufacturer’s opinion though to be sure. Thank you, Grant Lobdell President Dyne Fire Protection Labs 2357 Ventura Drive Suite 108 Woodbury, MN 55125 Phone: 651-917-0644 Extension 606 Toll Free: 800-632-2304 Extension 606 Direct Line: 651-262-5606 Fax: 651-917-0646 Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> ________________________________ From: Greg McGahan <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Date: March 21, 2024 at 11:49:31 AM MST To: Discussion list on issues relating to automatic fire sprinklers <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: [Sprinklerforum] Re: Mixed antifreeze types Reply-To: Discussion list on issues relating to automatic fire sprinklers <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> If you use the dropmaster properly you can get nearly all of the water out to the point that when you pull a head you get just drops of water. I would do it with the antifreeze, fill and repeat a couple of times to make certain there wasn't enough antifreeze left to create a problem with mixing. We would use the DM and then pull a few heads to see what we had and if it was as empty as we expect, I would not have a problem refilling it with new. ________________________________ From: Caleb Brogan <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:55 PM To: Discussion list on issues relating to automatic fire sprinklers <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: [Sprinklerforum] Re: Mixed antifreeze types Dropmasters work great, but I wouldn’t rely on it to pull all the existing antifreeze out of every drop just by pulling a few. I have no idea on the potential mixing of the two solutions, but my personal opinion would be that Freezemaster is pretty expensive. The customer is paying for it, might as well make sure it’s all new. It shouldn’t take more than a day or two to drain 100 drops with a couple guys working (if the system drains well), so I would take the time to pull them out and make sure it’s clear. I haven’t tried to use a dropmaster on antifreeze though but with water it will suck a head into the RC from a foot away if it is working correctly. Thanks, Caleb Caleb Brogan | Sprinkler Systems Designer OH# 54-25-4815 & NICET# 147230 KOORSEN FIRE & SECURITY 727 Manor Park Dr, Columbus, OH 43228 P 614.853.5665 | Ext. 6512 | M 614.867.6791 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> | www.koorsen.com<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.koorsen.com&c=E,1,G7xkvHf0sG7EtbEWEhDfWTRyurg9zZG23P0mEyOJdo3nVmKM2hsG1CKq2O2BalZ6LiFJ5JNTOvppx_x9vAbtKxE6ypG81eeXRYDsKcqjtw-G9_qljcJYrOphZOg,&typo=1> 24x7x365 Service: 614.878.2228 | [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> From: Fpdcdesign <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:28 PM To: SprinklerForum <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: [Sprinklerforum] Mixed antifreeze types I have a client with a rather large (330 gallon) antifreeze system that is looking to upgrade to an approved solution. There are approximately 100 pendent sprinklers on either straight drops or swing joints. The contractor has proposed pulling a few drops and using a Dropmaster to try and drain the rest of them. I have no personal knowledge of how effective a Dropmaster is. Would using this be acceptable? Is there a way to tell if it worked? If there was a small amount of glycerine solution remaining, would that be a compatibility issue with Freezemaster? I will probably contact Lubrizol as well but am also looking for experience. Todd G Williams, PE Fire Protection Design/Consulting Stonington, CT 860-535-2080<tel:860-535-2080> (ofc) 860-554-7054<tel:860-554-7054> (fax) 860-608-4559<tel:860-608-4559> (cell) _________________________________________________________ SprinklerForum mailing list: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2flists.firesprinkler.org%2flist%2fsprinklerforum.lists.firesprinkler.org&c=E,1,jeGPUQClQ1DXIvbjpK2ePbN6F9Mlslzriz-ta9qVc0ACyyJcAbIqW6uyvM1in9_sXZm6G9ROIdfKM5RcNPT3rv2kdS7FJRODwqwgAM3OZBWP&typo=1 To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
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