"XL Incident"

[AccelFire]

thread184-435756 a member named NewtonFP referenced threading schedule 7 is out of the question "since the XL incident". NewtonFP - can you provide a link to data regarding the XL incident you are speaking of (or if you have it printed and can scan it, email it to me?), and can you confirm that you are referencing Allied XL Sprinkler Pipe failures? It looks like the internet search ability has been scrubbed for finding anything about Allied XL pipe failures.....and I have a project where they want us to work on existing XL pipe drops. We want to replace them - need to provide backup related to the issues with that pipe.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[MGXFP]

So I reviewed my post from 21 February 2018 and I have to say I'm not sure of any particular incident regarding XL pipe specifically. Sorry for the unclear message. Doing a Google search today I can not find the material data sheets for XL pipe. I am not sure it is still being produced.

I can tell you from my years' of experience that I've seen more bad XL pipe fire sprinkler systems installed than good. Bad as in the piping corrodes quickly and tends to leak even after a few years in service. The workmanship has been fine in almost all cases but the pipe simply rots in place.

Grooved XL pipe may be fine but most of the bad I've seen are in regards to threaded XL; especially drops to pendent sprinklers. Also per my 21 February 2018 post there is good evidence to avoid galvanized pipe in fire sprinkler systems which would include galvanized XL pipe.

I do not have any documented or researched articles regarding XL pipe failures other than seeing probably over 20 systems that had a failure at a young age to make building owners quite angry that the fire sprinkler system needs replaced.

Finally, I even walked a job that was installed with sch. 5 pipe and had crimp type fittings. This building had multiple areas of freeze damage. Needless to say the recommendation was to completely tear out and replace the entire system from a 7 story building.

 

[AccelFire]

Yep it's like they scrubbed the internet of all XL data - strange. We used it back in the late 80's to late 90's due to flow characteristics, but soon found that doing relocates the drops would snap off at the thread easily so we stopped using it. I have an entire Allied Tube and Conduit binder with all their FM test data and report from 1985 and UL reports from 1982, as well as hydraulic info and Allied XL material submittal sheets but I don't have any articles or reports about failures...I just seem to remember seeing some years ago as more and more companies found issues. That may have been before every last thing was published to the internet of course......

Thank you for the response!