Chapter 1 of 525% of exam

Planning and Estimating

CSLB weights Planning and Estimating at about 25% of the C-16 exam: planning fire protection projects and estimating them. Some questions require computation, and a calculator is provided. This page is a short survey; the PrepPass C-16 Fire Protection study guide teaches the section with worked examples, chapter quizzes and a full practice exam at CSLB's weights.

Know the license and the code stack

A C-16 contractor lays out, fabricates and installs fire protection systems and their equipment, excluding electrical alarm systems. The fire code names the installation standard by building type.

Limited-area system
Not more than six sprinklers in a single fire area; Light Hazard or Ordinary Hazard Group 1 only.
2025 CFC 903.3.8
NFPA 13R
Group R buildings four stories or less above grade plane, within the height limits.
2025 CFC 903.3.1.2

Plan the water and the sprinklers

A design starts from a flow test (static, residual, flow) adjusted for seasonal fluctuation. Flow from a sprinkler is Q = K times the square root of P.

Water supply test
Adjust the design test for seasonal and daily pressure fluctuations.
2025 CFC 903.3.5
Temperature rating
Pick the lowest rating whose maximum ambient temperature covers the expected ceiling temperature.
Manufacturer data sheet (Viking VK1181)

Estimate the quantities

Counts round up to whole units, and both the area limit and the spacing limit apply to a sprinkler layout. Margin is on price; markup is on cost.

Spare sprinklers
6 up to 300 sprinklers, 12 for 300 to 1,000, 24 over 1,000, some of each type, plus a wrench.
Idaho State Fire Marshal acceptance checklist
Markup vs margin
Markup price = cost x (1 + markup); margin price = cost / (1 - margin).
CSLB 13E-16 (computation questions)

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