How to Read a Victaulic

Sprinkler Data Sheet

August 17, 2023

Victaulic sprinkler head cut sheets have

the info to select sprinklers and
accessories
Victaulic is most well-known for its innovative history of manufacturing
pipes, fittings, and valves, but its fire protection repertoire also includes a
wide array of fire sprinkler heads. And Victaulic data sheets, sometimes
called Victaulic sprinkler head cut sheets, provide the information
installers and buyers need.

Unfortunately, most sprinkler data sheets are so packed with information

that they can be difficult to read. And while Victaulic’s are a little simpler
than their competitors’ documents, they still may present challenges to
the casual reader.

This blog tells you how to interpret current Victaulic sprinkler data
sheets, including:

 Sprinkler identification numbers and how Victaulic organizes

its products and data sheets
 Essential sprinkler information
 Sprinkler safety certifications—listings and approvals
 Sprinkler materials, finishes, and technical installation
drawings
 Design criteria
Need fire protection equipment? Shop QRFS’s selection of  Victaulic
sprinklers,  concealed sprinkler cover plates, and  escutcheons. If you know
the sprinkler identification number associated with a sprinkler or
accessory, the  QRFS Quick Finder  is the fastest way to ID and buy the
right parts.

The SIN and how Victaulic organizes its

fire sprinkler line
Everything regarding fire sprinklers these days starts with the sprinkler
identification number. All heads manufactured after 2001 have this four-
to-seven-digit alphanumeric code imprinted on their deflectors, and
each SIN begins with the manufacturer’s code.

Victaulic SINs start with “V” followed by numbers, which should not be
confused with Viking’s initial “VK.” Here are a couple of examples:

 The V2707 is a standard spray, standard response, 5.6k

pendent sprinkler.
 The V2708 is the quick response version of the above.
 Yo
u can see the SIN on the edges of a Victaulic sprinkler’s deflector;
here, the V2708.
Some sprinkler manufacturers have created data sheets for a single SIN,
but many group several on one document, including Victaulic. Overall,
the company breaks its sprinkler products down like this:

1. Fire sprinklers, all under the FireLock™ brand

2. Standard coverage, extended coverage, residential, storage,
dry, or specific application sprinklers
3. The specific sprinkler series
Victaulic’s data sheets are organized by the sprinkler series; each
document contains all the heads/SINs within that series.

The sprinkler series has another code, though it’s a really easy one to
understand (if you know fire sprinklers). For example:
 The V2707 standard spray, standard response pendent
sprinkler is in Series FL-SR (FireLock–Standard Response).
 This pendent’s V2708 standard spray, quick response version
is in Series FL-QR.
Other notable examples:

 Series FL-SR/C are FireLock standard response concealed s
prinklers, whereas FL-QR/C are quick response
 Series FL-QR/CNV and Series FL
SR/CNV indicate conventional (aka “old-style”) sprinklers
 Series FL-ECLH are extended coverage sprinklers listed for
use in light-hazard occupancies (the ECOH versions
are ordinary hazard)
 Series FL-QR/ST are storage sprinklers
 Series FL-RES are residential
There is another key part of the code to be aware of that distinguishes
Victaulic’s series. All sidewall sprinklers have a “/SW” in their series name,
whereas pendent and upright orientations are both within the primary
series designation.

Again, if you know a little about sprinkler characteristics, the codes for
different series make perfect sense. And Victaulic organizes its
datasheets by series, which each document having multiple
SINs/sprinklers.

You can read more in  our guide to Victaulic fire sprinkler heads.

Essential sprinkler information

Many manufacturers start their data sheets with a copy-heavy
description of the sprinkler(s), its key characteristics, and what use
(occupancies) it’s listed for. But Victaulic gets right down to business with
a big “Product Description” table.
Here’s the top part of it for the Series FL-QR sprinklers:

Despite 12 entries, this FL-QR series data sheet really only has eight
different sprinklers, each with a unique SIN:

 The four in the top section are upright (orientation) sprinklers

 The next four in the row below those are pendent sprinklers.
 The last four are the same pendents as the previous row—no
characteristics change—but they also mention necessary
escutcheons for when the heads are installed recessed into a
ceiling.
This handy table quickly shows you most of the essential specs about
these sprinklers: SIN, Orientation, K-factor, Connection [size],
and Maximum Working Pressure.

Other than orientation (upright vs. pendent), the primary difference

between the sprinklers in this line is each’s K-factor, which is essentially
how big the hole in the sprinkler is and how much water comes out.
Higher K-factors are typically used in environments with more
challenging “fuel loads,” though different numbers can work depending
on the water pressure, flow, and necessary coverage area.

If you’re replacing sprinklers or putting in a new system, the K-factors

must match what you have (except in special situations) or what the
system’s designer specifies.

You can  read more about K-factors in our previous blog.

Also, note the bottom of each row where it reads “Globe Re-
Designation” and “Globe Equivalent.” Victaulic bought Globe Sprinkler in
2019, so these lines specify which old models people need to replace
with current sprinklers.

What about escutcheons and cover plates?

The top portion of the Product Description table showed one essential
accessory for these sprinklers: that listed escutcheons are necessary to
surround the recessed pendents. It communicated this by saying
“recessed” in the escutcheon row. The documents for concealed
sprinklers have similar info, only having “concealed” in the same row with
the heading “escutcheon.”

This points to one of the confusing things about Victaulic’s data

sheets: they list no part or model numbers for the escutcheons or
cover plates, unlike some other manufacturers. And either of these
accessories must match the specific sprinkler. So, how do you know
what to get?

Fortunately, it’s pretty simple: the first three digits of the sprinkler’s SIN
match the appropriate cover plate or escutcheon, among other parts. So,
for example:

The V2708 recessed sprinkler goes with the V27

escutcheons
 The V3802 concealed sprinkler goes with a V38 cover plate
 And so on …
The bottom portion of the table shows other accessories: the
compatible head guards, water shields, and installation
wrenches, which also match up with those first three digits of the SIN:

Listed head guards can protect sprinkler heads from some impacts, while

water shields block overspray from sprinklers. And you need wrenches
that are specifically compatible with a fire sprinkler and how it’s installed
—this avoids damage and makes putting them in and removal easier.
This accessory portion of the table is pretty easy to read: a black box
indicates what items are compatible with each SIN, of course.

Sprinkler safety certifications—listings

and approvals in Victaulic sprinkler
data sheets
All fire sprinklers are “listed” or “approved,” and many specific
accessories are, too. The general term “listed” means that a safety
organization (notably UL or FM Global) has tested this equipment to
perform specific jobs in specific environments.

Victaulic’s “Approvals/Listings” table shows which sprinklers (SINs) are

listed at available activation temperatures by what safety organization.
Here’s a portion of it:

UL is the most important listing organization (certainly in North

America), and that “cULus” row indicates that all four upright sprinklers
are listed in the US and Canada. This distinction means the sprinklers
meet the requirements of NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of
Sprinkler Systems.

FM Approval can also be important, as certain standards and

organizations, such as insurance companies, may specifically require it. In
the FL-QR series example above, only the V2704 and V3402 are FM-
Approved.

LPCB stands for Loss Prevention Certification Board, an “international

Certification Body in the fields of security and fire protection” based in
the UK. Its approvals match FM’s.

The full Victaulic data sheet table also features three other listing and
approval organizations. But here are the essential things to remember:

 UL and FM are most important for North American customers

 All official certifications may meet NFPA 13’s requirement that
equipment must be listed
 Make sure to get appropriately listed models. People are
usually good to go with UL listings, but some entities may
want FM or both.
Interestingly and unlike other manufacturers, Victaulic’s data sheets
don’t specify overall what these sprinklers are listed for—the occupancy
hazard level. But they are all quick response, which indicates light hazard
(required) and ordinary hazard (possible, under certain conditions)
environments.

The bottom of the table also includes some important footnotes:

The above mentions specific sprinklers available in this series with
“Corrosion Resistant” coatings. That’s important for individuals installing
the heads in corrosive environments, as NFPA 13 may require them, and
this feature changes some of the sprinkler testing and replacement
intervals.

The notes also highlight a special New York City rule saying either FM
Approved or UL Listed is ok, so be sure to always read the fine print.
There’s some relevant stuff in there!

Sprinkler materials, finishes, and

technical installation drawings
The next two sections of the data sheet have what sprinklers are made
of, their dimensions, and drawings that show them installed.

Major manufacturers can vary the material specs a bit, but all of them
make quality fire sprinklers that just work. So, the main things to note
here are:

1. More detail on finishes, such as this info for the Series FL-QR:
Beyond choosing something for looks, you again may need to pay
attention to the superscripts and footnotes specifying listed corrosion-
resistant finishes.

2. Diagrams pointing out each part and the installed sprinklers:

The diagram on the left is just a schematic of the various parts and
overall measurements. But the one on the right shows the sprinkler
installed and the range of adjustment possible to account for variances
in surfaces and the distance to the supply pipe.
This info can come in handy for installers. But even more useful is
Victaulic’s separate installation manuals with way more information and
step-by-step instructions, like this one.

Design criteria—mainly for residential

sprinklers
All data sheets contain some crucial information relevant to system
design, such as K-factor and maximum working pressure. But Victaulic
data sheets for residential sprinklers, like other manufacturers’, take
things a step further.
This is because most commercial sprinkler system design rules are found
in NFPA 13, which outlines all this information in great detail.

Residential sprinklers and systems, however, (usually) rely on these

standards:

 NFPA 13D: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in

One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes)
 NFPA 13R: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in
Low-Rise Residential Occupancies
These documents have fewer and some different requirements
while deferring to manufacturers and laboratory approvals to
provide key design data.

So, Victaulic and other manufacturers’ data sheets include additional

information in the residential sprinkler data sheets, including:

 Maximum coverage area (ft. x ft.)

 Minimum flow (gpm)
 Minimum pressure (psi)
 Distance from the deflector to the ceiling/mounting surface
(in.)
 Minimum (sprinkler) spacing (ft.)
Most of these design criteria directly correspond with the sprinkler’s K-
factor—change a K-factor, and they change, as well.

Victaulic puts these design criteria in the previously mentioned

“Certification/Listings” section but only on data sheets for residential
sprinklers:
Check out the last six columns of a portion of the table covering Series
FL-RES sprinklers, including the V2740 4.9k pendent.
Victaulic sprinkler data sheets are
pretty straightforward—and so are the
answers to their biggest unanswered
questions
Victaulic sprinkler head cut sheets are simpler and more visual than some
competitors, presenting almost all information in tables instead of
regular copy. They provide all crucial details but leave two notable things
out: a sprinkler’s use in specific occupancy hazard levels and the exact
nomenclature—part or model numbers—for essential accessories (cover
plates, escutcheons, etc.).

Fortunately, answering those questions is usually pretty easy. First, the

hazard generally corresponds to the sprinkler’s response type, so a
qualified system designer or contractor will know what’s needed. And
contractors or laypersons should just replace the sprinkler they have, or a
system designer specified.
Second, the escutcheons, cover plates, head guards, water shields, and
wrenches compatible with the sprinkler have the same code: the first
three digits of the sprinkler’s SIN. So, you know you
need V27 escutcheons for a recessed V2708 sprinkler, plus a V27-
2 recessed wrench (or V27 standard wrench for the non-recessed
V2708s).