High-Rise Hotel Addition: Elevator Recall, Sprinkler Monitoring, and Sequence Matrix

The matrix should identify each input, the resulting output, the priority, and any delays or interlock conditions. It is not enough to say “flow alarms” or “elevator recall.”

For the new fourth-floor flow switch:

• The flow switch should report as a distinct alarm zone or address, not merely as an unnamed module, so responders can identify the location.
• Waterflow should initiate the appropriate alarm signal at the FACP, voice evacuation message if the sequence calls for it, annunciation at the lobby panel and remote annunciator, and transmission to the supervising station.
• The associated tamper switch should be monitored as a supervisory signal, not as an alarm.

For elevator recall:

• Recall is initiated by the elevator lobby smoke detectors and machine-room/hoistway detectors in accordance with the elevator recall sequence. A lobby detector at the designated level typically recalls cars to the alternate level; a machine-room or hoistway detector typically recalls cars to the designated level.
• The matrix should state which detector causes which recall, whether Phase I is automatic or manual, and how firefighter service is indicated.
• If the addition changes any elevator lobby, machine room, or hoistway condition, the recall layout must be re-evaluated; the contractor’s statement that “the elevators do not serve the banquet room” does not by itself resolve the interface.

The matrix should also address prioritization among voice evacuation, elevator recall, door hold-opens, HVAC shutdown, and sprinkler monitoring so that conflicting outputs are resolved on paper before testing.

The sold-out weekend is an operational concern, not a code basis for skipping or indefinitely deferring acceptance testing. The contractor should coordinate a test plan with the elevator contractor, the hotel, and the AHJ. The plan should include:

• Notification of the fire department and monitoring company, if required.
• A schedule that minimizes guest impact, such as off-peak testing or staged testing by elevator bank.
• Verification of Phase I recall from each initiating detector, including lobby and machine-room/hoistway detectors.
• Verification that the elevators return to normal service and that firefighter service is restored after testing.
• Testing of the new flow switch, tamper switch, annunciation, and transmission.
• Documentation of any impairment, including fire watch or other interim measures if a system is out of service.

If a test cannot be completed, the system should not be represented as fully accepted. The AHJ may allow partial acceptance with written conditions, but that is the AHJ’s decision. The contractor should not allow the hotel’s schedule to dictate an untested sequence of operations.

Verify that the module is compatible with the panel and the flow switch, that it is listed for the circuit type, and that the address and label clearly identify the new fourth-floor banquet room zone. A “nearest module” is acceptable only if it has spare capacity, is properly supervised, and does not create an ambiguous address. The module must be programmed so that the flow alarm produces the correct alarm signal, annunciation, and transmission - not a supervisory or trouble signal.

Also verify that the module’s location is accessible for testing and maintenance, that the wiring method complies with Article 760, and that the flow switch is installed in the correct sprinkler zone with the correct retard and pressure characteristics. If the nearest module is already fully utilized or is not on the same signaling line circuit as the panel’s intended program, the contractor should add a module rather than compromise the address scheme. The as-built drawings and sequence matrix should be updated to show the final address and zone assignment.