Calibration & Repair : Five Year System Calibration

NOTE Please do not send back your Air Current Testers with your equipment. If they are sent to us, they will not be returned to you.

Your entire door-fan system should be calibrated, as a system, every 5 years. This includes blowers, console and gauges. Often customers send back their panel sets for repair and maintenance at the same time. Damaged equipment must be repaired before calibration can be completed.

The fans are calibrated by putting them into our flow chamber and measuring the difference between the measured value and the actual leakage value of the chamber. Correction factors are established for each blower to reduce the measured errors when used with Retrotec's software.

Applicable Sections of the NFPA Standard

The NFPA 2001 Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems 2004 Edition requires that you have your door fan system calibrated every five years.

Annex C Enclosure Integrity Procedure

C2.2.1.6 Door fan systems should be checked for calibration every 5 years under controlled conditions, and a certificate should be available for inspection at all integrity tests. The calibration should be performed according to manufacturer's specifications.

The certificate should include the following:

Description of the calibration facility and responsible technician.

Date of calibration and serial number of door fan.

Room pressure gauge error estimates at 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 40 Pa measured by both ascending and descending pressures (minimum.)

Fan calibration at a minimum of 3 leakage areas (approximate): 0.5 m², 0.25m² and 0.05m² measured at a pressure of 10 Pa.

Calibration Costs

Calibration of your Gauges

The basic calibration costs for your gauges are:

Calibration of one analog gauge costs US$100.
Calibration of a DM-1 Digital Gauge costs US$100 plus shipping.
Calibration of a DM-2 Digital Gauge costs US$165 plus shipping.

Calibration of your Fans

The basic calibration costs for your fans are:

$250 US for full your fan on all available ranges.
$160 US for calibration of your fan on the open range only.

This means that a two blower system such as a Model 970hp which has 2 fans will cost $410. In this same example the 1 year gauge calibration must be done as well which is another $300 for three gauges.

Budget an additional $200 per piece of equipment for repair if your system is in anything less than excellent condition. Most five year calibrations run between $1200 and $2500 with repairs and servicing.

Where To Send Your Equipment

All equipment being returned to Retrotec must be sent to:

Retrotec Inc.
Attn: Calibration, Warranty and Repair
1060 East Pole Road
Everson, WA USA 98247

Include packlist of what items are shipped
Include all equipment used in door-fan tests
Do not return the toolbags or any air current testers when shipping equipment to us.
Please include your company name, and contact information.
Include what needs to be looked at and the problems you have been having (if any).
Fans and Consoles should be individually packed in well-padded boxes.
Ask for more information on our shipping boxes!

For calibration and repair quotes and information,
please contact Retrotec at 360.738.9835 or by email at calibration@retrotec.com

Hours: 0800-1600 PST (1100-1900 EST, 1600-2400 GMT in UK)

Calibration in Europe

Customer in the United Kingdom or on the European continent can send their equipment for calibration to Littlebrook Calibration Services for calibration work. Littlebrook will take care of all necessary paperwork to get your updated CA2001 certificate issued.

Tommy Thompson
Littlebrook Calibration Services

5 Optima Park
Thomas Road (off Thames Road)
Crayford, Kent DA14QX
United Kingdom

44 (0)1322-556111
44 (0)1322-520400
lcmdirector@17025calibrations.com