Products Description
When seconds matter, a lighter bulb reacts first
A K5.6 (K80) quick response sprinkler platform built around a 3mm glass bulb for faster thermal activation - available in Upright, Pendent and Horizontal Sidewall, the fast-reacting counterpart to our standard response series.
3mm Glass Bulb
K5.6 K Factor (K80)
R½" ·½" NPT Thread
68°C 155°F Rating
Why the bulb size is the whole story
A sprinkler's glass bulb is its trigger: heat from a fire has to warm the liquid inside until it expands enough to shatter the glass. A smaller bulb holds less liquid and less metal-and-glass mass around it, so it tracks the surrounding air temperature more closely and activates sooner after a fire starts - the entire engineering idea behind "quick response."
This series drops bulb diameter from the 5mm used in our standard response line down to 3mm, while keeping the K5.6 (K80) discharge coefficient, dual R½"·½" NPT thread, and chrome plated brass frame identical across both lines. That means a specifier can swap between quick and standard response without touching the hydraulic calculation or the pipe fittings - only the activation behavior changes.
Quick response heads are the default or required choice in most light hazard occupancies under NFPA 13 - offices, hotel guest rooms, classrooms, and residential corridors - anywhere early activation meaningfully improves occupant evacuation time.
Quick Response vs. Standard Response - what actually changes
| Attribute | Quick Response (this series) | Standard Response |
|---|---|---|
| Glass Bulb | 3mm - lower thermal mass, faster to heat | 5mm - larger fluid volume, slower to heat |
| Typical Activation | Responds sooner after fire growth begins | Responds after a longer heat soak period |
| Where it's used | Light hazard occupancies: offices, hotels, dorms, healthcare corridors | Ordinary/higher hazard: warehouses, plant rooms, parking structures |
| K Factor | K5.6 (K80) - identical | K5.6 (K80) - identical |
| Thread & Frame | R½"·½" NPT, chrome plated brass - identical | R½"·½" NPT, chrome plated brass - identical |
| Orientations | Upright, Pendent, Horizontal Sidewall | Upright, Pendent, Horizontal Sidewall |
Configurations & specifications
Deflector up · exposed piping
Upright
Fitted above the branch line, deflector facing up - the fast-reacting option for exposed-pipe areas where quick response is still specified, such as light hazard storage or mechanical mezzanines.
| K Factor | K=5.6 (K80) |
| Thread Size | R½"·½"NPT |
| Glass Bulb | 3mm |
| Frame Finish | Chrome Plated, Brass |
| Deflector Finish | Chrome Plated, Copper |
| Certificate | FM |
| SIN | NR3131 |
Deflector down · suspended ceiling
Pendent
The most widely specified quick response orientation - suspended below a finished ceiling in offices, hotel rooms and corridors, where NFPA 13 light hazard rules most often call for quick response heads.
| K Factor | K=5.6 (K80) |
| Thread Size | R½"·½"NPT |
| Glass Bulb | 3mm |
| Frame Finish | Chrome Plated, Brass |
| Deflector Finish | Chrome Plated, Copper Plated, Stainless Steel |
| Certificate | FM |
| SIN | NR3231 |
Deflector sideways · wall mounted
Horizontal Sidewall
Wall-mounted near the ceiling line for rooms where overhead branch piping isn't practical - hotel guest rooms and dormitories are the classic case, and exactly where fast activation matters most for occupants.
| K Factor | K=5.6 (K80) |
| Thread Size | R½"·½"NPT |
| Glass Bulb | 3mm |
| Frame Finish | Chrome Plated, Brass |
| Deflector Finish | Chrome Plated, Copper |
| Certificate | FM |
| SIN | NR3331 |
Technical notes
Response Time Index
Engineers describe how fast a bulb reacts using a Response Time Index (RTI) - a lower RTI means faster activation for the same fire growth. Reducing bulb diameter from 5mm to 3mm lowers the thermal mass the fire has to heat, which is what pulls RTI down into the quick response range recognized by FM and NFPA 13.
No change to hydraulic design
Because the K factor, thread and frame are unchanged from the standard response series, switching to quick response affects only how soon a head opens - not how much water it delivers once it does. Existing pipe sizing and pump calculations carry over directly.
SIN & Traceability
NR3131, NR3231 and NR3331 are unique to the quick response Upright, Pendent and Horizontal Sidewall models respectively - distinct from the standard response series' SIN block - so submittals and inspection records clearly identify which response type is installed where.
Dual thread compatibility
Every head carries a dual R½"·½" NPT machined thread, so the same part number installs on ISO/BSP or NPT branch fittings without needing a separate SKU per region.
FM Approved across the full Quick Response series. Upright, Pendent and Horizontal Sidewall models are each independently listed under their own SIN, matching the coverage of our Standard Response line so a project can mix response types under one manufacturer.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What's actually different between this and NONFIR's Standard Response series?
A: Only the glass bulb: 3mm here versus 5mm on the standard response line, which lowers the Response Time Index and triggers activation sooner. K factor (K5.6/K80), thread size, frame material and available orientations are identical between the two series.
Q: Where is quick response required rather than optional?
A: NFPA 13 calls for quick response sprinklers as the default in most light hazard occupancies - offices, hotel and motel guest rooms, healthcare patient areas and residential corridors - because faster activation directly improves occupant egress time in these spaces.
Q: Can I mix quick response and standard response heads on the same hydraulic design?
A: Yes for the K factor and pipe sizing - both series share K5.6 (K80), so hydraulic calculations don't change. Response type should still be assigned by occupancy hazard classification per NFPA 13, not swapped freely within the same area.
Q: Which orientation fits a hotel guest room?
A: Pendent for a finished ceiling, or Horizontal Sidewall where running overhead branch piping isn't practical - both are common in hotel and dormitory work, and both are available with quick response in this series.
Q: How do I cite these in a submittal package?
A: Reference the SIN for the orientation - NR3131 (Upright), NR3231 (Pendent) or NR3331 (Horizontal Sidewall) - together with "K5.6 (K80), Quick Response, FM Approved." NONFIR can provide the matching FM approval documentation on request.
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Our address
No.8, Yuanfeng Road, Meiyuan Village, Kangmei Town, Nan'An City, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China
Phone Number
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