FBC™ System Compatible Program Updates 2020

July 29, 2020

The Lubrizol Corporation’s CPVC Piping Systems business has updated its FBC System Compatible Program with the several changes to the Approved Products List, the Incompatible Products List, and the Other Chemical Compatibility Topics List in 2020. These changes are outlined below.

Approved Products List by Category

• Cleaners & Disinfectants
  Product: moldBLOCK™ Cleanser
  Manufacturer: MoldStoppers, LLC

   

• Firestop Sealants
  Product: CFS-FIL Firestop Sealant
  Manufacturer: Hilti
  
  Products: Fyre-Sil Gun Grade
  Manufacturer: Tremco
  
  Product: MSL Marine Silicone Sealant
  Manufacturer: Specified Technologies, Inc.

Fastenal has elected to no longer participate in the FBC System Compatible Program.  Therefore, their FMT Pipe System Plus Thread Cutting Oil has also been removed from the Program.

Incompatible Products

The following products have been added to the Incompatible List with the noted compatibility hazard designation:

Compatibility Hazards:

3 - These products have been determined to be incompatible based on compositional information found in the manufacturer’s labeling or published literature. One or more ingredients reported by the manufacturer is the same as or chemically similar to ingredients identified as having caused or contributed to piping system failure with similar products (the products designated with a ¹).

4 - These products have recommendations in their manufacturer’s published literature not to use them with CPVC. This may not necessarily reflect their compatibility status. They are nevertheless listed here because, as reported by the manufacturer, they should not be used with CPVC.

Other Chemical Compatibility Topics Updates

The recommendation for cleaning Lubrizol’s CPVC has been revised:

Household bleach solutions may be used for cleaning and disinfecting piping systems. The bleach used should be plain, without added thickeners, detergents, scents, etc. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website, diluted household bleach solutions (at least 1000ppm sodium hypochlorite) can be used if appropriate for the surface. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application, ensuring a contact time of at least 1 minute, and allowing proper ventilation during and after application. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.

• Prepare a bleach solution by mixing:
  • 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water or
  • 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water.

The Fire Fighting Foams recommendation has been revised.  The new text is:

Fire Fighting Foams should not be used with BlazeMaster pipe and fittings as most Fire Fighting Foams contain surfactants (or ingredients) that are often incompatible with CPVC.

The Insulation Category has been revised:

Tubing insulation for use with CPVC should be fiberglass, foamed polyolefin (polyethylene), foamed polyisocyanurate or phenolic. Foamed rubber tubing insulation may contain incompatible plasticizers and is not preferred. Foamed polyolefin, foamed polyisocyanurate and phenolic insulations should not have any oil lubrication applied to the interior surface.

Paper Faced Batt, Unfaced Batt and Fill insulation made of Fiberglass, Glass Mineral Wool, Mineral Fiber, Stone Wool, Silica Aerogel, Cotton Fiber and Cellulose, including those with graphite intumescent additives or inorganic salts, may come into contact with CPVC.

Fiberglass Duct insulation with aluminum, paper, metalized polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene facing may come into contact with CPVC.

The Paint recommendation has been revised:

• Do not allow paint to get inside the piping system through openings such as drops or adapters.  Paint inside the piping system may peel off and impede flow through the sprinkler head in a fire situation.  There are no paints which have been evaluated for compatibility with CPVC by the mechanism of their ingredients leaching into the fluid inside the piping.  Such a mechanism may be more detrimental to CPVC than paint applied to the exterior of the piping.
  
  
• Listings and approvals do not include painted BlazeMaster piping systems.
  
  
• Approval from the Authority Having Jurisdiction must be obtained before painting over the markings (product identification, listing marks, etc.) on the product.

A new category for “Tape and Labels” has been added:

Most types of tapes or labels may be used with CPVC, including masking tape, strapping tape, duct tape, and labels made of paper, polyolefin or polyester materials.   However, tapes or labels with a plasticized vinyl body (e.g., electrical tape) should not be used.

THE LUBRIZOL FBC™ SYSTEM COMPATIBLE PROGRAM

Products qualify for the program by undergoing testing that demonstrates the product is compatible with FlowGuard Gold^® Pipe & Fittings, BlazeMaster^® Fire Protection Systems, and Corzan^® Industrial Systems and Products made with TempRite® Technology.

Manufacturers of the program's products are committed to maintaining necessary product quality and agree not to change the chemical composition of the product without advance written notice. If there is a change in the chemical composition, manufacturers must re-submit their products in order to be included in the FBC System Compatible Program. Manufacturers must also submit their products to periodic testing to ensure the products remain chemically compatible. Because CPVC products are made with base resins having different molecular weights and varying chlorine contents and compound additives, the FBC System Compatible Program can verify chemical compatibility of products made with Lubrizol's FlowGuard, BlazeMaster, and Corzan and Products made with TempRite Technology with the ancillary products tested and added to the Lubrizol FBC System Compatible Program.

Products in the program display the FBC System Compatible mark on their labels. This mark quickly notifies installers that the product is chemically compatible with FlowGuard, BlazeMaster, and Corzan and Products made with TempRite Technology. The FBC System Compatible Program is in active use in the United States, Canada, Mexico, 25 European countries, the United Arab Emirates, India and China.

FBC™, FlowGuard Gold®, BlazeMaster®, Corzan® and Temprite® Technology are registered trademarks of The Lubrizol Corporation.