What is an FRL?

An FRL is the Fire Resistance Level achieved by a product after it is tested to the Australian standards. The numbers xxx/xxx/xxx represent the number of minutes the product can be expected to maintain its structural adequacy/integrity/insulation.

Only the integrity and the insulation criteria apply to fire collars, which is why all of our FRL’s take the form  -/xxx/xxx.

Do Snap Fire Collars require servicing?

Snap Fire Collars do not need to be serviced.

If a fuselink (the bit of nylon holding the springs ends together) breaks, does the collar need to be replaced?

If a fuselink breaks before the fire collar has been fitted onto the pipe, a new spring bound by a fuselink must replace the activated spring. Contact the distributor for a replacement.

If a fuselink (the plastic link binding the spring ends together) breaks after the pipe has been installed, the fire collar is still compliant and no further action need be taken. Refer to FCO3426 Section 3.2, e., v.

Can the collar be altered in anyway?

The collar cannot be altered in any way other than as described by the installation instructions. Refer to FCO3426 Section 3.2, e.

Under no circumstances should you remove any of the dark grey ‘intumescent’ liner from the collar.

Is it okay to get concrete in the spring pockets?

There should never be any concrete in the spring pockets. If any has leaked in during installation it may interfere with the ability of the collar to activate in the event of a fire, leaving the collar non-compliant.

Please ensure any residual concrete is cleaned out of the spring pockets.

Refer to FCO3426 Section 3.2, e., iv.

How can I secure Snap Fire Collars to metal formwork?

You have two options for affixing the collars to the metal formwork:

• Steel templates for a plasma cutting. These are used to cut a hole in the metal formwork that will expose the spring pockets. There are two types of template available: an internal template which you cut around to give the shape of the collar, or an external template which you cut inside of to get the collar shape. Ensure that the cut-out hole is equal to or slightly (1mm or 2mm) larger than the base aperture.
• You can cut a square out of the metal formwork and affix pre-cut plates with a hole in the shape of the collar.

Refer to FCO3426 Section 3.3, a. for more details.

Is it okay to leave acoustic lagging around the collar?

Snap Fire Collars have been tested with acoustic lagging in several configurations.

Thermotec NuWrap 5 and Soundlag 4525C are approved for Snap cast-in collars with PVC systems up to 100mm and HDPE systems up to 160mm.

Refer to FCO3426 Section 3.3, f.

What can I use to fill the hole between the collar and the element?

Any gap between the collar and the penetrated element must be filled with a material that at least matches the Fire Resistance Level (FRL) of the element, such as concrete or fire-rated sealant.

For smaller gaps, a 10mm deep bead of fire-rated sealant can be used. Sealants that have been tested with Snap Cast-in collars include Fullers Firesound, Bostik Fireban 1 and others. Please contact us for a comprehensive list.

Refer to FCO3426 Section 3.2, c. and tabl3 17 for full gap filling details.

It is recommended that foam backing rod or similar material is packed around the pipe at this depth to ensure that the back-fill does not enter that body of the collar.

What fasteners can I use to fix Snap Fire Collars to an element?

Refer to our Recommended Fixings Guide for the correct fasteners to be used with each retro-fit collar and element type.