History Main / TelepathicSprinklers

** Crane, in the episode "Liar Liar", set off a sprinkler to interrupt a romantic moment between two people. Justified, since he was in the same room, behind a screen. Watching him emerge, soaking wet, a triumphant smile on his face? One of the funniest moments in the show. Granted, that instance seemed to only apply in regards to the apartment room, as the hallway oddly didn't seem to any water being sprayed.

When someone needs to create chaos in a building or just get everyone to leave, they trip the sprinkler system. Just apply a lighter flame, or perhaps a bullet, to one fire sprinkler, and ''all'' of the sprinklers on that floor -- or even in the entire building -- will suddenly kick off. Everyone gets drenched, and there's a mass exodus from the building. Sometimes, pulling the fire alarm will activate the sprinklers as well.

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this -- usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. While some neighboring sprinklers could go off due to the water hammer effect, most modern systems use sprinkler heads that have their own individual trigger (usually a glass tube that breaks when it gets too hot, or in older systems a lead slug that melts at a low temperature), thus limiting the water delivery only to the location of the fire. There are two simple reasons: 1) Where cisterns are used, the amount of water available to put out the fire is limited, so naturally you want as much of that water as possible to go where it will do the best job putting out the fire before the cistern runs dry and 2) Spraying water on things tends to damage them, so you only want to do that where it's truly necessary. Where sprinklers are connected directly to the main water supply, if they all went off simultaneously there wouldn't be enough pressure for the system to work adequately without much larger and more expensive pipes throughout the entire building. Additionally, activating the fire alarm system (via a pull station or smoke/heat detector) will not trip a sprinkler system, although sprinkler systems can trip a fire alarm system if they are interconnected with each other (and they usually are.)

This trope is so prevalent in the media that [[RealityIsUnrealistic people now expect sprinklers to go off all at once]]. Businesses are reluctant to install sprinkler systems because they think even the smallest fire will cause enormous water damage. This trope may also have been responsible for a lot of real-life criminals drenching their -- and only their -- jail cell.

Also, while sprinklers in media spray little bits of clear water, a real sprinkler system -- which typically sits for years without use and which is designed to put out or stop the spread of fires as fast as possible -- dumps between twenty and one hundred gallons (80-400 liters) of filthy, stagnant water per sprinkler per minute. Not exactly the best way to spend your day. Compare that to a simple shower, which puts out about one-and-a-half to two gallons (six to eight liters) per minute.

* ''MarvelDiskWarsTheAvengers'': When fighting Brother Blood and his vampires in a museum, Blade uses a single lighter to trigger all the sprinkler systems, which he [[CrazyPrepared filled with holy water beforehand]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', Bob gets a message that self-destructs, causing a small fire for a brief second that sets off all the sprinklers in the house, getting groans from the rest of his family. Cut to them drying books and furniture to avoid permanent water damage. It works because of the RuleOfFunny. Oddly, those same sprinklers don't go off when [[spoiler:Jack-Jack discovers his power to burst into flame.]]

* Averted in the ''Literature/DresdenFiles'' novel ''Small Favor''. Harry sets off most, if not all, of the sprinklers in a building by [[AWizardDidIt sending the heat from a fire spell to each individual sprinkler.]] And it's mentioned that the stagnant water stinks.
** Played straight in one of the short stories, when Harry needs to interrupt a wedding before TheBigDamnKiss, but is pinned down by hotel security at the other end of the room. He uses a weak blast of fire aimed at the sprinkler directly above him, and succeeds in setting off the others.

* Completely averted in [[DragonsInOurMidst Raising Dragons]]. When Billy sees Adam trying to trip the school bathroom's sprinkler system with a lighter, tries to stop him, and accidentally sets it off with his breath, the water is described as "putrid smelling" and later "sticky and smelly". There is also no mention of any other sprinklers going off--only the fire alarm clears the building.

-->'''Sniper Wolf'''(With a partially unzipped jacket): Oooh Mantiiiis!
-->'''Psycho Mantis''': * Looks to the left* Eeh?
--->Next Panel. Sprinklers are going off.
-->'''Liquid Snake''': Oh great. that's just what I need.

* Completely averted in [[DragonsInOurMidst Raising Dragons]]. When Billy sees Adam trying to trip the school bathroom's sprinkler system with a lighter, tries to stop him, and accidentally sets it off with his breath, the water is described as "putrid smelling" and later "sticky and smelly". There is also no mention of any other sprinklers going off- only the fire alarm clears the building.

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this -- usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. While some neighboring sprinklers could go off due to the water hammer effect, most modern systems use sprinkler heads that have their own individual trigger (usually a glass tube that breaks when it gets too hot, or in older systems a lead slug that melts at a low temperature), thus limiting the water delivery only to the location of the fire. There are two simple reasons: 1)Where cisterns are used, the amount of water available to put out the fire is limited, so naturally you want as much of that water as possible to go where it will do the best job putting out the fire before the cistern runs dry and 2)Spraying water on things tends to damage them, so you only want to do that where it's truly necessary. Where sprinklers are connected directly to the main water supply, if they all went off simultaneously there wouldn't be enough pressure for the system to work adequately without much larger and more expensive pipes throughout the entire building. Additionally, activating the fire alarm system (via a pull station or smoke/heat detector) will not trip a sprinkler system, although sprinkler systems can trip a fire alarm system if they are interconnected with each other (and they usually are.)

Also, while sprinklers in media spray little bits of clear water, a real sprinkler system -- which typically sits for years without use and which is designed to put out or stop the spread of fires as fast as possible - dumps between twenty and one hundred gallons (80-400 liters) of filthy, stagnant water per sprinkler per minute. Not exactly the best way to spend your day. Compare that to a simple shower, which puts out about one-and-a-half to two gallons (six to eight liters) per minute.

** In another strip, he rearranges the sprinklers to fire continuously for five minutes every day- he's growing rainforest plants, and is trying to recreate the climate.

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this -- usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. While some neighboring sprinklers could go off due to the water hammer effect, most modern systems use sprinkler heads that have their own individual trigger (usually a glass tube that breaks when it gets too hot, or in older systems a lead slug that melts at a low temperature), thus limiting the water delivery only to the location of the fire. There are two simple reasons: 1)Where cisterns are used, the amount of water available to put out the fire is limited, so naturally you want as much of that water as possible to go where it will do the best job putting out the fire before the cistern runs dry and 2)Spraying water on things tends to damage them, so you only want to do that where it's truly necessary. Where sprinklers are connected directly to the main water supply, if they all went off simultaneously there wouldn't be enough pressure for the system to work adequately without much larger and more expensive pipes throughout the entire building. Additionally, activating the fire alarm system (via a pull station or smoke/heat detector) will not trip a sprinkler system, although sprinkler systems can trip a fire alarm system if they are interconnected with each other (and usually are.)

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this -- usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. While some neighboring sprinklers could go off due to the water hammer effect, most modern systems use sprinkler heads that have their own individual trigger (usually a glass tube that breaks when it gets too hot, or in older systems a lead slug that melts at a low temperature), thus limiting the water delivery only to the location of the fire. The reason for this is simple -- where cisterns are used, the amount of water available to put out the fire is limited, so naturally you want as much of that water as possible to go where it will do the best job putting out the fire before the cistern runs dry. Where sprinklers are connected directly to the main water supply, if they all went off simultaneously there wouldn't be enough pressure for the system to work adequately without much larger and more expensive pipes throughout the entire building. Additionally, activating the fire alarm system (via a pull station or smoke/heat detector) will not trip a sprinkler system, although sprinkler systems can trip a fire alarm system if they are interconnected with each other (and usually are.)

* Done in ''Film/TheMatrix'', shortly after the famous lobby scene. Neo's elevator firebomb somehow manages to set off every sprinkler in the building, drenching the Agents (several stories above the blast) at a dramatically opportune moment. Somehow the dinky sprinklers in the room also manage to fill the place up with what looks like about a foot of standing water, just to make the upcoming helicopter/machine gun scene look that much more *bleep*.

* Done in ''Film/TheMatrix'', shortly after the famous lobby scene. Neo's elevator firebomb somehow manages to set off every sprinkler in the building, drenching the Agents (several stories above the blast) at a dramatically opportune moment. Somehow the dinky sprinklers in the room also manage to fill the place up with what looks like about a foot of standing water, just to make the upcoming helicopter/machine gun scene look that much more badass.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Constantine}}'', the title character does this, after having his assistant bless the water. Enter pissed-off smoking demon hordes.

** Amber "Cutthroat Bitch" Volakis attempts this by blowing smoke from a cigarette on a sprinkler, [[ItMakesSenseInContext in an attempt to drench Dr. Cuddy with the intention of getting her thong]]. It doesn't work. So she uses the lighter directly, and sure enough the sprinklers in the entire sector go off.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/TheSims2'' (and probably the other two, but I can't speak for those). Chances are, you're only going to have one sprinkler in the house to begin with, in the kitchen, where there's more danger of fire; but if you do have more than one (likely by the fireplace or the grill if it's covered), only the one in a position to put out the fire goes off. And really annoying in the college expansion when that asshole cow decides to be funny and set it off.

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this -- usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. While some neighboring sprinklers could go off due to the water hammer effect, most modern systems localize the sprinklers to the area where the fire was detected. The reason for this is simple -- the amount of water in the cistern that the sprinklers are using to put out the fire is limited, so naturally the owners of the building will want as much of that water to places where it will do some good in putting out the fire as possible before the cistern runs dry. Additionally, activating the fire alarm system (via a pull station or smoke/heat detector) will not trip a sprinkler system, although sprinkler systems can trip a fire alarm system if they are interconnected with each other (and usually are.)

* The "stagnant water" part is sepcifically mentioned in ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'', when Holly shoots a hole in the sprinkler's tank to avoid the averted ConvectionSchmonvection of a magma flare.

When someone needs to create chaos in a building or just get everyone to leave, they trip the sprinkler system. Just apply a lighter flame, or perhaps a bullet, to one fire sprinkler, and ''all'' of the sprinklers on that floor -- or even in the entire building -- will suddenly kick off. Everyone gets drenched, and there's a mass exodus from the building.

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this -- usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. While some neighboring sprinklers could go off due to the water hammer effect, most modern systems localize the sprinklers to the area where the fire was detected. The reason for this is simple -- the amount of water in the cistern that the sprinklers are using to put out the fire is limited, so naturally the owners of the building will want as much of that water to places where it will do some good in putting out the fire as possible before the cistern runs dry.

* In the dodgeball scene in ''Disney/ChickenLittle'', the title character is flung against a window and slides down, catching himself on the fire alarm pull which activates and sets off the sprinklers.

* The "stagnant water" part is sepcifically mentioned in ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'', when Holly shoots a hole in the sprinkler's tank to avoid the averted ConvecctionSchmonvection of a magma flare.

** And again, in episode 6.12 (''Moving the Chains''), when the mystery prankster sets off a fire alarm in House and Wilson's apartment, causing every sprinkler in the place to let loose.
** And in episode 4.2 (''The Right Stuff'') not so much a telepathic but more a hesitant sprinkler. Using the defibrillator in a hyperbaric chamber causes a small fire. The fire alarm is instantly triggered, and the staff quickly puts the fire out. It is not until 10 seconds later that the sprinkler kicks in, apparently for no other reason than the RuleOfFunny.

** Crane, in the episode ''Liar Liar'', set off a sprinkler to interrupt a romantic moment between two people. Justified, since he was in the same room, behind a screen. Watching him emerge, soaking wet, a triumphant smile on his face? One of the funniest moments in the show. Granted, that instance seemed to only apply in regards to the apartment room, as the hallway oddly didn't seem to any water being sprayed.

[[folder:{{Film}}]]
* Averted in ''{{Film/Aliens}}'', Ripley holds a lighter to a sprinkler in the med-lab to attract the attention of the Marines in the control room, and it doesn't activate any of the sprinklers outside that room.
* Done in ''Film/TheMatrix'', shortly after the famous lobby scene. Neo's elevator firebomb somehow manages to set off every sprinkler in the building, drenching the Agents (several stories above the blast) at a dramatically opportune moment. Somehow the dinky sprinklers in the room also manage to fill the place up with what looks like about a foot of standing water, just to make the upcoming helicopter/machine gun scene look that much more badass.
* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', Bond is chasing a bomber through Miami International Airport when the bomber changes into a TSA uniform and turns a "sprinkler activation" key on an alarm panel, drenching the terminal.
** Just starting a regular fire alarm would have worked exactly the same way and there was no reason at all to drench the whole place in water. It just looks more interesting than dry people leaving the building in an orderly fashion.
** Possibly justified in-universe by 007's sense of humour.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Constantine}}'', the title character does this, after having his assistant bless the water. Enter pissed-off smoking demon hordes.
* In ''Film/BruceAlmighty,'' Bruce uses the power of {{God}} to stop a party by activating the house's sprinkler system. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that the sprinklers are being set off by willful divine intervention, not a fire.
* In ''Film/MeanGirls'' the headmaster stops a riot by setting off a single fire alarm and drenching everyone. This was particularly effective as 'everyone' was teenage girls who were worried about their hair. However, the sprinklers appeared to only come on in the corridor, not the rest of the school.
* In ''{{Film/Frequency}}'', Dennis Quaid's character does this to [[spoiler: not attract attention to himself, when he escapes his interrogation room after electrocuting the villain who has framed him for murders he didn't commit.]]
* In the movie ''Film/{{Accepted}}'' during the big party scene, one of TheRival school members pulls the fire alarm. For some reason instead of releasing a siren and alerting the fire department (possibly because the place was actually a condemned mental asylum they had given a MontageMakeover), all this does is turn on the sprinkler systems and causes everyone to start dancing in the rain.
-->''Wet T-shirt party!''
* In ''{{Hackers}}'', the entire sprinkler system is computer-controlled and can be set to 'test' at a certain time.

* In ''{{Film/Veronica Mars}}'', Veronica breaks up a fight by holding a lighter to one sprinkler head.

* The "stagnant water" part is sepcifically mentioned in ArtemisFowl, when Holly shoots a hole in the sprinkler's tank to avoid the averted ConvecctionSchmonvection of a magma flare.

* ''{{Frasier}}''

* In one Halloween episode of ''{{Roseanne}}'', she sets off the sprinklers at the lodge with a lighter as her big Halloween prank. She stands on a chair with an umbrella as the rest of the party goers are soaked.

* The player has to make use of this in ''[[SpaceQuest Space Quest 2]]'', [[spoiler: with the classic 'wastebasket full of paper' method.]]

* ''TheLastDaysOfFoxhound'':

[[caption-width-right:200:[[InstantAIJustAddWater Instant Flood: Just Add Fire!]]]]

* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale'' (2006), Bond is chasing a bomber through Miami International Airport when the bomber changes into a TSA uniform and turns a "sprinkler activation" key on an alarm panel, drenching the terminal.

* The 'massive flood of sprinklers' variant is subverted in ''GrimFandango'', when the protagonist tries to flood a vault this way to escape. It just results in a puddle [[spoiler: and a subtle, but very useful, clue.]]

* Averted in ''[[TheSims The Sims 2]]'' (and probably the other two, but I can't speak for those). Chances are, you're only going to have one sprinkler in the house to begin with, in the kitchen, where there's more danger of fire; but if you do have more than one (likely by the fireplace or the grill if it's covered), only the one in a position to put out the fire goes off. And really annoying in the college expansion when that asshole cow decides to be funny and set it off.

* Averted in one ''ComicBook/GastonLagaffe'' strip: in order to remind his coworkers of the dangers of smoking (back when it was acceptable to smoke indoors), he rewired the office's sprinkler to set itself off directly above the smoker's head, and not the whole floor.

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this -- usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. Most modern systems localize the sprinklers to the area where the fire was detected. The reason for this is simple -- the amount of water in the cistern that the sprinklers are using to put out the fire is limited, so naturally the owners of the building will want as much of that water to places where it will do some good in putting out the fire as possible before the cistern runs dry.

When someone needs to create chaos in a building or just get everyone to leave, they trip the sprinkler system. Just apply a lighter flame, or perhaps a bullet, to one fire sprinkler, and ''all'' of the sprinklers on that floor -- or even in the entire building - will suddenly kick off. Everyone gets drenched, and there's a mass exodus from the building.

In the real world, only some sprinkler systems work like this - usually in buildings with a very high fire risk. Most modern systems localize the sprinklers to the area where the fire was detected. The reason for this is simple - the amount of water in the cistern that the sprinklers are using to put out the fire is limited, so naturally the owners of the building will want as much of that water to places where it will do some good in putting out the fire as possible before the cistern runs dry.

Also, while sprinklers in media spray little bits of clear water, a real sprinkler system - which typically sits for years without use and which is designed to put out or stop the spread of fires as fast as possible - dumps between twenty and one hundred gallons (80-400 liters) of filthy, stagnant water per sprinkler per minute. Not exactly the best way to spend your day. Compare that to a simple shower, which puts out about one-and-a-half to two gallons (six to eight liters) per minute.

* In ''LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' episode 2.6 (''Malignant'') one half of a pharmacy had suffered water damage due to the sprinklers going off. The other half did not get wet because [[spoiler: the pharmacist had disconnected that half]] of the system. The otherwise savvy detective Goran does not comment that this was unnecessary.

* Averted on the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' episode "Fear Itself", which has Robin trip the sprinkler system inside the video store to destroy Control Freak's sentient minions by using batarangs to set off all of them, not just one.