This paper presents and analyzes a portion of the data acquired during a test program which involved full scale, sprinklered, compartment fires. The work here focuses attention specifically on key features of the typical sprinkler link deployment/response problem. It is found that the elevated temperature, upper smoke layer which develops inevitably in compartment fires can have a major impact on the thermal response of sprinkler links. It is shown that traditionally accepted methods of predicting sprinkler link response which do not account for this upper layer can be totally inadequate. Link response predictions used here involve a new method of calculation which does take account of the smoke layer environment. Favorable comparisions between predictions and experiment are obtained and experiments for further validation of this method are recommended. Finally, it is found that sprinkler link-to-ceiling spacing can have a significant effect on the thermal response of links and it is recommended that a method which accounts for this effect be developed and validated.