Dry Hydrant Testing

[grumpyff 1,159]

On Sunday, Feb 15, 2009 our Chief had us test a dry hydrant within the Patterson Fire District. The hydrant looked like it had shifted from the last time we had tested it approximately 7 months ago. Our concern was making sure the hydrant worked. We did not have a flow meter with us, but were able to supply our prepiped deluge gun with a fog nozzle at 100 psi for 20 to 25 minutes. At first we pulled at lot of mud and silt, so we shut the pump down, and back flushed the pump and hydrant with about half of our tank water (1000 gallons on board). After that we had no problem pulling a draft or maintaining water flow. First up is 22-2-1 backed into the access road, which is very tight.

Edited February 17, 2009 by grumpyff

[grumpyff 1,159]

The height of the road above the lake is about 15 to 20 feet. And a shot of the leaning dry hydrant.

[grumpyff 1,159]

As can be seen we used one 20 foot length of hard suction.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Showing how tight the road is. The road ends just under the pile of snow, on the driver's side is a rock outcropping, and the officer's side, the drop off to the lake.

[Guest]

How do you store a twenty foot hard suction on your engine? I've only ever seen 10 ft lengths

[grumpyff 1,159]

Look at the last photo, the bottom and top tray are both empty. It starts on the bottom and is curved at the rear up to the top tray.

Here is a photo I have 22-2-1 showing the hard suctions.

Edited February 17, 2009 by grumpyff

[Guest Rogue Rescue]

Good idea for storage of the longer suction, saves joining 2 together plus one less coupling to lose suction on.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Look at the last photo, the bottom and top tray are both empty. It starts on the bottom and is curved at the rear up to the top tray.

Looking at the photo, one can see that your left intake is capped, so its not used for a municipal hydrant supply.

While having a 20' hard suction saves a little time in not having to connect 2 lengths, you still have to attach it to the pump and if not using a dry hydrant to the strainer.

To improve this, add a chiksan swivel to the main intake and preconnect your hard suction. You can also preconnect your strainer, if it is more likely to be used than hooking to a dry hydrant.

This system was developped in the 1700's and used on hand pumpers, then on steamers. Most were phased out in the 1940's because they did not look pretty. Now they are starting to make a comeback in depts that are serious about firefighting.

[EJS1810 7]

Looking at the photo, one can see that your left intake is capped, so its not used for a municipal hydrant supply.

Barry, you've never been to Patterson have you?

[TCD0415 26]

Barry, you've never been to Patterson have you?

Actually, believe it or not we do have a private development with a pressurized hydrant system on it. Plus we may end up M/A in another district that does have a hydrant system.

That being said, the picture of the Capped Steamer Connection is an old photo. If you look at the photo of them pumping, you can see the Intake Valve now on the Engine. All of our pumps now have Intake Relief Valves on the Steamer.

[markmets415 524]

How do you store a twenty foot hard suction on your engine? I've only ever seen 10 ft lengths

that's how we do it.

Testing our last dry hydrant after it was installed.

[markmets415 524]

grumpy thanks for sharing the pictures, always nice to see what we have to do to make access to the water sources.

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Master streams and combination nozzles should be outlawed! LOL.

If possible try to keep to the 10' length you have as it will give you a little more GPM with the reduced friction loss. Every bit counts.

Also anything you add (I know we've discussed this prior) will reduce GPM's. Strainers, porto tank adapaters that sit flat significantly reduce GPM's.

Finally if you look at the 2 different department pics of the dry hydrants...Wassaic is probably getting more out of their hydrant then Patterson. The reason? The elbows. 90 degree turns cause friction and a loss of GPM! Work with your town's or what have you to make dry hydrant standards and make the use of 45 degree elbows the law/standard.

[Guest Rogue Rescue]

We don"t have dry hydrants in my area, are they just a place to suck from near large open water rather than just dropping a hose in the water?

[Bnechis 3,961]

We don"t have dry hydrants in my area, are they just a place to suck from near large open water rather than just dropping a hose in the water?

main advantage is you can bring the body of water right up to the road. also you can run them to deep water, even if its a good distance out. Also can get you under ice quickly.

[Guest]

Nice pics grumpyff and Mark thanks for sharing your knowledge

[Guest]

We don"t have dry hydrants in my area, are they just a place to suck from near large open water rather than just dropping a hose in the water?

They can also be connected to installed fire water tanks.