On Tue, Jul 27, 2021 at 7:28 AM Tom Duross via Sprinklerforum < [email protected]> wrote:
> Good morning Campers. Looking for advice and comments. > > I have an existing diesel driven fire pump in a prefabricated pump house > installed in 2012 serving 2 apartment buildings. > > I first tested this pump in 2017, had 13 hours on it, ran fine but we ran > out of water at just about 100% capacity. > > Spent the day with the water department a few days later checking > underground valves, flowing a few street main’s hydrants, basically came to > the conclusion that this is all we got. Wrote up a report, suggested they > hire an FPE to see if the pump’s tested capacity meets requirements, how > did > this happen, what about the hydrants off this system, stuff like that. I > think I stirred the sleepy caldron a little. > > Didn’t hear back from the client until this spring. Apparently they > changed > ITM contractors and the new one didn’t pan out. They had a balcony fire > May > 2021, gas grille, 13R system with no attic protection, non-completed attic > separations and fire walls, etc. Fortunately they had a response so > quickly > it never made it to penetrate the eaves and soffits and was extinguished > between the 5th and 6th (top) floors. Local FD must have had a field day > with a Q20 of about 800 and closest city hydrant ¼ mile away. Waiting for > incident report to review. > > > > So back to my query. It’s a xy&em pump house. All welded sch40 and > painted. Not the greatest build as there’s a 6” BFP vertically installed > right off the incoming service with elbows turning it around and down to > the > floor to feed the pump. Just a few spacers in the piping so no room for > slipping in this device unless something gets removed or moved. 4-15 of > #20 > (2013) says between the pump discharge and check and I get that but also > defers to the mfgr. for direction. Looking at the various offerings most > are a little vague on placement and even one says after the pump discharge > valve. Without major surgery, I have 2 spots to slip in this 20” long > device. I can remove the relief valve between the discharge increaser and > pump check and put it there ‘or’ I can remove the tee feeding a 6” storz > and > check located between the discharge valve and the city bypass. The former > will allow me to test through the device but the latter will not. I don’t > believe either of these appurtenances are necessary and I will explain > (he’s > still rambling? Jeepers….). The engine is a small JD inline 4 running > 3000 > rpm, single ECM, max. speed is 3300. Churn is 155 at 3025. I haven’t > physically done it but if I extrapolate to 3300 I get 170 psi. I’m below > 175 so I think the PRV can go. If I opt to remove the storz I can but > testing this pump will have to be via the 3 hydrants it serves, in addition > to the 2 buildings. I honestly don’t know why the engineer (small E) had a > storz included as this house it atop a hill in the woods ½ mile away from a > city hydrant and these buildings. > > > > OK, done rambling. Loose the PRV or keep scratching my head? > > > > Let’s go Red Sox! > > > > Tom Duross > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org > _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org
