THE NEW N.F.P.A. 1962 The NFPA recently revised its standard on fire hose. The newest edition requires that hose manufactured before July 1987 be removed from service. This makes sense given all the changes in materials and technology over the past 25 years. That s just one of many significant changes to the standard, first created in 1936 and called NFPA 198, Care of Fire Hose. The 2013 standard, NFPA 1962, Care, Use, Inspection, Service Testing, and Replacement of Fire Hose, Couplings, Nozzles, and Fire Hose Appliances, includes for the first time the word "replacement" in the title and now covers formal replacement of hose and couplings. Too often departments will get a new pumper and take the 20-year-old hose off our old rig and put it in on the new one. Hose has changed significantly in that time with higher pressures and unfortunately a wide range of friction loss for 1 ¾ inch hose. The purpose of NFPA 1962 is to provide a reasonable level of safety for users of fire hose and a reasonable degree of assurance that the hose, coupling assemblies, appliances and nozzles will perform as designed. This applies to the care of all types of fire hose, coupling assemblies, appliances and nozzles while in service, in use and after use, including inspecting and service testing. NFPA 1962 New standard was implemented 1/1/2013. This will require all fire departments to flow test their pre-connected or any attack line that is used for interior operations. The lines shall be flow tested on an annual basis. Documentation must be provided that states what size hose, length of hose, manufacture & model, nozzle type, nozzle psi, friction loss per 100 along with total LDP. Other significant updates include: Fire hose users and the authority having jurisdiction shall establish a replacement schedule for their fire hose, which takes into consideration the use, age and testing results. Attack fire hose shall be service tested to a minimum of 300 psi. Supply fire hose shall be service tested to a minimum of 200 psi. All non-threaded hose connections shall be provided with locks to ensure against unintentional disconnection.
The standard also covers: Nozzle service-testing. This should be done at least as frequently as the hose to which it is attached. System tests. Each pre-connected line or any attack line used for interior firefighting operations on a fire apparatus, together with the nozzle or hose connected appliance it supplies, shall be flow tested as a system at least annually. The 2013 edition of NFPA 1962 also provides guidelines to consider when purchasing new hose in its Annex B. It includes a chart that lists quality and characteristics needed for fire hose, with items ranging from abrasion resistance to friction loss to weight. It encourages end users to rank items in importance when considering new hose. Fire hose and a nozzle are some of the most important and relied-upon tools a firefighter carries. NFPA 1962 updates will ensure it s the right tool for the job. Chapter 8 System Tests IFSTA Coefficients are outdated as reported by the NFPA 1962 Committee. We have found the coefficients range from 7.197 to 32.779. We as the American Fire Service need to address this issue on a department level. This flow test standard has taken 5 years to get implemented. We can t wait that long to flow test our attack lines. How do you know what your department or Engine Co. is flowing?
N.F.P.A. 1962 2013 B.2.1 FRICTION LOSS: The friction loss per 100 of fire hose can vary tremendously for the same diameter hose. While a fire department may want a hose with as low a friction loss as possible. As part of the planning, the department should look at how the hose will be used and the importance of reducing the overall friction loss on that application. The effects of various friction loss on the application should be taken into account when considering what an acceptable friction loss is. N.F.P.A. 1962 2013 B.2.2 The second consideration in the purchase of fire hose is the associated equipment and components. These components include nozzles, adapters and appliances. Are all components compatible in terms of operating pressures? It is important that all components in the water delivery system are compatible and that it is understood what the limitations are. The system is only as robust as its weakest link. Many components can be connected together, but that does not mean they can all be used at the same operating pressure. Today, the fire hose may be the strongest component in the system! All components need to have an operating pressure rated at or above the needed fire ground pressures to deliver their capacity.
8.1.1 Each pre-connected hose line or any attack line used for any interior firefighting operations on a fire apparatus together with the nozzle or hose connected appliance it supplies shall be flow tested as a system at least annually. 8.1.2 Before this test is performed, the nozzle on the hose line or the hose connected appliance shall have been flow tested as required by 5.3.2 5.3.2.1 The nozzle shall be mounted such that the flow rate through the nozzle and the pressure at the inlet to the nozzle can be accurately measured. 5.3.2.4 Constant spray nozzles shall flow no less than the rated flow at the rated pressure and no more than 10% over the rated flow at the rated pressure when tested at each setting. NOZZLE RECORDS: N.F.P.A. 1962 2013 5.5.4 The following information, if applicable shall be included on the record for each nozzle. Department ID Manufacture Model & Part Number Warranty Hose connection size Maximum operating pressure, flow rate or range Date received, date put in service Date of service test, service test results and any repairs along with who conducted the repairs and the cost of those repairs.
8.1.3 A flow meter or flow gauge shall be installed within the selected hose line. 8.1.4 The pump discharge pressure shall be raised until the flow meter or flow gauge reads the desired flow of the selected hose line as set forth by the authority having jurisdiction. 8.1.5 The authority having jurisdiction shall verify that the pump discharge pressures and flows are consistent with their pump charts or standard operating procedures for interior firefighting. 8.1.6 If the nozzle is changed on the hose line, the length of the hose line is changed, or a different type or diameter of hose is installed, the test shall be repeated. Let s clarify all of this in lay terms. The standard talks about any preconnected or line used for structural firefighting along with the rated appliance and nozzle must be tested as a system on an annual basis. 5.3.2.4 Constant Pressure Nozzles or Automatic nozzles shall flow no less than the rated flow at the rated pressure and no more than 10% over the rated flow at the rated pressure when tested at each setting. This test is the easiest for departments that are using either 75 psi or 100 psi Automatic Nozzles. What about the department that uses a Fixed Gallonage Low Pressure Nozzle. This test has to be performed not only with the rated flow which is on the nozzle, example 150 g.p.m @ 75 psi nozzle pressure but also at 50 psi and 100 psi nozzle pressure. The nozzle has different flow ratings based on 50, 75 and 100 psi. All of these pressure ratings have to be tested. What about a Select-O-Gallonage Nozzle with a dial ring of 30 g.p.m. 95 g.p.m. 125 g.p.m. 150 g.p.m. and 200 g.p.m. at 100 psi? If the department has the nozzle always set at 150 g.p.m. that setting along with the other settings all have to be flow tested and recorded with no more than 10% over the rated flow at the rated pressure. This is only the nozzle test. 8.1.3 A flow meter or flow gauge shall be installed within the selected hose line. We have to flow each pre-connected attack line not only on the assigned discharge, but then we have to disconnect the entire line with the
nozzle and flow it on another discharge to determine if there is friction loss in the piping of the apparatus. This test has proved some amazing discrepancies between the number 1 and number 2 pre-connected 1 ¾ inch Attack Lines. The test that was done last year in Richmond County, Georgia had a difference of 27 psi between the number 1 and number 2 pre-connect using the same hose, length and nozzle. That friction loss was all in the piping of the apparatus. Once you ve completed the pre-connect testing to determine actually friction loss in the entire lay with the nozzle, you then have to test the hose in 100 lengths to determine the friction loss in each 100 length of hose. If the department has a static bed of 2 ½ or 3 inch hose that also has to be tested for friction loss per 100 along with the nozzle as a system. Then the friction loss in the piping has to be determined for that line. If the line comes off the back of the apparatus usually, but could come off of a side discharge then the side discharge also has to be tested. What happens if the department has various brands of 1 ¾, 2 ½ and 3 inch hose that is used for structural operations? Then each brand and diameter of hose must be tested per 100 for friction loss at the various g.p.m. based on what nozzles the department uses! An average Class A Pumper with (2) 1 ¾ Pre-connects, (1) 2 ½ Pre-connect and a static bed of either 2 ½ or 3 inch hose along with 3 spare nozzles on average takes roughly 4 hours to complete all of the testing with 2 people. Mac McGarry L & M Training Consultants