Fire Fighting Water Pump
Fire fighting pumps are a type of portable water pump that is designed specifically for use in the event of a fire or other emergency. These types of pumps can be powered by either diesel or petrol engines depending on your requirements and budget. They are often accompanied by firefighting hoses, valves and spray nozzles to help fight the fire in a safe and effective manner. These are very specialized pumps that need to have both high power and high pressure. A garden hose would never do the job because it is nowhere near as powerful or quick to pump out enough water at high enough speed to be of any real use in combating a fire.
When looking at the specs of any water pump, there are two acronyms that you need to take note of – PSI and GPM. PSI stands for pressure per square inch, while GPM refers to the amount of water that is pumped out in a minute. These two measures are important because they will dictate how much power the pump has and ultimately how well it will be able to perform its task.
The higher the PSI, the more force the water will have when it is pushed out of the pump and into your fire hoses. This is especially important when you consider the fact that the ideal maximum PSI for a fire fighting water pump is 100PSI or more. This will give you a very high Total Dynamic Head (TDH) which will allow the water to reach your fire with ease, and at an extremely fast rate of flow.
In addition to the PSI and GPM measurements, you will also want to pay close attention to the suction and discharge port sizes on your fire fighting pump. The suction hose is the hose that you will drop into your water source to suck up the water, and it will screw right into the back end of the pump. The discharge hose is the hose that you will then use to spray the water onto the fire or into other applications where you need pressurised water. The size of these hoses will dictate how far and wide you can spray your water, so make sure that they are the correct size for your intended use.
Most fire fighting pumps will have a manual or electric start option. Manual pumps will need to be manually turned on and off, while electric start fire fighting water pumps will be able to simply turn on by pressing the ON switch. They will then have a battery with harness set to supply the engine and pump with power. Depending on the model, you may also be able to connect your fire fighting water pump directly to your vehicle for added convenience.