Part II: Hitchhikers Guide to the Jockey Pump

The following is a list of information to gather to make the most efficient use of your time: 1. Get the pump model number and serial number. It’s on the pump, not the motor itself. This seems obvious, but 4 times out of 5 people don’t copy down the right information because they simply are…

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Hitchhikers Guide to the Jockey Pump

Proper selection and sizing of a jockey pump is typically handled by a consulting engineer or pump salesman during the first phase of a new installation. The amount of usage a jockey pump can handle depends on the system size, temperature changes, proper function of check valves, and whether or not there are any leaks…

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Examples of Proper Fire Pump Equipment Installations

Whether it is through a new fire pump sale or from a service or repair troubleshooting call, we see a lot of fire pump mechanical rooms. Occasionally we see an installation of new fire pump equipment which catches our eye in a good way — that is, the installing contractor did an exemplary job with…

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Aurora Launches New PVM Jockey Pumps

In case you haven’t heard the exciting news, as of the beginning of this month Aurora’s current PVM jockey pump models are no longer available and have been replaced with a brand new series. T his new flow series consists of several models, including 316 stainless steel models that are all 3rd party certified to…

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NFPA Researches Flame-Retardant Fire Hoses

Unfortunately for firefighters, being in the line of duty comes with certain dangers, among them even death. According to the NFPA, there were 97 on-duty firefighter deaths in 2013. The good news is that that number is down to 87 in 2014, but this is still a number that must be improved upon. Sadly, some…

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The Best Steel Bolted Fire Protection Water Storage Tanks

In the field of fire protection water storage tanks there are several types of tank options, and some of the most commonly used are corrugated, steel welded, steel bolted, and concrete. We have found that for most projects, the steel bolted design has the most advantages over other types when considering cost, manufacturing quality, field…

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Fire Pump Testing and NFPA 25 – Automatic Starting is the Priority

Over the course of this year, we have encountered several disabled fire pumps due to burnt up or failed fire pump controller components.  This can happen for various reasons — age, misuse, lightning, power surges, etc.  But, for one particular installation, what troubled me the most was that for months at a time, no one…

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Home Fire Safety Tips & Tools

The American Red Cross recently announced a national campaign that aims to reduce deaths and injuries from fires in the home. The goal is to reduce these numbers by over 25% in the next five years, and this is an absolutely plausible goal as our society grows smarter about fire safety. Technological advances such as…

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Centrifugal Pump Priming

UL/FM fire pumps require what is commonly called a “flooded suction,” or a positive suction pressure prior to starting.  The concept is that the water supply source must arrive at the pump impeller on its own, without the aid of the pump.  This will guarantee that the pump is properly primed and ready for operation.  …

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New Sprinkler Legislation Passes in New York

It would make sense that if you are renting or leasing a home, or at least thinking about doing so, you know whether or not the building you are looking at has a fire sprinkler system. This was not true in New York until this month, when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that will require…

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