24.04.2017.

FirehydrantWikipedia

Firehydrant
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Afirehydrant,alsocalledfireplug,isaconnectionpointbywhichfirefighterscantapintoawatersupply.Itisacomponentofactivefireprotection.

Contents
1 Operation
1.1 Otheruses
2 Construction
3 Appearance
4 Signage
5 Inspectionandmaintenance
6 Nonpressurized(dry)hydrants
7 Othertypes
8 Seealso
9 References
10 Sources
11 Furtherreading
12 Externallinks

FirehydrantinCharlottesville,Virginia,
Operation USA

Theuserattachesahosetothefirehydrant,thenopensavalveonthehydranttoprovideapowerfulflowofwater,ontheorderof350kPa(50lbf/in)(thispressurevariesaccordingto
regionanddependsonvariousfactorsincludingthesizeandlocationoftheattachedwatermain).Thisusercanattachthishosetoafireengine,whichcanuseapowerfulpumpto
boostthewaterpressureandpossiblysplititintomultiplestreams.Onemayconnectthehosewithathreadedconnection,instantaneous"quickconnector"oraStorzconnector.Auser
shouldtakecarenottoopenorcloseafirehydranttooquickly,asthiscancauseawaterhammer,whichcandamagenearbypipesandequipment.Thewaterinsideachargedhoseline
causesittobeveryheavyandhighwaterpressurecausesittobestiffandunabletomakeatightturnwhilepressurized.Whenafirehydrantisunobstructed,thisisnotaproblem,as
thereisenoughroomtoadequatelypositionthehose.

Mostfirehydrantvalvesarenotdesignedtothrottlethewaterflowtheyaredesignedtobeoperatedfullonorfulloff.Thevalvingarrangementofmostdrybarrelhydrantsisforthe Clappervalve
drainvalvetobeopenatanythingotherthanfulloperation.Usageatpartialopeningcanconsequentlyresultinconsiderableflowdirectlyintothesoilsurroundingthehydrant,which,
overtime,cancauseseverescouring.Gateorbutterflyvalvescanbeinstalleddirectlyontothehydrantorificestocontrolindividualoutputsandallowforchangingequipment
connectionswithoutturningofftheflowtootherorifices.Thesevalvescanbeupto12inchesindiametertoaccommodatethelargecentral"steamer"orificesonmanyUShydrants.It
isgoodpracticetoinstallvalvesonallorificesbeforeusingahydrantastheprotectivecapsareunreliableandcancausemajorinjuryiftheyfail.

Whenafirefighterisoperatingahydrant,heorshetypicallywearsappropriatepersonalprotectiveequipment,suchasglovesandahelmetwithfaceshieldworn.Highpressurewater
coursingthroughapotentiallyagingandcorrodinghydrantcouldcauseafailure,injuringthefirefighteroperatingthehydrantorbystanders.

Inmostjurisdictionsitisillegaltoparkacarwithinacertaindistanceofafirehydrant.InNorthAmericathedistancesarecommonly3to5mor10to15ft,oftenindicatedbyyellow
orredpaintonthecurb.Therationalebehindtheselawsisthathydrantsneedtobevisibleandaccessibleinanemergency.

Otheruses ANewYorkCityhydranthookedto
anFDNYfireenginewithaturgid
Topreventcasualuseormisuse,thehydrantrequiresspecialtoolstobeopened,usuallyalargewrenchwithapentagonshapedsocket.Vandalssometimescausemonetarylossby hoseactivelypumpingwater.
wastingwaterwhentheyopenhydrants.Suchvandalismcanalsoreducemunicipalwaterpressureandimpairfirefighters'effortstoextinguishfires.Sometimesthosesimplyseekingto
playinthewaterremovethecapsandopenthevalve,providingresidentsaplacetoplayandcooloffinsummer.However,thisisusuallydiscouragedasresidentshavebeenstruckby
passingautomobileswhileplayinginthestreetinthewaterspray.Inspiteofthis,someUScommunitiesprovidelowflowsprinklerheadstoenableresidentstousethehydrantstocooloff
duringhotweather,whilegainingsomecontrolonwaterusage.MostfirehydrantsinAustraliaareprotectedbyasilvercolouredcoverwitharedtop,securedtothegroundwithboltsto
protectthehydrantfromvandalismandunauthorizeduse.Thecovermustberemovedbeforeuse.

InmostareasoftheUnitedStates,contractorswhoneedtemporarywatermaypurchasepermitstousehydrants.Thepermitwillgenerallyrequireahydrantmeter,agatevalveandsometimes
aclappervalve(ifnotdesignedintothehydrantalready)topreventbackflowintothehydrant.Additionally,residentswhowishtousethehydranttofilltheiringroundswimmingpoolare
commonlypermittedtodoso,providedtheypayforthewaterandagreetoallowfirefighterstodraftfromtheirpoolinthecaseofanemergency.

Municipalservices,suchasstreetsweepersandtanktrucks,mayalsobeallowedtousehydrantstofilltheirwatertanks.Oftensewermaintenancetrucksneedwatertoflushoutsewerage
lines,andfilltheirtanksonsitefromahydrant.Ifnecessary,themunicipalworkerswillrecordtheamountofwatertheyused,oruseameter.

Sincefirehydrantsareoneofthemostaccessiblepartsofawaterdistributionsystem,theyareoftenusedforattachingpressuregaugesorloggersormonitorsystemwaterpressure.Automatic
flushingdevicesareoftenattachedtohydrantstomaintainchlorinationlevelsinareasoflowusage.Hydrantsarealsousedasaneasyabovegroundaccesspointbyleakdetectiondevicesto
locateleaksfromthesoundtheymake. Childrenplayinginthespray
ofafirehydrantin
Firehydrantsmaybeusedtosupplywatertoriotcontrolvehicles.Thesevehiclesuseahighpressurewatercannontodiscouragerioting. Philadelphia,Pennsylvania.

Construction
Inareassubjecttofreezingtemperatures,onlyaportionofthehydrantisaboveground.Thevalveislocatedbelowthefrostlineandconnectedbyarisertotheabovegroundportion.
Avalverodextendsfromthevalveupthroughasealatthetopofthehydrant,whereitcanbeoperatedwiththeproperwrench.Thisdesignisknownasa"drybarrel"hydrant,inthat
thebarrel,orverticalbodyofthehydrant,isnormallydry.Adrainvalveundergroundopenswhenthewatervalveiscompletelyclosedthisallowsallwatertodrainfromthehydrant
bodytopreventthehydrantfromfreezing.

Inwarmareas,hydrantsareusedwithoneormorevalvesintheabovegroundportion.Unlikewithcoldweatherhydrants,itispossibletoturnthewatersupplyonandofftoeachport.
Thisstyleisknownasa"wetbarrel"hydrant.
Areducedpressurezonedeviceis
Bothwetanddrybarrelhydrantstypicallyhavemultipleoutlets.Wetbarrelhydrantoutletsaretypicallyindividuallycontrolled,whileasinglestemoperatesalltheoutletsofadry usedtopreventbackflowwhen
barrelhydrantsimultaneously.Thus,wetbarrelhydrantsallowsingleoutletstobeopened,requiringsomewhatmoreeffort,butsimultaneouslyallowingmoreflexibility. supplyingwatertoaconstructionsite

AtypicalU.S.drybarrelhydranthastwosmalleroutletsandonelargeroutlet.ThesmalleroutletisoftenaStorzconnectionifthelocalfiredepartmenthasstandardizedonhoseusing
Storzfittingsforlargediametersupplyline.Thelargeroutletisknownasa"steamer"connection,becausetheywereonceusedtosupplysteampoweredwaterpumps,andahydrant
withsuchanoutletmaybecalleda"steamerhydrant",althoughthisusageisbecomingarchaic.Likewise,anolderhydrantwithoutasteamerconnectionmaybecalleda"village
hydrant."

Appearance
Hydrantcoloringmaybeduetoeitherpurelypracticalcriteriaormoreartistic.IntheUnitedStates,theAWWAandNFPArecommendhydrantsbecoloredchromeyellow[1]forrapid
identificationapartfromthebonnetandnozzlecapswhichshouldbecodedaccordingtotheiravailableflow.ClassAAhydrants(>1500gpm)shouldhavetheirnozzlecapsandbonnet
coloredlightblue,ClassAhydrants(10001499gpm),green,ClassBhydrants(500999gpm),orange,ClassChydrants(0499gpm),redandinoperableorendofsystem(risking HydrantinstallationinOntario,
waterhammer)black.Thisaidsarrivingfirefightersindetermininghowmuchwaterisavailableandwhethertocallforadditionalresources,orfindanotherhydrant.Othercodingscan Canada
beandfrequentlyareused,someofgreatercomplexity,incorporatingpressureinformation,othersmoresimplistic.InOttawa,Ontario,hydrantcolorscommunicatedifferentmessages
tofirefightersforexample,iftheinsideofthehydrantiscorrodedsomuchthattheinteriordiameteristoonarrowforgoodpressure,itwillbepaintedinaspecificschemetoindicate
tofirefighterstomoveontothenextone.Inmanylocalities,awhiteorpurpletopindicatesthatthehydrantprovidesnonpotablewater.Whereartisticand/oraestheticconsiderationsareparamount,hydrantscanbe
extremelyvaried,ormoresubdued.Inbothinstancesthisisusuallyatthecostofreducedpracticality.

InGermany,mosthydrantsarelocatedbelowground(Unterflurhydrant)andarereachedbyaStandrohr(riser),whichprovidestheconnectionsforthehoses.

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Hydrantin Hydrantinthe German Czechexample. Greekexample. Brazilianexample.

Demorest, Philippines. underground
Georgiapainted hydrantwith
withanAmerican Storzhose
patriotictheme. connections.

BirdsillHollyfire BirdsillHollyhydrant BirdsillHollyhydrant BirdsillHollyfire BirdsillHollyhydrant

hydrant1869patent frontviewfromstreet sideviewfromcity hydrantwith4sided topviewwith
modelinitsoriginal asfiremenwoulduse watersupplypipeline topnutforoperationas descriptionandpatent
installedplace forwaterhoses rightofwayland needed dateinformation

2016modernfire Forwardhydrant Hydrantnozzleside Firehydrant5sided Firefighteruses

hydrant nozzle view topnut hydrant

Signage
IntheUnitedKingdomandIreland,hydrantsarelocatedintheground.[2]Yellow"H"hydrantsignsindicatethelocationofthehydrants,andaresimilartothebluesignsinFinland.Mountedona
smallpostornearbywalletc.,thetwonumbersindicatethediameterofthewatermain(topnumber)andthedistancefromthesign(lowernumber).Modernsignsshowthesemeasurementsin
millimetresandmetres,whereasoldersignsuseinchesandfeet.[3]Becausetheordersofmagnitudearesodifferent(6inchesversus150mm)thereisnoambiguitywhichevermeasuringsystemis
used.

InareasoftheUnitedStateswithoutwintersnowcover,bluereflectorsembeddedinthestreetareusedtoallowrapididentificationofhydrantsatnight.Inareaswithsnowcover,tallsignsor
flagsareusedsothathydrantscanbefoundevenifcoveredwithsnow.Inruralareastallnarrowpostspaintedwithvisiblecolourssuchasredareattachedtothehydrantstoallowthemtobe
foundduringheavysnowfallperiods.Thetopsofthefirehydrantsindicatetheamountofpressureeachonewillputout.Thisisgoodbecauseitmakesthechoiceofwhathydrantswillbeusedto
supplywatertothefirescene.[4]

BLUE1500GPMormoreVerygoodflows,GREEN10001499GPMGoodforresidentialareas,ORANGE500999GPMMarginallyadequate,REDBelow500GPMInadequate.
Britishfirehydrantand
ThehydrantbodiesarealsocolourcodedWHITEPublicSystemHydrant(EBMUD),YELLOWPrivateSystemHydrantConnectedtopublicwatermain,REDSpecialOperationHydrantNot sign
usedexceptforspecialprocedures,VIOLETNonPotableSupplyEffuent,pondorlakesupply.

ThesemarkingsandcolorsarerequiredbytheNFPA(NationalFireProtectionAgency).[4]

InAustralia,Hydrantsignagevaries,withseveraltypesdisplayedacrossthecountry.MostAustralianhydrantsareunderground,beingofaballcocksystem(springhydranttype),andaseparate
standpipewithacentralplungerisusedtoopenthevalve.Consequently,hydrantsignageisessential,becauseoftheirconcealednature.

PaintedmarkersUsuallyawhiteoryellow(sometimesreflectivepaint)triangleorarrowpaintedontheroad,pointingtowardsthesideoftheroadthehydrantwillbefoundon.These
aremostcommoninoldareas,oronnewroadswheremoreadvancedsignshavenotbeeninstalled.Thesearealmostalwayscoupledwithasecondaryformofsignage.
HydrantMarkerPlatesFoundonpowerpoles,fences,orstreetsigns,theseareacomprehensiveandeffectivesystemofidentification.TheplateconsistsofseveralcodesH(Potable
waterHydrant),RH(Recycled/NonPotable),P(Pathway,wherethehydrantcovercanbefound),R(Roadway).Theplateisverticallyoriented,around8cmwide,and15cmhigh.It
usuallyfacesinthedirectionofthehydrant.Foundonthisplate,fromtoptobottom,arethefollowingfeatures: Undergroundhydrantin
Thecodeslistedabove,Potable/Nonpotableatthetop,Path/Roadwayonthebottomoftheplate. Russiamarkedwitha
Belowthis,anumbergivingthedistancetothehydrant(inmeters),thenasecondnumberbelowthatgivingthesize(inmillimeters)ofthewatermain. plateandaredcone.
Ablacklineacrossthecenteroftheplateindicatesthehydrantisfoundontheoppositesideoftheroadtowhichtheplateisaffixed.
Platesforrecycledwaterhaveapurplebackground,aswellastheRHcode,normalpotablehydrantsarewhite,withtheHcode.
RoadmarkersorCat'seyesAlmostexclusivelyblue,theseareplacedononesideortheotherofthecentrelineoftheroad,toindicateonwhichsideoftheroadthehydrantlies.Theyarevisibleforseveralhundred
metersatnightinheavyrain,furtherinclearconditions.

InEastAsianCountries,suchasChina,Japan,andSouthKorea,therearetwotypesoffirehydrants,whichoneisonthepublicground,andtheotherisinsideabuilding.Theonesinsideabuildingareinstalledonawall,
whichtheyarebig,rectangularboxesthatalsoprovidesalarms(sirens),fireextinguisher,andatcertaintimes,emergencykits.

Inspectionandmaintenance
Inmostareasfirehydrantsrequireannualinspectionsandmaintenancetheynormallyonlyhaveaoneyearwarranty,butsomehave5oreven10yearwarranties,althoughthe
longerwarrantydoesnotremovetheneedforperiodicinspectionsormaintenance.Theseinspectionsaregenerallyperformedbythelocalmunicipalitiesbuttheyoftendonotinspect
hydrantsthatareidentifiedasprivate.Privatehydrantsareusuallylocatedonlargerpropertiestoadequatelyprotectlargebuildingsincaseofafireandinordertocomplywiththefire
code.SuchhydrantshavemettherequirementsofinsuranceunderwritersandareoftenreferredtoasUL/FMhydrants.Somecompaniesarecontractedouttoinspectprivatefire
hydrantsunlessthemunicipalityhasundertakenthattask.

SomefirehydrantmanufacturersrecommendlubricatingtheheadmechanismandrestoringtheheadgasketsandOringsannuallyinorderthat
thefirehydrantperformtheserviceexpectedofthem,whileothershaveincorporatedproprietaryfeaturestoprovidelongtermlubricationofthe
hydrant'soperatingmechanism.Inanycase,periodicinspectionoflubricantsisrecommended.Lubricationisgenerallydonewithafoodgrade
nonpetroleumlubricanttoavoidcontaminationofthedistributionsystem.
Afirehydrantthatwashitbyasnow
plowandknockedover.Notethat
Occasionallyastoneorforeignobjectwillmartheseatgasket.Inthiscase,mosthydrantshaveaspecialseatwrenchthatallowsremovalofthe
onlythesacrificialboltswere
seattoreplacethegasketorotherbrokenpartswithoutremovingthehydrantfromtheground.Hydrantextensionsarealsoavailableforraisinga
damaged
hydrantifthegradearoundthehydrantchanges.Withoutextendingtheheight,thewrenchestoremovecapswouldnotclearandthebreak
flangesfortrafficmodelswouldnotbelocatedcorrectlyincasetheywerehit.Hydrantrepairkitsarealsoavailabletorepairsacrificialparts
designedtobreakwhenhitbyavehicle. Afirehydrantflushingwaterthrough
adiffuserinDurham,NorthCarolina
Manydepartmentsusethehydrantsforflushingoutwaterlinesediments.Whendoingso,theyoftenuseahydrantdiffuser,adevicethatdiffusesthewatersothatitdoesnotdamage
propertyandislessdangeroustobystandersthanasolidstream.Somediffusersalsodechlorinatethewatertoavoidgroundcontamination.[5]Hydrantsarealsosometimesusedasentry
orexitpointsforpipecleaningpigs.

In2011,CodeforAmericadevelopedan"AdoptaHydrant"website,whichenablesvolunteerstosignuptoshoveloutfirehydrantsaftersnowstorms.Asof2014,thesystemhasbeen
implementedinBoston,Providence,RhodeIsland,Anchorage,Alaska,andChicago.[6]
Afirehydrantwithoutadiffuser
Nonpressurized(dry)hydrants flushingdiscoloredwater

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Inruralareaswheremunicipalwatersystemsarenotavailable,dryhydrantsareusedtosupplywaterforfightingfires.Adryhydrantisanalogoustoastandpipe.Adryhydrantis
usuallyanunpressurized,permanentlyinstalledpipethathasoneendbelowthewaterlevelofalakeorpond.Thisendusuallyhasastrainertopreventdebrisfromenteringthepipe.
Theotherendisabovegroundandhasahardsleeveconnector.Whenneeded,apumperfireenginewillpumpfromthelakeorpondbydraftingwater.Thisisdonebyvacuumingthe
airoutofthedryhydrant,hardsleeve,andthefireenginepumpwithaprimer.Becauselowerpressurenowexistsatthepumpintake,atmosphericpressureonthewaterandtheweight
ofthewaterforceswaterintopartofthedryhydrantabovewater,intothehardsleeve,andfinallyintothepump.Thiswatercanthenbepumpedbytheengine'scentrifugalpump.

Othertypes
Waterwellsarealsosometimesclassifiedasfirehydrantsiftheycansupplyenoughwatervolumeandpressure.
Standpipesareconnectionsforfirehoseswithinabuildingandservethesamepurposeasfirehydrantsinlargerstructures.Standpipesmaybe"dry"or"wet"(permanentlyfilled
withwater). Adryhydrantwhichallowswaterto
bepumpedbyafireenginefromthe
lake

Seealso
Arson Firesprinkler
WikimediaCommonshas
Activefireprotection Flushinghydrant
mediarelatedto:
BirdsillHolly Hydrantwrench Firehydrant(category)
Fireextinguisher Portablewatertank
Firehose
Fireprotection
Firesprinkler
References
1."NationalFireProtectionAssociationReport(p.18)"(PDF).NationalFireProtectionAssociation(NFPA).August15,2013."Allbarrelsaretobechromeyellowexceptincaseswhereanothercolorhasalreadybeenadopted."
2.BS750:"Specificationforundergroundfirehydrantsandsurfaceboxframesandcovers"(2012).
3."GoodStewardshipforSchoolsPremisesp.18"(PDF).CambridgeshireCountyCouncil.2009.Archivedfromtheoriginal(PDF)onMarch4,2012.
4.Lamm,Willis."Hydrantcolorcodesandmarkings".Firehydrant.org.Watersupplyoffice.Retrieved31March2015.
5."HydrantFlushingFAQ,UnitedStatesofAmerica"(PDF).
6.Raja,Tasneem(2014)."IsCodingtheNewLiteracy?".MotherJones.Retrieved20140621.

Sources
Hinds,ConradeC.(9October2012).TheGreatColumbusExperimentof1908:WaterworksthatChangedtheWorld.ArcadiaPublishing.ISBN9781614236856.

Furtherreading
U.S.Patent909(https://www.google.com/patents/US909)IssuedtoJohnJordenonSeptember8,1838for"...anewandusefulimprovementinFirePlugsandHydrants...".Thisisanearlywoodenbodiedhydrant,
theearliesthydrantpatentextantthepatentofficeitselfburnedtothegroundin1836,takingwithitallpriorhydrantpatents.
U.S.Patent37,466(https://www.google.com/patents/US37466)IssuedtoRichardStilemanonJanuary20,1863.Anearlyironhydrant,believedthefirstpatentedhydrantwiththelargersizesteamerporttosupply
steamfireengines.ManufacturedandmarketedastheStilemanhydrant.SeealsoStilemanpageatFireHydrant.org(http://www.firehydrant.org/pictures/stileman.html).
U.S.Patent80,143(https://www.google.com/patents/US80143)IssuedtoZebulonErastusCoffinonJuly21,1868.Thisisacastironhydrantverysimilartomodernfirehydrants,itwasproducedbyBoston
MachineCo.SeealsoBostonMachinepageatFireHydrant.org(http://www.firehydrant.org/pictures/bostonmachine.html).
U.S.Patent94,749(https://www.google.com/patents/US94749)IssuedtoBirdsillHollyonSeptember14,1869.SeealsoHollypageatFireHydrant.org(http://www.firehydrant.org/pictures/holly.html).
Wohleber,Curt."TheFireHydrant"(https://web.archive.org/web/20100428162059/http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2002/3/2002_3_10.shtml).InTheAmericanHeritageofInvention&
Technology(http://www.inventionandtechnology.com/).Winter2002.Providesahistorywithdatesoffirehydrantdevelopment.(Archivedfromtheoriginal(https://web.archive.org/web/20100428162059/http://www.a
mericanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2002/3/2002_3_10.shtml)onApril28,2010)

Externallinks

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