Protek Nozzles

[kd5smn]

I am looking for information on Protek nozzles. We are a small volunteer department that with 10-15 structure fires per year. We currently don't have any 2-1/2" nozzles and are looking to get two, one for each engine. The price I have been quoted for a pair of these is about $500 less than the price of an Akron or TFT. That $500 can go a long way to buying more equipment. We would probbably use these nozzles at a fire less than 10 times per year.

http://www.protekfire.com

I just wanted anyone's experiences with the brand.

Thanks

[TVFD28]

i have had great success with protek nozzles, they are on 3 out of 7 of our trucks and they work great, im not sure why they are priced the way they are, because i think they are better than some of the other big name brand out there. but i wont complain. couple of thing that i notice about them right away is 1) the ball in the valve is stainless steel and holds up great, the nylon balls in the other ones we have tend to scratch, dent, and leak. and 2) the little spinning teeth (dont know what you call them) on the proteks are metal unlike our others that are plastic and have half of them missing. i highly recommend them.

[sdff1520]

Don't have any 2 1/2" versions of the Pro-Tek nozzles, however we have several of them in the 1" size (combination nozzle) on type 6 engines. Have been using them for a few years and have had no issues at all. Been good nozzles, and have had no maintenance issues.

[jbrescue]

I have sold numerous Protek nozzles. I even have personally demo played with 1 1/2" and 2 1/2" nozzles. They are well made and work very smoothly. If you need more information, email me or send me a PM.

[volfirie]

We use Prtoteks, haven't had any problems. Just check them frequently for ease of use (all the controls and operation) as they can get a little stiff. But that's probably our water... I prefer the idea of the Protek to the automatic TFT's I've handled; we only have the one Akron on our high-pressure reel, that works well.

[neiowa]

We also operate on a tiny budget ($12k/yr). We bought 6x Protek about 4 yr ago (2ea 1", 1-1/2", 2-1/2"). Less than a year later I dropped one, from waist high on concrete floor of the station. The throw handle/bail broke in half which I thought was ****poor performance. Took 10 months and 3 different pieces before got a correct replacement part. This thru the vendor we bought the nozzle from. Parts had to come from the Far East (Taiwan as I recall). Will not have that problem with Akron/Elkhart/TFT. Will not break in the 1st place and if it does you can have parts immediately (in your choice of colors). I'm not impressed. Pretty enough on the shelf but weak.

And they do not make near as good a pattern as a name brand nozzle. Before you spend (save a few $) have a sales rep bring a sample Protek and a Akron Turbojet (or Elkhart, or TFT) out and put it on a line and actually operate it. Difference between a Bud and real beer.

Next nozzle we buy in a 2-1/2" will be a Turbojet with a ZeroTorque. Get your hands on a demo 2-1/2" Zerotorque from your sales rep or Akron regional rep and you won't buy anything else. One man can comfortably handle a 2-1/2".

A lot of places to "save" $. I've decided nozzles is not the place to do so. I wouldn't buy a made in the Far East .45 or 9mm either. You should be able to buy an Pistolgrip Turbojet for around $650 (+Zerotorque). If another brand is 1/2 that there is a reason.

[FyredUp]

We also operate on a tiny budget ($12k/yr). We bought 6x Protek about 4 yr ago (2ea 1", 1-1/2", 2-1/2"). Less than a year later I dropped one, from waist high on concrete floor of the station. The throw handle/bail broke in half which I thought was ****poor performance. Took 10 months and 3 different pieces before got a correct replacement part. This thru the vendor we bought the nozzle from. Parts had to come from the Far East (Taiwan as I recall). Will not have that problem with Akron/Elkhart/TFT. Will not break in the 1st place and if it does you can have parts immediately (in your choice of colors). I'm not impressed. Pretty enough on the shelf but weak.

And they do not make near as good a pattern as a name brand nozzle. Before you spend (save a few $) have a sales rep bring a sample Protek and a Akron Turbojet (or Elkhart, or TFT) out and put it on a line and actually operate it. Difference between a Bud and real beer.

Next nozzle we buy in a 2-1/2" will be a Turbojet with a ZeroTorque. Get your hands on a demo 2-1/2" Zerotorque from your sales rep or Akron regional rep and you won't buy anything else. One man can comfortably handle a 2-1/2".

A lot of places to "save" $. I've decided nozzles is not the place to do so. I wouldn't buy a made in the Far East .45 or 9mm either. You should be able to buy an Pistolgrip Turbojet for around $650 (+Zerotorque). If another brand is 1/2 that there is a reason.

Buy a single gallonage low pressure and save even more. AND you won't need that extra weight of a zero torque.

[jbrescue]

We also operate on a tiny budget ($12k/yr). We bought 6x Protek about 4 yr ago (2ea 1", 1-1/2", 2-1/2"). Less than a year later I dropped one, from waist high on concrete floor of the station. The throw handle/bail broke in half which I thought was ****poor performance. Took 10 months and 3 different pieces before got a correct replacement part. This thru the vendor we bought the nozzle from. Parts had to come from the Far East (Taiwan as I recall). Will not have that problem with Akron/Elkhart/TFT. Will not break in the 1st place and if it does you can have parts immediately (in your choice of colors). I'm not impressed. Pretty enough on the shelf but weak.

And they do not make near as good a pattern as a name brand nozzle. Before you spend (save a few $) have a sales rep bring a sample Protek and a Akron Turbojet (or Elkhart, or TFT) out and put it on a line and actually operate it. Difference between a Bud and real beer.

Next nozzle we buy in a 2-1/2" will be a Turbojet with a ZeroTorque. Get your hands on a demo 2-1/2" Zerotorque from your sales rep or Akron regional rep and you won't buy anything else. One man can comfortably handle a 2-1/2".

A lot of places to "save" $. I've decided nozzles is not the place to do so. I wouldn't buy a made in the Far East .45 or 9mm either. You should be able to buy an Pistolgrip Turbojet for around $650 (+Zerotorque). If another brand is 1/2 that there is a reason.

I feel your pain. Protek had a redesign due to what you are describing with the bale. They are now metal re-enforced. I got new bales for a department that had similar issues. I got the new bales in about a week. My supplier stock a large cache of parts for all of the major selling nozzles.

[neiowa]

Buy a single gallonage low pressure and save even more. AND you won't need that extra weight of a zero torque.

Thanks I'll go with the Zerotorque. The extra few oz are not going to mean much when your using the nozzle the design WILL mean much. And yes adds extra length which makes somewhat less handy for interior. I think you can get with any of the Akron nozzles.

You've tried one?

[janusfire]

KD5SMN

You'll obtain a lot for your hard earned money if you buy 95-250 gpm nozzles.

Ideally those would have 1,5" female connection so those will be used at every size fire.

With 95-250 gpm nozzle you get a nozzle for all size of fires on just one nozzle, a 2,5" male to 1,5" female coupling will work perfect, if you need greater flows, simply disconnect that coupling, so you'll get the 2,5" female.

Also look at Protek copy of TFT Handline 50-350 gpm with slide (not ball) valve, notice they've got the two versions: ball and slide valve.

Regards

[sentrymechanic]

We are a small department as well and use TFTs and Akron. Both are great nozzles.

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