Hose Testing for 3" Hose

[Adze]

We were recently doing hose testing for 3" hose using a hose tester. The LT in charge boosted the pressure to 600psi. We had a number of hoses burst at 500psi and a few more while we were sustaining the 600psi. We also had numerous hoses start seperating from the coupling. Afterwards, a bunch of people started telling me that the 3" hose should have only been tested to 400psi. Can anyone shed light on this subject? What is the correct pressure that 3" hose should be tested at?

[WRENCH]

Why were you testing at that high a pressure?
annual hose testing only needs to be 250# for 5 mins for 3" and less. And Ldh depends on what what type it is.

[Dalmatian90]

Get a copy of NFPA 1962 which is the standard for hose testing!

Hose coming off the assembly line today and the last few years is marked "Service Test to XXXpsi per NFPA 1962" so if it says service test to 400psi, you can test it to 400psi.

Prior to that revision, hose is marked something like "Tested to XXXpsi" That's NOT what you test it too -- that was the "proof test" at the factory. The older hose should be tested at no more than 250psi (200psi for LDH). Most older hose 3" and under were marked "Tested to 600psi," which as your Luft just learned isn't what you service test too!

[Joseph Mowery]

Had this discussion last weekend with a "know
it fire eater". Wanted to test our hose to
600 psi when it was marked on the hose jacket
to service test to 400psi. Took forever for
him to realize what a "service test" was. He
also wanted to hydro test for 30 minutes not
5 minutes. I finally told him to go read the
NFPA on hose testing and come back and talk
to me when he had finished.

That is why I like to have a copy of NFPA
with my clipboard and with the records for hose testing. Keeps everything on record
and removes the guessing.

[ADSN/WFLD]

Tell me one situation where you are going to pump at 400 to 500 psi.

250# 5 min

[Ward Watson]

I agree with 250# at 5 mins. I recommend that you follow NFPA Standards. I don't think you can go wrong by doing that.

[ProfVol]

Just a question, I thought the recommend test time for attack line was ten minutes not 5 minutes. 5 minutes was for LDH hose. An old engineer gave me good advice when I started, you test hose not because NFPA says so, but to make sure it will perform when you need it. If you pump high pressures, then the test should be done at those pressures. Other than that the standard pressures of 250 for attach, 200 for LDH) should be fine. We routinely test hose longer than 10 minutes especially older sections to make sure that the intergity of the hose is still there. Just my opinion (by the way, I hate that Census commerical about the lack of funds and the burst hose. Money does not guarantee equipment will work properly all the time.)