relief valve setting

[tmr91]

I'm looking for help in answering a question on my department. In regards to setting a Hale pressure refief valve (hand crank style) on a single stage 1500 gpm. Some members say the valve should be either fully opened or fully closed at the start of a pumping Then adjust as needed.Others say leave it in the middle (half way) then adjust it.What do you do? Any help would be appreicaited. Thanks.

[Jim M.]

Our practice is to leave the relief valve set at the desired max pressure for handlines. For us that's around 160. It can be raised if necessary, lowered if necessary, but is's a safe starting point. It does need to be "exercised" every now and again, but overall, it seems to work well and safely for us.

[CAPTAIN WHO]

When I have instructed at Pump operations courses we have always taught that after the pump has been disengaged to turn the relief valve higher by 4-5 turns.

[Jay Sonnenfeld]

In my Company we don't have alot of alarms so our practice is to keep the relief valve closed and let the pump operator set it. I am in total agreement the valve needs to be excercised for proper operation.

[pyroknight]

I absolutely agree that the PRV needs to be exercised periodically (weekly checks would do well), but it should be set at the pressure you would most likely use it at (I think 160's a bit high, but like you said, it's a good place to start).

[Catch]

Our department has started just recently leaving the valve all the way open. When the water's flowing and the RPMs cranked up, we close the valve to the desired pressure. Then close it up when we're done. Learned this from the service man that just pump tested our trucks and seems to work out great.

[g david moose]

Originally posted by Catch:
Our department has started just recently leaving the valve all the way open. When the water's flowing and the RPMs cranked up, we close the valve to the desired pressure. Then close it up when we're done. Learned this from the service man that just pump tested our trucks and seems to work out great.

[g david moose]

Originally posted by g david moose:

when the pump is out of gear or the discharge pressure is lower than you have set the valve its closed anyway adjusting the valve with no water flowing is just compressing a spring water flow and water pressure is what opens and closes the discharge relief valve i run mine preset which is fine as long as you know what its set at

[Eng 48]

We do what Jim M does. It's set @160 or so. I check it weekly and make sure it operates properly.

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Be safe everyone!

[EnjineCaptain]

Presetting the relief valve in any manner should be avoided. Unless the relief valve is excercised very regularly, it is imperative that all tension be relieved off the spring of the pilot valve when not pumping the truck.

Unless that truck pumps at several fires PER DAY, you run the risk of the spring developing a memory and thus causing a malfunction during pump ops. The spring could even break.

An engineer should be competent in knowing how and why to effectively and accurately set the relief valve as a matter of standard practice during every pump operation.

There is no excuse for taking a piece of apparatus out of service for a repair that should have been avoided through proper operation and training.

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I'm glad to hear from any of you.
EnjineCaptain

"This isn't what we do, it's who we are!"

Prevent Harm, Be Safe, Be Nice - A. Brunancini

[NCFiremedic]

Have to agree with EnjineCaptain. We just completed a Driver Operator course at my Dept taught by the univeristy of Maryland and they taught exactly what EnjineCaptain stated.
Just my opinion though.

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Running a code is easy.
The hard part starts when you bringem back and have a 30-40 min transport

[Company40]

We also avoid pre-setting the relief valve in our department. A driver will typically set the relief valve a few minutes into the call, once the handlines have been charged, and a water source established. The operation of the valve is checked on a monthly basis.

[J Almon]

Looks like the pumper's operation/maintenance manual is a good place to srart. It will tell you what the pump manufacturer suggests.
What we do is leave ours set at a high setting. After all lines are flowing at maximum, we decrease it slowly until the pressure drops on the master gauge. Then we increase it about a quarter turn, per the operator's manual. The relief valve open light on the panels seems to light at a different setting than the master gauge, so we watch the gauge.

[cherryvale1]

After having been operating pumps for close to 32 years, I agree that the PRV needs adjusted frequently and the adjustment for any fire can vary with the demand of the fire.

I would like to bring out another problem with this valve. I have had OFFICERS that do not understand the use of this valve, (ex. one tried to train a new engineer trainee that the way the PRV was set was to total all of the pressure on the different lines and set the PRV there.

1 1/2 # 1 100 lbs
1 1/2 # 2 120 lbs
2 1/2 # 1 60 lbs
3 inch DRAFT 50 lbs
TOTAL 330 lbs

SET PRV to 350 lbs just incase needed!!!!)

It took over 1 hr of arguing to convince him this type of training would get firefighters killed.

It also took about 2 months before other officers that did not LIKE the fact I would DARE to correct an OFFICER, to talk to me in a civil manner.

Just you thoughts.

PUT THE WET ON THE RED -- STAY SAFE DOING IT!

[TXFIRE6]

We normally leave it set for the desired max pressure for handlines..near 150psi. However in the morning checkout of the pump(every shift), we normally run the rpm's up fairly high, then fully open and close the valve a few times, to clear it out, then set it at 150psi.we have had problems of the valves not opening or closing unless you exercise it regularly like this. it works best for us, and we have had no problems with them sticking since we started doing this a few years back.

[CAPTAIN WHO]

Cherryvale1, As an officer I see nothing wrong with what you did. The fact that you were correcting a potentially deadly wrong you were well with in your rights. The day we as officers stop learning from those in the field is the day we need to retire our gear.

I would hate to have seen this theory applied to a PSG.

If your captain was upset by you maybe it's time for a Pump operators refresher course or at least a review of fluid dynamics.

[engine10_iaff12]

Ours is kept at highest setting or all the way to higher side.

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G.B. Yoho (member)
IAFF Local #12
Wheeling Firefighters
Wheeling, WV.
Be Alert and Be Safe!!!!

[EnjineCaptain]

engine10_iaff12

Check with the manufacturers info, but generally, keeping it at the highest pressure setting is keeping extreme tension on the spring of the pilot valve as was previously mentioned.
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cherryvale1

Don't give up when your right, especially on a safety matter. Good job.



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I'm glad to hear from any of you.
EnjineCaptain

"This isn't what we do, it's who we are!"

Prevent Harm, Be Safe, Be Nice - A. Brunancini

[jchisling]

Our policy and procedure allows for the RV to be turned off after an application. Once the RV is needed, it is set to 150 psi. or whatever is required. It is not our practice to leave the relieve valve on all the time. we also to a weekly RV test, ensuring the RV is exercised and working properly.

Truro Fire Fighters Association
Local 1627 IAFF
Truro NS CANADA

[FireDocCJC]

Here is the way that I see it. My fire Chief and all the instructors that I have delt with tell me the same thing. When the pump test or use is done, turn the PRV all the way open. If you leave it preset you run the chance, like one person said, of haveing it in the memory of the PRV. What I mean is that if you always leave it set at 150 psi then it might get stuck at 150 psi. Now the problem you run into is. I am at the hydrant. I need to flow MORE than 150 psi in order to push the water to the other trucks that the other trucks or the DECK GUN needs. But I can't because my pressure is stuck @ 150 psi. The way we do it is we have the PRV all the way open and most of the time the preconnects are the first off. those get set at about 100psi because the are TFT's. Not gonna get too much more water no matter what the pressure. Once the water is flowing I set the PRV at about 120-130 psi. Gives me space to play with before having to readjust.

Don't forget that a lot of us live in areas where the weather gets REAL cold. If the PRV is all the way down there is a chance that it might freeze. So think about your area and discuss this with your supervisors.

FireDoc

P.S. Cherryvale1
Does that captain like to have the firefighters riding around on the firehose like bull riders?