How and when the fire hydrants check
The external fire extinguishing system should be in working condition at any time and night and at any time of the year. For confidence in its serviceability, a regular check of fire hydrants is carried out - an important part of fireproof water pipes.
Main checks checks
Hydrants should always be in working condition. In winter, they need to be cleaned of snow and insulate. Driving to water intake devices are provided at any time of the year. If the fire hydrants are installed on the roadway, then during inspection or fire extinguishing, the road section is unguarded by setting warning signs. On the facades of the nearest homes place pointers so that they are well noticeable.
In the process of inspection, check:
- status of the hatch cover;
- are there water in a well or inside the riser;
- whether the hydrant is running with the setting and turning on the column;
- in what state is the valve (tightness, ease of opening / closing);
- condition of head, thread, rod square.
The main breakdowns are associated with corrosion of parts, freezing in winter, thinning and failure of the gasket. All this leads to a passage of water and impossibility to use the device. Verified hydrant is celebrated in a log, recording whether there is a malfunction so that you can fix them in a timely manner.
Reception and primary inspection
The very first tests of the hydrant passes at the factory to get a quality certificate. After that, it should be checked before commissioning. By purchasing a hydrant, check the documentation that contains the rules of operation, warranty card and quality certificate information. Together with the main set of parts, you can order a check valve that will prevent the ingress of groundwater into the hydrant cavity. Orders other necessary spare parts.
Before commissioning, an external inspection of the equipment is carried out and check its performance. Thread and open unpainted metal plots should be lubricated, there should be no cracks on the details, chips, traces of rust. Use water from fire hydrant for other needs, except for fire extinguishing or checking, is prohibited.
Test act
In the spring and autumn, check the hydrants with an external inspection and launch of water. In various regions of Russia, the timing of inspections may vary, which is associated with the characteristics of the climate. After each inspection make up the act.
The act indicates the test date, inventory numbers of hydrants, address of their location. Indicate the diameter and type of pipeline, the pressure head (in meters), water production (in liters per second) and the name of the organization that is engaged in the maintenance of water intake devices. The act of checking fire hydrants is drawn up in several copies, by sending an instance to a representative from each organization participating in the inspection.
Tests should be carried out in the clock maximum load on the plumbing network. There is a representative of the company serving a water supply network, fire brigade staff and fire inspector. They draw conclusions about the compliance of hydrants fire safety standards. Conclusions are displayed in the act of testing of fire hydrants. At the end, members of the Commission put their signatures.
Check Magazine
In addition to the act, the log of the inspection of fire hydrants is conducted. The magazine is filled after each check, including after the first check, which goes before commissioning. The log provides graphs to simply add the date of verification, troubleshooting, their reasons, the elimination method, so that it is possible to quickly determine which state is the test hydrant. The results of each check are assigned by the signature of the executing and controller. A person appointed by the leadership of the Vodokanal or other service is responsible for the management of the journal, which includes hydrants.
Features of seasonal check and possible problems
Autumn checks are prescribed for September or October. During this period, pay special attention to the location of groundwater. On the eve of the frost, the well should be dry and clean. If there are blockages, they are eliminated, they are carried out external inspection and inspection hydrant.
Spring check passes in April or May. Warming is removed, check the operation of the hydrant, inspect the driveway. Check the condition and location of indicative characters and roulette measure the distance from them to the hydrant. It must correspond to what is indicated on the signs. In the spring, it is most often conducted by checking fire hydrants on water production with the use of special measuring equipment - hydrotests.
When examining fire hydrants, you can face the situation when the head and other metal parts rusty so rusted that it is dangerous to be struggle. In this case, the screwing of the column is better to refuse, and in the act notice the state to eliminate the problem with planned repairs.
The well can be filled with water if the gasket was worn between the stand and the hydrant or between the valve and the saddle.
Sometimes a drain hole is clogged, which also leads to the filling of the cavity of the hydrant and the well water.
In winter, in the absence of insulation, part of the hydrant can freeze, the locking device may fail. Especially dangerous to install hydrants in northern latitudes, designed to work in a softer European climate.
Why know water consumption
During operation, the diameter of the water pipes can be reduced due to a lime deputy, which is gradually postponed inside. The water pressure on the network is also changing, the effective operation of pumps, leaks appear due to corrosion. To find out how critical all these changes are checking the fireproof water supply.
First of all, check the networks located at the far distance from the pumping station. Checks are also subject to dead-end pipelines, pipes with the smallest diameter and the weakest pressure. Do not cost without testing fire hydrants and cranes located at enterprises with increased fire hazard.
Waterpart checks after prior coordination with plumbing services in the presence of the representative of these services. Hydraulic tests must be carried out once every 5 years.
How to check waterproof
In the first way, the test of fire hydrants is carried out with a waterometer consisting of a pressure gauge and a smooth tube. To determine the flow of fluid, it is necessary to screw the column on the hydrant. Then connect the pressure gauge column to one head, and to another tube (smooth pipe), through which water will go.
When the measuring device is installed, fully open the hydrant valve using the key, and unscrew the valve first from the pressure gauge. Remove and write down its testimony. Then open the valve from the side of the tube and again write the testimony of the pressure gauge. Using the testimony of the device and a special table, determine the water production of the system. The table shows the relationship between the pressure, the diameter of the nozzle and water rating. Thus, knowing the diameter and pressure, you can determine how many liters of water is spent in a second and whether the flow rate corresponds to fire standards.
