How to Test a Fire Department Hose
- 1). Unroll the hose fully so that its whole length can be inspected.
- 2). Inspect the hose visually along its whole length, checking for debris, burns, chemical damage, abrasion, or cuts. Remove any damaged segments immediately.
- 3). Connect the hose to a water discharge, either from a fire engine or from a hose testing pump. The hose will have a threaded end that screws onto the pump outlet. These pumps provide pressure equivalent to that of a fire engine when hooked up to a water supply.
- 4). Connect a nozzle or shut-off valve at the other end of the hose. Secure this end in place; this will prevent it from flying around in the event of a hose rupture.
- 5). Turn on water to the hose and fill it, bleeding off the air in the hose by opening the nozzle until water sprays out.
- 6). Shut the nozzle and increase the pressure in the hose line to 50 pounds per square inch (psi). Check the hose line for leaks and tighten any loose couplings.
- 7). Clear the area in front of the nozzle and increase pressure to 300 psi if testing for service purposes. If the test is for acceptance into use, increase to 400 psi if the hose was made before July 1987, or to the pressure marked on the hose if it was manufactured later. 5-inch supply line and soft suction hose should be tested to a service pressure of 200 psi or an acceptance pressure of 300.
- 8). Spray the hose for 5 minutes while checking the line for leaks. Reduce pressure and shut off the nozzle.
- 9). Record the test results in the hose's permanent test record.
- 10
Clean, dry, and drain the hose and return it to storage.
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