A portable fire fighting pump is a type of emergency water pump that can be used to fight a ship fire or an onboard fire. The pumps are usually powered by gas or diesel engines and are built to help the crew fight a fire on board their vessel before the arrival of professional firefighters. The pumps are designed to deliver a high volume of water under extreme pressure to extinguish the fire. They are also built to be lightweight and easy to handle. These pumps can be stowed in the firefighting equipment lockers on board vessels and are typically used in conjunction with an automatic sprinkler system that will activate when the fire is detected.
There are many different types of fire pumps available in the market today. The most common type of fire pump is the centrifugal type that uses a spinning impeller and a volute casing to pump water. These pumps are usually the easiest to maintain because they are simple-designed and require minimal maintenance. However, they must be primed before they can run because if they are left dry for long periods of time, they will be damaged. The best way to keep a centrifugal fire pump primed is to use an ejector or vacuum pump to draw air into the pump before it is turned on for operation.
The other type of fire pump is the positive displacement type, which uses a crankshaft and a piston to pump water. These pumps are less expensive to operate, but they have to be manually reprimed after every use because they cannot hold their own suction. Positive displacement fire pumps are ideal for putting out certain types of fires, but they have to be reprimed after each use because they lose their suction if they are left idle.
In addition to the types of fire pumps, it is important to know that the type of hose you use with the pump is also an important factor. You should select a hose that is optimized for pressure and has a diameter that fits the pump’s suction port. A standard garden hose is fine for mop-ups and other low-pressure jobs, but you would want to invest in a fire hose with a larger diameter that can handle high-pressure water.
Finally, you will need to perform routine maintenance on your marine fire pump regularly to ensure it is always ready for an emergency. A visual inspection is the first step, but you should also take a power reading from the pump every week to monitor its amperage, as well as check the coupling and bearings’ temperature on a daily basis. These regular checks will ensure that your fire pump is running correctly and can be easily started when the emergency arrives. If you don’t keep up with your maintenance, the marine fire pump might fail to work when it is needed most – and lives are on the line.