Blog
Fire Pump Testing and NFPA 25 – Automatic Starting is the Priority
November 21, 2014Over the course of this year, we have encountered several disabled fire pumps due to burnt up or failed fire pump controller components. This can happen for various reasons — age, misuse, lightning, power surges, etc. But, for one particular installation, what troubled me the most was that for months at a time, no one…
Home Fire Safety Tips & Tools
October 31, 2014The American Red Cross recently announced a national campaign that aims to reduce deaths and injuries from fires in the home. The goal is to reduce these numbers by over 25% in the next five years, and this is an absolutely plausible goal as our society grows smarter about fire safety. Technological advances such as…
Centrifugal Pump Priming
September 26, 2014UL/FM fire pumps require what is commonly called a “flooded suction,” or a positive suction pressure prior to starting. The concept is that the water supply source must arrive at the pump impeller on its own, without the aid of the pump. This will guarantee that the pump is properly primed and ready for operation. …
New Sprinkler Legislation Passes in New York
August 25, 2014It would make sense that if you are renting or leasing a home, or at least thinking about doing so, you know whether or not the building you are looking at has a fire sprinkler system. This was not true in New York until this month, when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that will require…
Preventing Workplace Fire Hazards
July 29, 2014According to the State Compensation Insurance Fund of California, there are between 70,000 and 80,000 serious workplace fires every year. The good news is there are simple steps that you can take to help limit the risk of these fires, and our blog today features some of the best ways to reduce the risk of fire…
How Often Should You Test Your Fire Pump?
June 27, 2014If you are a building owner or facilities manager and you have a sprinkler system being supplied by a fire pump, it is your legal responsibility to maintain your equipment and keep it in proper working order. If you don’t have the expertise or time to do this, you need to hire someone qualified who…
Fire Pump Testing Part II – Hose Valve Manifold vs Flow Meter
May 28, 2014This blog is the finale of our two-part series, where we continue discussing the testing of fire pumps, and we now switch our focus to the use of a flow meter device. In our second half of the series we’ll dive into the advantages and disadvantages to using flow meters instead of the hose manifold…
Fire Pump Testing – Hose Valve Manifold vs Flow Meter
April 16, 2014This week we embark on a two-part segment where we’ll cover fire pump testing, comparing the advantages and disadvantages of two different methods of testing water flow during a fire pump test: external water flow through a hose valve manifold on the exterior of a building, versus a flow meter recirculating loop within the mechanical…
Aurora Jockey Pumps Offer Fast Lead Times
March 18, 2014Jockey pumps are not officially “listed” equipment in the fire pump world, but if you suddenly discover your jockey pump is not performing, you can quickly find yourself with a much bigger problem. That is because with the jockey pump not working, there is nothing available to keep your sprinkler system piping pressurized. A small…
How are Engines and Motors Sized for Fire Pumps?
February 20, 2014Another question we get pretty frequently here at Steven Brown & Associates, Inc. is how are engines and motors sized for fire pumps? In order to determine the sizing of motors and engines for Aurora fire pumps, we refer to the guidelines put forth by the U.L., as well as in Factory Mutual’s Approval Standard…