TC24D Fire Rig (Class 7)

[LAGEORGE]

Hello everyone, long time no posting. I have been very busy improving my front driveway and city right-of-way after last year’s heavy rains that resulted in a washed out driveway. But I have also been busy building a Class 7 fire rig for fire protection in and around our property. In addition it also serves as a killer way to water the lawns, irrigate hard to reach locations and wash off the driveway!

Reasons why I needed a fire rig?
- Fire department is volunteer and poorly staffed
- Fire department over 20 minutes away (only 1 station for entire city)
- And mainly because I could build one! And is very empowering! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Specifications:
NWCG Class 7 Wildfire classification
30 GPM at 290-PSI Diaphragm pump
0-300 PSI pressure regulator (bypass into tank)
110-gallon tank
100 Feet of 1-inch double-jacketed forestry hose with NST aluminum coupling
100 feet of 1-inch booster hose on COX reel
20 feet of 1 ½ inch suction hose
40 feet of 1 ½ inch soft suction (hydrant)
1 ½ inch hydrant fill
1 ½ inch suction
Able to pump to tank from any water source
And most important: A work in progress

The rig has proven very effective to the point that it has warranted additional investment in making improvements. For those not aware of the cost of fire fighting equipment, it is very costly and configurations do vary widely. Trying to get the correct parts and plumbing has proven to be very challenging and expensive.
All in all we are trilled with the performance and much like the tractor has empowered us over government inaction the fire rig attachment has provided us with additional peace of mind and with the hope that we never have to use it for a fire.

LA GEORGE

 

[LAGEORGE]

Picture of pressure regulator with Hypro 30.1 GPM 290 PSI PTO pump.

 

[LAGEORGE]

Picture of COX reel with 100 feet of 1 inch booster hose (hardline) ready for action!

 

[LAGEORGE]

1 ½ inch Hydrant fill valve

 

[LAGEORGE]

This picture is of the suction valve on the rig. The current valve is a cheap Banjo brand 3-way valve. I am in the process of replacing it with a stainless steel version as time allows but since it works it’s not a big priority.

Suction valve allows for direct to pump connection from hydrant or water source (pool, lake)

 

[RonMar]

880 pounds of water + hardware... What do you use for nose weight? I was contemplating something similar but as a trailer and quick attach PTO pump. Do you have anything installed to protect your home in case you decide(or someone decides for you) that evacuating is better than fighting?

 

[LAGEORGE]

Picture of Hypro 30.1 GPM PTO Pump

Pump can push out water in excess of 300 PSI and has a 1 ½ inch suction side with a 1-inch discharge.

Pump is metric and as I hear made in Italy.

 

[LAGEORGE]

Last picture

Keeping the front end down is a problem since the weight of the water and the rig are in excess 1000 pounds! And I do mean excess

So I added a bracket to the bucket to hold New Holland suitcase weights. The front end still gets light but I do not need to carry the water up onto the terraces that are very steep. So the configuration works well but I also have my front tires loaded and can add additional weight to the front end if needed.

I did respond to an emergency situation with our fire department and had to dump 110 gallons of water in route since what was needed was my loader and additional rear weight would have not proven very productive. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[LAGEORGE]

Hello RonMar,

No one made us build it unless you consider government inaction as a reason.

And of course this system will only work if you are at home and you have the system attached to the tractor at the time.

We started the project in response to a question I posed to my wife. The question was “Do we care if the house burns down? Would that not be a favor to us?” Her response was “yes but what about the stuff inside” So we decided it was worth the effort.

In addition we built the unit to fight so leaving home is not an option. I know that if we do not take up arms I mean hoses our home would burn down because the fire department becomes overwhelmed with a car fire. Let alone an entire hillside ablaze.

I think the best way to look at the fire rig is as a first response line of defense. You first call 911 then you roll your own unit until help arrives. It may or may not work but at least you have the tools to put up a fight. Also the rig’s use extends beyond fire duty so we get very regular use out of it and thus get the hands on experience that my wife and myself need in order to use the pump effectively. We could have opted for a stationary unit but they lacked the pressure, portability and maybe the reliability we desired.

LAGEORGE

 

[Bob_Skurka]

George, as always you have been someone who inspired me with your projects (strobes, hillside lights, dual TNT, and now this!). Well WOW.

Just curious, but did you also build this to perform any dual duty function like watering the orange trees? Or is this a fire supression only single function unit?

I've often thought about a similar unit, but figured that capacity was the the biggest drawback on a 3pt mounted unit and considered (but never even took to the design stage) a trailer mounted system with a much larger water tank. I have no hydrants within a couple miles of my property. I do have a deep creek out back 1/4 mile from the house, and a shallow creek about 400 feet north of the house that I could draw water from. Do you have a water source that you can draw water from? And if so, can you suck water into the tank from that source while pumping water out the discharge hose to save the house? (this assumes the water source is in fairly close proximity to the house).