Adapters and Appliances. Your Puzzle Pieces to Success

Toady's post promises to be a winner for those of you who, like me, enjoy articles with pictures.

Adapters and appliances are some of the most critical pieces of equipment carried by engine companies.  As a driver/operator, it is your duty to know what each adapter is and the multitude of possible uses.  Many times, adapters are mounted, in a nice organized fashion and used so rarely, that they end up being not much more than decorations in the compartments.  With the dynamic nature of a fireground, having a driver who has quick thinking skills and and possesses the ability to overcome challenges is a must.  When that driver knows the equipment on the rig, it makes everything come together in critical times of need.

The question of how many and which type of adapters is really one that needs to be discussed amongst each department.  In the following illustrations, some typical adapters and appliances will be shown, along with their uses.  The limit to what you can do with appliances and adapters is really endless, as long as you stay within the safe working limits of the equipment.

Having the right adapters and appliances is the starting point.  Organization and storage comes next.  Are your adapters and appliances stored in a way that they are easy to locate, identify and remove from the rig?  With a multitude of different brackets on the market, try out the options at trade shows or apparatus vendors shops, so that you can see what is best suited for your needs and preferences.  Most importantly, are your most commonly used adapters attached to the pump connections and hoses you use most.  It makes alot of sense to have the adapters already in place on the rig, rather than having to always pull them from a compartment each time they are needed.



These two rigs have a variety of different adapters and appliances.  Additional adapters are attached to connections around the rigs.  In the photo above, adapters are mounted on "PAC" mounting boards, allowing for flexibility in mounting arrangements.

This "Respond Ready" brand tool chest is being used for adapters and appliances



This rig uses "Zico" stud type mounting brackets on a pull out tray.



Adapters attached at point of use accomplishes two key things.  First, it allows the driver to make connections with various common hose connections that may be used within the department or with second and third due companies and secondly, it allows your compartment to have space for additional, or less frequently used ones.



This rig has some adapters already attached to its connections.  The Hale 8FG 2500 GPM pump has two main inlets and two LDH discharges on the officers side.  The forward inlet has a cap, for use when drafting, to make it more obvious that this is the most direct inlet to the pump.  The inlet next to it has a storz adapter, because it has a slight bend to direct it into the custom built intake manifold, making is a little less efficient for drafting and better suited for use with a pressurized supply.  The forward LDH discharge has a 5" to 4" storz reducer, indicating it is the preferred primary discharge for LDH, as it has the shortest run of pipe.

Doubles.  Double male and female adapters come in handy for a variety of uses.  They are often used when converting a bed of 2 1/2" or 3" from attack to supply or supply to attack, offering greater flexibility.  1 1/2" Doubles, seen here are not often used, but good to keep handy.



The 1 1/2" double female is a great adapter to use when backflushing the pump.



2 1/2" Double female and double male.



This gated wye is now a Siamese, by using 2 1/2" double male and female adapters.



When FDC connections are frozen and will not swivel, a double male and double female will make a quick fix.

 

The same gated wye is now adapted for use as a siamese to 4" Storz

A 2 1/2" double female and double male extends the discharge on this ball valve so that the handle can open all the way with using a 4 or 5" storz adapter.

 

Reducers.  These are very common.  Many of them are chrome plated, because they are often found attached to the pump discharges.  Reducers are an excellent adapter to allow use of multiple handlines on wye and water thief appliances.

This double female adapter has a rigid, rocker lug 6" base with a swivel 4 1/2" connection attached.  This half rigid, half swivel adapter is best suited when used when the rigid connection is already attached so the hose can be connected using the swivel.  Such examples would include for connecting suction hose of a different diameter to the pump inlet or when using dry hydrants.



This double female has swivels on both sides.  Like other adapters, they come in various thread and diameter options.  These are better suited when you want to make connections easier, as both sides will swivel, even if one side is already connected.  Typical applications are drafting connections when seen in the above configuration.  The long handles allow easier connections without the necessity for a wrench.



This double female is a similar configuration as above, however it has different diameter threads on each side (4 1/2" x 6")




Storz adapters are critical if you run with companies that use different diameter Storz connections.  Its best to carry at least two of them, as you would be in a tricky situation if you came upon a hydrant valve that is 4" and your rig carried 5".

This gated wye is 2 1/2" inlet by 2 1/2" outlets.  A 2 1/2" male x 4" Storz adapter makes it useful with large diameter hose, although the waterway is slightly smaller than if the wye had a Storz adapter permanently affixed to it.  It just shows you an additional option.



Keeping reducers on gated wyes increases their versatility and saves time looking for adapters when in time of critical need.

A 1 1/2" inlet x 1 1/2" outlet hated wye is good for use on front bumper or pump discharges where multiple lines may be used.  This one has a 1" reducer for use with forestry hose.



Storz x female adapters.  On the left is a rigid female, on the right is a swivel female.



The rigid female x strorz adapter is a good choice for use on discharges



The rigid female x storz adapter on the auxiliary inlet. 



The rigid female x storz adapter is NOT a good choice on this inlet, because it must be removed and attached to the hose if using 2 1/2" threaded hose.

 

A 5" Storz discharge has been reduced to 2 1/2" using several adapters.  The base adapter is 5" Storz x 4" Storz, followed by 4" Storz to 2 1/2" rigid female, and finished with a 2 1/2" double male.  This illustration shows how you can make it work, but it would be better to purchase more suitable adapters if you typically use this discharge in such a configuration.


Using a 4" Storz x 2 1/2" Male adapter for this discharge is more purpose specific.

If you have companies using different diameter LDH, its best to spec the base thread with 5" and then reduce it to 4".  This rig carries 4" hose, but all pump connections have 5" Storz base thread to make the waterways larger.

Auxiliary suctions, while not nearly as efficient as the main pump inlets, should be spec'd with larger piping than the standard 2 1/2".  Here 3" base thread (pipe and valve) is adapted to a 3" female rigid x 4" storz adapter.  A 4: Storz x 2 1/2" female swivel is then fitted with a 2 1/2" plug.  This allows the auxiliary suction to receive 4" hose, providing additional water flow when needed.



This assortment of adapters will allow 4" storz hose to connect to the 3" auxiliary inlet, but because there is a 2 1/2" threaded adapter behind the storz adapter, it reduces the waterway opening, creating a restriction.  Its always best to use the large adapter with storz fitting at the base and reduce it to the smaller, 2 1/2" thread.

   
<><>

This auxiliary suction inlet has 3" piping and valve.  A 3" male x 2 1/2" female swivel adapter is fitted to allow the connection of 2 1/2" couplings, while providing a more efficient waterway, due to the larger pipe and valve.


 

  

Storz x Male rigid thread adapters can be used for many things.  This one is intended for use on the inlet of a Humat valve to convert it to an inline relay valve.  It can also be used as pictured below.



Using the 4 1/2" threaded x storz adapter on a gate valve will allow your front intake sleeve to be able to connect when using hydrants with only 2 1/2" discharges.

Even if your company uses 4" hose, if there are companies in your adjacent districts that use 5", it makes more sense to furnish your large diameter intakes and discharges with the 5" base connection and reduce it to 4".  This will typically allow for a larger waterway at the base of the connection, for greater efficiency.



This Tanker Company keeps storz adapters preconnected to their fill lines, to save set-up time.



This specialty adapter converts an atypical thread (base) to 4 1/2" NST on older hydrants in one NJ community.

The long handle, swivel threaded x storz adapter is the best choice when you need an adapter that is left connected to a hose.  Its swivel connection allows it to be attached to the hydrant or other connection without having to remove it from the hose.

The rigid female x storz adapter is best used when already attached to the pump intake or discharge.  When using threaded by storz adapters on hose, its more ideal to use swivel style, which allow the hose to be connected without having to remove the adapter.

Hopefully this article has offered some insight regarding the value and purpose of the multitude of adapters carried on our rigs.  This is only a sampling of the different options available.  The best practice is to go through your rig and pull them out and figure out where they fit and what you can do with them.

As a quick recap, for guidance when ordering, here are the terms you need to remember when specifying adapters.

• Rigid.  The thread is attached in a manner it will not swivel or rotate.  All male threads are rigid, but you have the option to specify female thread as rigid.  Use rigid female thread when adapters will normally be attached to pump or hydrant connections or where the adapter will never have to rotate to connect a hose to it.
• Swivel.  The female swivel thread is necessary if an adapter is going to be threaded onto a hard connection (or another hose).  The most common swivel adapter is the hydrant adapter, used on LDH.  Once tightened, swivel adapters will be tight, and will not swivel anymore, unless extreme force is applied.
• Full Time Swivel.  These types of swivel adapters will maintain full rotation capability when connected.  They are often found on Humat valves, and LDH intakes, to prevent the hose from becoming knotted as it charges and twists.  These are tricky, because you may need two wrenches to make connections, as the fitting doesn't always offer enough resistance to allow for turning and locking a coupling.
• Rocker lug.  You have the option, on the adapters you specify, to choose the lug style.  Rocker lugs are the standard lug found on most threaded fire hose.  They work well on couplings up to about 2 1/2".  Once you get beyond that size, long handles offer easier connecting and provide good leverage for making them tight.
• Long handle.  Long handle lugs are the preferred style for suction hose connections/adapters, hydrant adapters and pump intake adapters.  They will take up a little more space though.
• Folding handle.  Some LDH adapters and fittings have folding handles, for greater leverage and ease of connection, while allowing them to fold away for lower profile when not being used.

Feel free to contact us if you need any guidance with adapters and appliances.  Stay safe.