Need help on a foam proportioner

[firemanjerry]

Our first due engine had a Hale Series V foam proportioner on it that finally gave up the ghost. We're a small department with a limited budget, and the alternatives for this unit which is no longer supported by Hale (go figure), and for which there are not parts available for are the Hale Foam Logix and the Foam Pro 2.1 systems both suggested by our fire equipment supplier who installs and repairs our larger systems in our apparatus. Cost is $8,000+ and $11,000+ for these systems which provide foam to our 2 - 1 3/4" pre-connects and 1" booster line. So we were looking at a large chunk of money which we did not budget for. A couple weeks ago the chief mech at our fire equipment company called with a third alternative which is cheaper, mostly mechanical/hydraulic and about a third the cost of the cheaper of the 2 systems stated above. Unfortunately he has no experience with it. It's called a Neel Water Stretcher 6.1 here's the name of the company; neel fire protection apparatus, out of Waco TX. The problem I'm running into is it's a small company that I've never heard of and I have no performance/maintenance data on the foam system. It touts that it will provide 1000 GPM of foam at 1% which is much better than what we currently have (had?). The price is right and being non-electronic, service and maintenance should be a snap. It has a 3 year warranty as well. My question is does anyone have any experience/knowledge of this system? If so can you give me some info as to problems, faults, and success stories as well. Any help will be greatly appreciated and we can get our first due engine back in service as soon as possible with foam, which we use whenever we can.

[txgp17]

Williams’ Portable Through-the-Pump Foam System, turns any firetruck with a pump into a foam pumper.

Description: The Williams High Head Through-the-Pump 1500 Portable Foam System was designed to turn any pumper into a foam producing device. This unit will proportion 3% foam solution up to 1500 GPM. It can work against hydrant pressure up to 50 PSI with only 150 PSI discharge pressure. This economical system is easy to use and is completely water driven; there are no pumps or parts to maintain.

[Johngagemn]

Are you running strictly class A foam or do you need to be able to run both A and B?

The reason I ask is because it can have a big impact on the size of the foam proportioner you need.

[CaptLou]

Hi firemanjerry,

Based on the fact that you are only supplying 2 - 1/34" and a 1" booster line, and assuming Class "A" foam only, I would suggest looking at the the Waterous "Aquis" http://www.waterousco.com/foamSys/aquis.html or the FoamPro 1600 foam proportioners http://www.foampro.com/en-us/Product...s/Features.htm .

These are both smaller foam pumps but big enough to handle the lines you mention. Both companies are reputable and been around for a while.

Hope this helps.

Be Safe,

Capt Lou
"GotFoam?"

[firemanjerry]

We currently use F-500 and are going to be changing over to FireAde 2000 since we cant get F-500 anymore locally which has worked out much better for us than the class a and b route.

[firemanjerry]

Hi firemanjerry,

Based on the fact that you are only supplying 2 - 1/34" and a 1" booster line, and assuming Class "A" foam only, I would suggest looking at the the Waterous "Aquis" http://www.waterousco.com/foamSys/aquis.html or the FoamPro 1600 foam proportioners http://www.foampro.com/en-us/Product...s/Features.htm .

These are both smaller foam pumps but big enough to handle the lines you mention. Both companies are reputable and been around for a while.

Hope this helps.

Be Safe,

Capt Lou
"GotFoam?"

We were limited to the 2 - 1 3/4 and 1" lines due to the system we had on the engine, with this new system we'd be able to provide foam to more outlets on an as neede basis ie: with we needed to employ a 2 1/2" line.

[CKirk922]

Williams’ Portable Through-the-Pump Foam System, turns any firetruck with a pump into a foam pumper.

Description: The Williams High Head Through-the-Pump 1500 Portable Foam System was designed to turn any pumper into a foam producing device. This unit will proportion 3% foam solution up to 1500 GPM. It can work against hydrant pressure up to 50 PSI with only 150 PSI discharge pressure. This economical system is easy to use and is completely water driven; there are no pumps or parts to maintain.

Williams Fire and Hazard Control has a plant right here in Washington, IN. The designer/engineer/head honcho at the facility is on our FD. This gentleman showed me the around the pump porportioner at FDIC INDY. They specialize in water driven devices, in line and non-in line eduction and porportioning. It is way worth your time to contact them. Good people doing good stuff. Oh, their big specialty is industrial foam master stream applications for refineries and well platforms. They produce foam educted nozzles for purple k, small foam educted master stream (350-750), mid size streams such as 1000-2000 gpm, and monster foam guns that push beyond 10,000 gpm. Like I said, good people and a good company.

[firemanjerry]

Williams Fire and Hazard Control has a plant right here in Washington, IN. The designer/engineer/head honcho at the facility is on our FD. This gentleman showed me the around the pump porportioner at FDIC INDY. They specialize in water driven devices, in line and non-in line eduction and porportioning. It is way worth your time to contact them. Good people doing good stuff. Oh, their big specialty is industrial foam master stream applications for refineries and well platforms. They produce foam educted nozzles for purple k, small foam educted master stream (350-750), mid size streams such as 1000-2000 gpm, and monster foam guns that push beyond 10,000 gpm. Like I said, good people and a good company.

Bob,

Thanks for the input, I'll definately check them out.