Feecon foam system

[Firemoose]

This forum goes out to anybody out there currently using or have any experience with the Feecon foam system. I was just wondering the pros and cons of the system, and if you would advise people to use it?

[TWEJFD]

Are you referring to Feecon's "around the pump" proportioner?

If so, we have them on 2 of our trucks. Rarely use them. Good thing, because they're more trouble than they're worth.

Don't get me wrong- they do their job and make foam quite nicely and easily. That and you don't have to get out and hook up a separate eductor, foam cans, etc. If you're going to stretch out the hose and make foam until you're done, they're fine.

BUT...

If you are going to stand by with a charged foam line you're going to have a mess. The system works in such a way that, if you have the system activated, your tank-to-pump valve opened, but the nozzle not opened, your foam concentrate will be sucked out of your foam tank and deposited into your booster tank. And it takes forever to rinse it all out and foam goes everywhere.

We learned this the hard way. Couldn't figure it out until several of us took the truck out and tried several experiments. Then we called Feecon and they verified our conclusions.

If you have the system activated, the pump is pumping water through the venturi that draws the foam concentrate out of the foam tank. If you're not flowing through the nozzle, then the slight positive pressure that exists inside the pump is enough to force this foam solution back into your booster tank.

We have had to institute a procedure where, if we have the potential to use foam, but are not actually going to use it right away, either the pump is not engaged or the foam system is not activated. This means that if we do need it, we have to wait for the system to charge and good foam gets out to the nozzle before we can use it.

We've not been that successful in training our pump operators NOT to engage the pump, so we continue to have opportunities to waste all of our foam on the ground at several hundred dollars a pop!

I know its a training issue, but with the better options available (injection/proportioning systems) its a hassle we could just do without.

[Firemoose]

Yes, I am referring to the around the pump proportioner. One of our main concerns did stem off of what you're saying, however we never thought about it that way. Our issue with a theory like what you're saying is: Okay we've exhausted our tank water and switch to a portable tank. With this system we're not going to be able to refill our tank water as the situation permits w/o having to shut down and flush out the system are we?

[TWEJFD]

No, unless you have a direct tank fill line that does not go through the pump and it is being fed by some pressurized source other than your pumper. When you are using the foam system, ALL discharges have foam, including your tank fill.

When you are working from a draft, the same thing will happen if you shut off the nozzle without deactivating the foam system- you'll lose the contents of your foam tank into your portable tank.

Click here to get to Feecon's data sheet