Hydrant cap chains

[kevmar28]

Still want that high rise info?

Yes, please. That would be great.

[ChicagoFF]

Yes, please. That would be great.

PM me your email address....

[SSHANK42]

If a hydrant cap chain sticks while I'm at the hydrant you won't have to worry about it the second time.

[MEDIC0372]

Our policy is also for engines to get their own hydrant but we also gate them in case an emergency arises that requires that hydrant to supply two engines. Talk about putting all your eggs in your one working hydrant in the hopes that the others are not frozen or broken........... What if THE BUSHINGS FAILED on your second engines hydrant and the next two are frozen? A gate valve might not seem like such a bad idea then.

That is a great idea...we do that whenever we hit a hydrant. I do remember one night we had a good worker and the back-up engine could not find an operational hydrant. That does NOT happen much here but it was about 0 degrees so they had to hook into our primary hydtant via the gate. Glad we had it...

[Dalmatian190]

I never paid any attention to the chains (we have a whopping 11 public hydrants and four or so yard hydrants in my district) until this thread.

Most chains are snapped

[DetroitFF]

I've never seen anyone cut the chains. We inspect hydrants monthly from October through March. As others have mentioned, the chains can get tangled, or gummed up by paint, or rusted. When we inspect the hydrants we'll try to get the chains straightened out too. Like someone else mentioned, we only put the cap back on a turn or two to make it easier for the FEO at a fire.

We actually use the chains as a visual aid for hydrant inspection. If a hydrant is dry when we check it, we cross the chains over the ports. That way, the next month we know it wasn't a leaker during the previous inspection. Of course, we have our fair share of missing chains and missing caps.

[MTPLEASANTFF6]

In the city and county (I am in the county vol dept). we do not have chains on hydrants.

[CaptOldTimer]

Thank you for your insightful input. Now re-read my post. THE BUSHINGS FAILED. The threaded piping flew right out with the cap. Cause? The bolts were sheared by someone who previously tightened the cap too much and sheared them off. If you could kindly explain to me how adding a gate valve to the end of it will prevent it from flying off, I am all ears. With regards to your opinion, keep it. I get all the water I need out of a LDH hose. If the fire needs more water than I can provide, then it comes from another engine, with another hydrant. That whole "don't put all your eggs in one basket" mentality. The city I protect is very good with regards to hydrant placement, so distance is never a concern.

I was wondering about the "BOLTS BEING SHEARED OFF". What bolts are you talking about?? The bolts that holds the body of the hydrant to the bonnet or the extreme lower part of the hydrant?? I am puzzled as to what you are referring too as the BOLTS!


As far as the chains, we always straighten them out and made sure that the ring around and behind the pentagon cap end was straight so it could get hung up.