Often firefighters need to splice two hoselines into a single line, split one supply line into two, or separately control multiple lines off a manifold. For years, manufacturers have been improving valves and fittings to allow firefighters to accomplish those tasks with a minimum of effort and complexity.
Jerry Herbst, director of municipal markets for Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Company Inc., believes that fire department attitudes have changed on the use of the standard wye on a hoseline. “For the most part, they’re typically used only for a single line, so we redesigned our reducer from 2½-inch to 1½-inch thread with no valve control for those departments that don’t want a heavy gated wye if they only want to use a single line, which is good for low flow and forestry use,” Herbst says. He adds that Elkhart also makes wyes with short handles that fold within the body of the wye, which are useful in high-rise packs and other situations where space is at a premium.
Elkhart Brass also makes valved Siamese connections that converge several flows into a single flow. “All our Siamese are finished in red urethane enamel, and the Elk-O-Lite® versions feature hard anodized trim and brass versions chrome trim,” he says.
1 Elkhart Brass Company’s gated wye. (Photos 1-2 courtesy of Elkhart Brass Company.)
2 The Elkhart Brass water thief allows firefighters to extend attack lines from a main supply line.
3 Harrington Inc. makes the H201 leader line wye, a two-way ball valve. (Photos 3-4 courtesy of Harrington Inc.)
4 The Harrington H300 is a three-way ball valve water thief.
Herbst notes that Elkhart Brass also makes a Water Thief that allows firefighters to extend attack lines from a main supply line. He says the Elkhart Water Thief options include Storz connectors, which, when combined with Elkhart’s free swiveling inlets and outlets, help prevent accidental uncoupling of large-diameter hose (LDH) for increased safety.
Paul Carpenter, vice president of sales for Harrington Inc., says that Harrington’s new H201 two-way ball valve, called a leader line wye, has become very popular. “It weighs 7 pounds, is 11 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 5½ inches high,” Carpenter says, “and is used when firefighters want to divide an attack line into two lines. We also make the H202 two-way ball valve, which is larger and can flow more water. These two valves are the most popular of our handline distribution valves.”
Harrington also makes the H301 small three-way ball valve water thief that Carpenter says works well in high-rise kits, where it can divide water into three hoselines from a single supply line. In addition, Harrison makes the H400 five-way manifold valve that feeds four smaller lines from one LDH outlet through hard-anodized, stainless-steel tappet ball valves for enhanced corrosion resistance, he notes, as well as a three-way manifold feeding two smaller lines from one LDH line.
Carpenter says Harrington’s two-way, single-clappered Siamese valve is an aluminum alloy that’s powder coated for a long-lasting finish and corrosion resistance, as is its three-way Siamese valve for supplying one LDH line from up to three smaller lines.
Brian Podsiadlik, municipal firefighting channel manager for Task Force Tips, says TFT makes several versions of wyes, Siamese, and manifolds that can be used on handlines and the supply lines leading to them. “As far as water flow appliances, the typical gated wye is a common request from fire departments around the world, and the TFT OASIS Hydrant Assist Valve continues to be in high demand,” Podsiadlik says. “The OASIS is a hydrant assist and a relay valve all in one, or it can be used as a normal pass-through valve on the hydrant with no other function than to get water from the hydrant to the apparatus. However, if a department has poor performing hydrants and wants to maximize water supply to the initial attack apparatus, the OASIS valve allows this to be done without interruption to flow from the hydrant and the attack apparatus.”
He says that if the department has a relay pumping operation, the OASIS helps by allowing a relay/boosting pumper connection to happen simultaneously and without interrupting water from the source, either static or pressurized, to the attack apparatus. Podsiadlik points out that the OASIS has four hookup points, two dedicated to water in and out, while the other two LDH hookup ports allow a secondary apparatus to drive up, connect the valve to the intake and discharge, transition the valve position and boost pressure, and flow to the next relay pumper or the attack apparatus.
Podsiadlik adds that a simple gate valve or large ball valve shutoff is becoming a popular choice to install on the outlet of a typical apparatus deck gun, which allows a firefighter to charge the monitor and rapidly place the nozzle at a proper point of attack.
Marco Decenzi, vice president of sales and marketing for Kochek Inc., notes that Kochek makes a variety of valves for use on hoselines, including gate valves with multi-turn crank wheels to control water flow, with or without an elbow and with or without a relief valve. “Kochek makes two sizes, a 2½-inch valve with a 2½-inch or 3-inch fitting and a 4-inch gate valve with from 3½-inch to 6-inch fittings, depending on customer requirements,” he says.
5 Task Force Tips makes the OASIS Hydrant Assist and relay valve. (Photo 5 courtesy of Task Force Tips.)
6 Kochek Inc. makes the 21k gated valve, breaking a 4-inch stream into two 2½-inch outlets. (Photos 6-7 courtesy of Kochek Inc.)
7 The 32k manifold gated 3-way valve made by Kochek Inc.
8 A gated Siamese made by Akron Brass Company. (Photos 8-9 courtesy of Akron Brass Company.)
9 Akron Brass makes a water thief that divides water into two 1½-inch and one 2½-inch water lines.
John Riel, Kochek’s senior mechanical engineer, notes Kochek also makes a quarter-turn rotary ball valve in three sizes: the model 23k in 5-inch inlet and a 4- to 6-inch outlet fitting, the 21k in a four-inch inlet and 2½-inch outlet, and the 26k gated wye with a 2½-inch inlet and 1½-inch outlet. “We also make the HBV inline ball valve in 2½-inch that controls a single line,” he says.
Kochek also makes butterfly valves for a 6-inch waterway that can be controlled through a crank wheel from 0 to 100 percent flow, as well as various Siamese and ball intake valves, both in piston and ball type models.
Jason Riggenbach, product manager for Akron Brass Company, says Akron Brass makes the Leader Line Wye with a 2½-inch inlet and two 1½-inch outlets. “It features self-locking Tork-Lok handles for positive handle positioning and easy adjustment,” Riggenbach points out. Akron Brass also makes the Suction Siamese, used on pumper suction or aerial platform inlets. Features include quarter-turn valves with Tork-Lok handles, strainers, and drains.
Akron Brass also has a clapper valve Siamese, a Pyrolite unit with female inlets and a male outlet, as well as a water thief that has the ability to divide water into two 1½-inch and one 2½-inch water lines. The unit also has self-locking Tork-Lok handles on each outlet, is made of Pyrolite heavy duty wedge seat style, has a nonrising stem and crank handle, and operates to 250 psi.
ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Arizona-based journalist, the author of three novels and five nonfiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. He served 22 years with the Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including in the position of chief.
