Fire Pumps #02 - Tank Fill Line -2"Too Small?
 
By President Mark Davis
September 15, 2016
 

A tank fill line on a pumper is generally not an issue until you decide to use that rig to haul water in some type of water shuttle operation. "Our" definition of a pumper is a rig that carries water but can only off-load it by pumping it off and can only load by taking water back in through the pump. In other words...no dump chute and no direct fill line. By NFPA standard, pumpers with water tanks 1,000 gallon or smaller must have a minimum 1" diameter tank fill line. Those with tanks 1,000 gallon or larger must have a fill line of at least 2" in diameter.

If you ever plan on possibly using your pumper in some type of water hauling operation as a water hauler, it is best to order that pumper with a direct fill line - otherwise you can be stuck with a pumper that takes way too long to fill at the fill site. Read your design specs carefully.
 
A 2-inch tank fill line. No problem for every day attack engine operations. Not so good for water hauling operations.
A 2-inch tank fill line. No problem for every day attack engine operations. Not so good for water hauling operations.
The tank fill control valve. This one is a 1/4-turn ball valve. Tank fill control valves must be able to be "feathered" or gated to control fill pressure.
The tank fill control valve. This one is a 1/4-turn ball valve. Tank fill control valves must be able to be "feathered" or gated to control fill pressure.