Good morning!!!!

[daugen]

RNG:
Relief valve could be stuck. Turn clock wise all the way. Should always be left in the highest mode so if it fails you can still build pressure. The bolt beside the relief is the strainer it might need to be cleaned. And if it relief is stuck on low side then wd 40 and work the valve.

hope this helps

 

[Engineer42]

Good Morning!!!! 69F @ 8:15AM. Partly cloudy skies. Expect widespread areas of smoke and haze, reducing visibility at times. High 91F. Winds light and variable.
This morning's AQI is down to 441, better than yesterday's 600, but still awful.
The ten day is showing daytime highs in the low 90s and mid 80s, with light and variable winds.
The satellite IR map is showing increased activity on Bloomer Mountain, the closest the fire got. There was some mention of back firing operations being used in yesterday's press conference, but I don't know if it's being used there. The coverage of this fire is very poor in terms of keep us informed of where the fire is and what's being done to contain it.

Nice job on the training wheels, Ted. Opens up a whole new world for the grandkid.:thumbsup: With all that dust, you've probably got a partially clogged jet in the mower's carb, and it'll take a stiff bristle or wire to clear it.

Time to get the Red Rider out after that sparrow, Ron.

2550 confirmed CV19 cases in the county, but the health offices are in Oroville and are closed, so they're not updating any of the other info.

Still wearing the N95 mask whenever I'm outside, Don. The air is really nasty out there now. Weatherman said last night we might get some relief next week with the passage of a low pressure system, but then he also mentioned rain that isn't showing in the WU forecast.

You could try changing the WiFi password, Drew. Or get Verizon tech support on the phone and make sure there's not some sort of administrative snafu going on.

If LaNina comes, it'll be a wet winter here. Not good for the burn zones; it means mud slides in the mountains.

I'd thought about the POBox dodge, Jim, and might look farther into it if the Russian connection peters out. Thanks!

View attachment 669427
There is a Pressure Relief Valve (top row of controls, left end), but it doesn't seem to have any effect, Rick. At most I've seen 45 PSI on the gauge. It's set up to draft water from the 2500 drinking water tank, and the fill valve to the onboard tank is closed. Water is making it out the end of the hose, so the lines are primed, there's just no pressure...

Neat story, Bird. What a life!

Somewhere around here, Paul, I have a pair of safety glasses with bifocals both top and bottom. Very nice when working overhead, very distracting the rest of the time!

Checked with my bodyshop neighbor yesterday morning and found there were no roadblocks or checkpoints on the way to town, so went in and got some fresh vegetables and the fittings needed to install the evap plumbing on the van. The alternator light is still coming on, but the battery is charging, and the voltmeter on the dash is registering a normal 13-14VDC. So depending on how bad the air is out there, I might spend some time on that today.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend...

What's your intake gauge reading while at 45psi discharge? What gear are you pumping in?

 

[RedNeckGeek]

What's your intake gauge reading while at 45psi discharge? What gear are you pumping in?

Thanks for the suggestions. Keep 'em comin'!

There are two pressure gauges on the panel, and neither are marked as to what they measure. I've never seen anything but zero on the one on the left, the most I've seen on the one on the right is about 45 PSI.

It's a five speed transmission, and I run the engine at 2000 RPM with the tranny in 5th, which is marked as an overdrive gear. The Waterous instructions say to run the pump with the transmission in the highest gear. I can hear the PTO turning, but I haven't poked my head down there to see it turn, so maybe I'll do that today.

I'll take a look at the pressure relief valve, and review the operating instructions in the Waterous docs. I asked the PO about it, and he doesn't remember ever "messing" (his word) with the pressure relief valve.

I'm not using the on board water tank anymore, mainly because I'm worried that there is still debris in the lines that run between the tank and the pump. No real way to flush them that I can see.

 

[Engineer42]

Thanks for the suggestions. Keep 'em comin'!

There are two pressure gauges on the panel, and neither are marked as to what they measure. I've never seen anything but zero on the one on the left, the most I've seen on the one on the right is about 45 PSI.

It's a five speed transmission, and I run the engine at 2000 RPM with the tranny in 5th, which is marked as an overdrive gear. The Waterous instructions say to run the pump with the transmission in the highest gear. I can hear the PTO turning, but I haven't poked my head down there to see it turn, so maybe I'll do that today.

I'll take a look at the pressure relief valve, and review the operating instructions in the Waterous docs. I asked the PO about it, and he doesn't remember ever "messing" (his word) with the pressure relief valve.

I'm not using the on board water tank anymore, mainly because I'm worried that there is still debris in the lines that run between the tank and the pump. No real way to flush them that I can see.

Ok. So you're in the right gear. The gauge on the left should be your intake/vacuum gauge. The one on the right is your discharge/pressure gauge. 2000 rpm and still only showing 45psi? What is your intake gauge reading prior to opening a discharge to flow water? Is it at zero or above? Does it fall lower when you open a discharge?
the pressure relief valve is a wheel, first off, crank it all the way counter clockwise. This is the lowest setting. Then, crank it about 16 turns clockwise. This should put you above 100psi at least. Then should be a short teardrop lever under the wheel. Work it back and forth, then leave the tail pointing to the right. This should be closed. There should also be a round knurled knob under the wheel. Screw that out counter clock wise. It is the screen for the pressure relief valve. Make sure it's clean and re install.

 

[Engineer42]

Whoops, Drew beat me to the relief valve info. Sorry, didn't see it prior to posting.

 

[daugen]

Whoops, Drew beat me to the relief valve info. Sorry, didn't see it prior to posting.

yeah, but I didn't know what I was talking about...
It's been over 25 years since I ran a pumper and only did it for two years.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Tried my brush grabber. Didn’t work on small trees, just stripped right up the tree.

Started removing wire from the fence area. Got most of it removed and rolled up. Got too tired and stopped with 1 side to go.

9 yrs ago my oldest sister died.

 

[sodamo]

Just picked load of tomatoes, some corn, 2 green peppers that not sure if ready. Gonna be grilling a couple of steaks seasoned with Yoshida sauce.

Brotherhood

 

[Thomas]

Roy.
Thomas, you have a snow blower for your tractor?
------------------
Mrs. has drop couple hints while ago rather we didn't purchase blower for now,and for her to learn plowing with pickup.

 

[Thomas]

wngsprd.
Thomas, 42F?...sounds like pre-snow weather.
------------------------
Temp felt good Buppies forecasting has yet been that far off over the years.

 

[toppop52]

I ended up spraying and dressing the driveway and taking out an old pine stump. Removed some dead flowers and generally piddled around. Wife got BBQ chicken from a firehouse, supposed to be the best around, we will see.

 

[Thomas]

67F clear sky.

Was good day for trimming and mowing even snuck in short nap with kittens finding me.
Not much for this evening other than joining Roy from distance.

Boo out for one of his morning strolls.

Enjoy the evening all.

 

[Engineer42]

yeah, but I didn't know what I was talking about...
It's been over 25 years since I ran a pumper and only did it for two years.

It's like riding a bike. Ya never forget the basics.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Firetruck update:

The relief valve was screwed all the way in and the switch below it was set to off for the previous round of tests, so I left it that way. The Waterous manual sez in that setting, the pump will develop maximum pressure. So I left the discharge closed and ran the engine RPMs up to 2800, and was able to manage 80 PSI. There's a plaque on the side of the truck that indicates it should be making 150 PSI at those RPMs.

When I opened the discharge valve to the hose reel, and opened the nozzle, I got a pretty good stream of water, but it lasted less than 15 seconds before it petered out to almost nothing. I shut the truck down and took the nozzle inside. When I disassembled it, flakes and chunks of rust came out, some as big as a pea. I blew it out with compressed air, reinstalled it, and got a repeat performance of the running and clogging.

Brought it back inside, found some fine stainless steel mesh, and cut a disk to fit in the base of the nozzle. Took the nozzle back apart and blew it out. Put the mesh in, put it back on the hose, and got a really good stream for maybe 30 seconds before it choked off again.

Took it back inside, disassembled, and found that the mesh had torn along one edge and there were rust flakes up inside the nozzle again, but fewer of them. Put it all back together, made a bigger mesh disk and folded a rim around the edge and gave it another try. Except this time I forgot to put the draft hose in the tank. Got a good stream initially, but it crapped out when the water in the hose was exhausted. At that point I'd had enough for the day anyway.

So some progress, but the pump never really did develop the specified pressure, even when all the discharge openings were closed and the relief valve was disabled. The stream it put out was as big as I've ever seen it coming out of the truck, even from back a few years ago when my neighbor and I were using it to keep burn piles under control. Regardless, I need to figure out how to get the scale out of the pump so it quits clogging up the nozzle.

Any suggestions?

I also need some kind of spanner wrench to work the collars on the hand line and on the suction line. What do the pros use, and where would I get them?

Thanks again!

 

[Engineer42]

Man I wish you were closer. The attached pics show a spanner for the booster hose, and a standard spanner. . This one is a hydrant wrench with spanners. Id open the lowest discharge and flush the pump, with it in gear. But I'd also shoot a bottle of ivory soap in the pump first, and let it circulate. This should help pull the rust flakes out. Take the nozzle off your hose and flush the hose too.

Amazon has them, or The Fire Store, Grainger, etc.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Firetruck update:

The relief valve was screwed all the way in and the switch below it was set to off for the previous round of tests, so I left it that way. The Waterous manual sez in that setting, the pump will develop maximum pressure. So I left the discharge closed and ran the engine RPMs up to 2800, and was able to manage 80 PSI. There's a plaque on the side of the truck that indicates it should be making 150 PSI at those RPMs.

When I opened the discharge valve to the hose reel, and opened the nozzle, I got a pretty good stream of water, but it lasted less than 15 seconds before it petered out to almost nothing. I shut the truck down and took the nozzle inside. When I disassembled it, flakes and chunks of rust came out, some as big as a pea. I blew it out with compressed air, reinstalled it, and got a repeat performance of the running and clogging.

Brought it back inside, found some fine stainless steel mesh, and cut a disk to fit in the base of the nozzle. Took the nozzle back apart and blew it out. Put the mesh in, put it back on the hose, and got a really good stream for maybe 30 seconds before it choked off again.

Took it back inside, disassembled, and found that the mesh had torn along one edge and there were rust flakes up inside the nozzle again, but fewer of them. Put it all back together, made a bigger mesh disk and folded a rim around the edge and gave it another try. Except this time I forgot to put the draft hose in the tank. Got a good stream initially, but it crapped out when the water in the hose was exhausted. At that point I'd had enough for the day anyway.

So some progress, but the pump never really did develop the specified pressure, even when all the discharge openings were closed and the relief valve was disabled. The stream it put out was as big as I've ever seen it coming out of the truck, even from back a few years ago when my neighbor and I were using it to keep burn piles under control. Regardless, I need to figure out how to get the scale out of the pump so it quits clogging up the nozzle.

Any suggestions?

I also need some kind of spanner wrench to work the collars on the hand line and on the suction line. What do the pros use, and where would I get them?

Thanks again!

I think your zeroing in on the problem. You're just going to have to flush every line in your system. You have three outlets for hoses plus your hose reel.

Open the three hose connections, on your panel, one at a time and pump thru that circuit. Don't hook a hose to your outlets .. no sense pumping crap into your hoses / nozzles. After you clear the internal truck circuits .. you can flush your hoses.

Pump thru your hose reel .. without the nozzle.

If you're by yourself .. all you'll ever use is your hose reel. You can't handle a 2 1/2" hose .. at reasonable pressure .. by yourself. To handle a big hose .. you need at least 2 men on the line and a third operating the truck. Trust me on that.

Here's a good source for your hose spanner wrench. Buy two.

Fire Hose Spanner Wrench

 

[sodamo]

RNG, sounds like progress

 

[lostcreekranch]

One dead tree cleaned up today.

 

[sodamo]

Our grilled steak and garden veggies were so good couldn’t help myself but to jump on the tractor and mow a couple of hours.

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 66F for the start, partly cloudy, calm wind. Light wind today, partly cloudy sky, and high temp was 86F. Bike ride this morning, just two of us rode and with the cool weather averaged close to 16 mph for 50 miles, and did not sweat out anatomy off Did get nap in and stepdaughter made lobster for dinner ! :licking:
Covid update: Cooke 358 confirmed cases, 21 active cases, Montague unchanged, Grayson unchanged.
Drew sorry about the rental, hope you work out where the megabytes are going.
Billy good to hear Coco went for a hike today good luck with planting
Roy sounds like good way to end day.
Buppies any ideas on Texas?
Thomas you too with the trimmer?
Chuck, switched from ATT to Verizon due to unreliable signal, and unresponsive customer support.
Phil glad you had light day.
Ron sorry about neighbor's SIL my condolences. Need to figure out how sparrow leaves. Loving cooler weather, not sweating as much, can slow down on salt.
Billy sorry about the weather
Don Thanks for warning about smoke, glad your wife loves the total gym.
Rick sorry that was me that stole the cool
RS busy as usual
Ted good score on chicken and pork roasts. Does your Craftsman have a fuel pump? My trim mower had one, and dust would build up on it ( sintered brass spot) and reduce it's capacity
Randy hope the Drs get the afib thing worked out.
Kyle glad you got some work to keep you busy,
RNG sorry about lack of info, hope this get better.
Dennis glad you got blades sharpened, I need to do mine.
RNG good to hear you are making progress, glad you are getting help.
David glad the grilling was that good
prayers for all, especially Drew/move, Jay/Peg, Kyle's daughter, Mike, David(moss)/move/sale, RNG/fire, and Country
sat safe and healthy you all