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OT- old Hale portable fire pump

B

Bret4207

Well-known Member
I picked up an old Hale (IIRC) fire pump at auction some years back. I remember using one like it way back in the early 80's when I was a vol fireman, but it's been 40 years. Can't for the life of me remember the right way to use it other than you prime it by closing off the exhaust at the muffler. Would anyone know where I could find such info? I can't even find a model number on it, but it does have a Briggs engine, 10hp I think. Hale needs a model number to find anything on their site.
 

Well, it sounds like the one on our forestry. All you do is thread your 2.5 suction onto the intake. Be sure the gasket is good, and either have the screen of the suction turned up under the water, laying on the bottom, or support it facing down with a float of some sort. Have a 2.5 hose or an adapter to a smaller one attached to the discharge, Start the motor, let it warm up a bit, then pull the throttle open, pull the lever over to close the exhaust, and hold it until water shoots out with the exhaust. Flip the exhaust lever open and open the discharge SLOWLY to ensure that you don't lose your prime. adjust throttle according to how you are handling the water. Hope it works.
 
Showcrops instructions are correct, however there should be a shutoff valve on the tube from the exhaust to the suction inlet. Valve in the open position while priming then closed when prime is established.
 
Those small Portable Fire Pumps with an exhaust Primer work on the Venturi principle to create vacuum. There should be a small line with an on-off valve. Some pumps move a handle to cover exhaust, and open valve to inlet side of pump in one motion. Other you flip a lever to cover exhaust, and open a quarter turn valve. Water should blow out bottom of muffler when you have a prime in pump. Steve.
 
Interesting thing I read today, I think the ducks had hale bilge pumps on them when in the military, they pumped about 250 GPM, they were replaced with 20 GPM models.
 
(quoted from post at 18:19:45 11/05/18) I picked up an old Hale (IIRC) fire pump at auction some years back. I remember using one like it way back in the early 80's when I was a vol fireman, but it's been 40 years. Can't for the life of me remember the right way to use it other than you prime it by closing off the exhaust at the muffler. Would anyone know where I could find such info? I can't even find a model number on it, but it does have a Briggs engine, 10hp I think. Hale needs a model number to find anything on their site.
Click to expand...

Yes David, they are rated for 250 Gal.
 


Thanks to all! Now I understand what the valves and tube are for. It's a start.

FWIW, was talking some time back with a local fire chief about those old pumps. He told me that with a good big suction hose they'd flow a lot more than the 250 gpm they were rated for and held their pressure very well for such old tech.
 
(quoted from post at 05:44:46 11/06/18)

Thanks to all! Now I understand what the valves and tube are for. It's a start.

FWIW, was talking some time back with a local fire chief about those old pumps. He told me that with a good big suction hose they'd flow a lot more than the 250 gpm they were rated for and held their pressure very well for such old tech.
Click to expand...

Bret, actually most pumps will significantly outperform their rating if the suction lift is very little and is short and the outlet line is large diameter and short. We have to be careful with the pump on our new tanker to not open the tank fill all the way if we are just recirculating back to the tank because the electronic control doesn't like not being able to develop pressure and will go into an alarm mode.
 

I recall our old '64 American LaFrance 1K gpm pumper would push a lot more than that under good conditions. This pump will hopefully serve as a 3 season fire protection unit for me. The little transfer pump I use now isn't a pressure type and get's mad at me if I try to make it do things it doesn't like. :lol:
 
(quoted from post at 07:10:43 11/07/18)
I recall our old '64 American LaFrance 1K gpm pumper would push a lot more than that under good conditions. This pump will hopefully serve as a 3 season fire protection unit for me. The little transfer pump I use now isn't a pressure type and get's mad at me if I try to make it do things it doesn't like. :lol:
Click to expand...

Bret, does it have suction hose? I was brush hogging around the firehouse today and came across two lengths. I am sure that you could have them if you wanted to make the drive.
 

Thanks for the kind offer, but I'm way over in the Lake Ontario area. NH is a drive and a half!
 
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