Fire Pump System Terminology

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Fire Pump

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A pump that supplies water at the required pressure and flow to a fire protection system, such as sprinklers or standpipes.

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NFPA 25

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The National Fire Protection Association standard that outlines the minimum requirements for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems, including fire pumps.

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Churn Test (No Flow Test)

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A test where the fire pump is operated without water flow to check its performance under no-load conditions, typically run for 10 minutes (diesel) or 30 minutes (electric).

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Full Flow Test

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An annual test to measure the fire pump’s performance at rated capacity (100% flow) and overload condition (150% flow), ensuring it meets design specifications.

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Suction Pressure

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The pressure of water entering the fire pump, measured at the pump’s suction gauge.

Front

Discharge Pressure

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The pressure of water exiting the fire pump, measured at the pump’s discharge gauge.

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Pump Controller

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The device that manages the operation of the fire pump, including automatic start, stop, and monitoring functions.

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Jockey Pump

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A smaller pump used to maintain system pressure in a fire protection system, preventing unnecessary operation of the main fire pump.

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Automatic Start

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A feature of the fire pump controller that initiates pump operation when a pressure drop is detected in the system.

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Manual Start

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A method to start the fire pump manually, typically used for testing or emergency operation.