File:WWS FireHoseMaintenancemachine8211drying.ogg

English: After pressure testing the hose is emptied and dried. The sound change after 50 seconds when the hatch over the machine is closed.

A fire hose is a high-pressure hose that carries water to a fire to extinguish it. The usual working pressure of a firehose can vary between 8 and 20 bar while its bursting pressure can be up to 83 bar. After use, a fire hose has to be cleaned, tested and dried. Standing water that remains in a hose for a long time can deteriorate the material and render it unreliable or unusable.

In the old days the typical fire station had a high structure to accommodate the length of a hose for such preventative maintenance. Today firefighters use machines to maintain the host.

This fire hose maintenance machine works in different stages. It begins with brushing the outside of the host. While doing that the host is stretched to its full length. After that the host is filled with water and pressure tested to 13 bar. Finally the host needs to be dried before it can be rolled and loaded back to the fire truck.

BGT Slangvårdsanläggning (Fire Hose Maintenance machine)
Manufactured: 1987
EKV27BL
Artikel nummer: 00306
Engine number 8734001

Machine size
Length = 27,5 meters
Width = 1,4 meters
Height = 1,8 meters

Sound recordist: Torsten Nilsson

Photographer: Torsten Nilsson