A jockey pump is not required
on systems utilizing a fire pump,
however, due to their relative
simplicity, jockey pumps are
the most common method
used to maintain system pressure.
Since jockey pumps are not
required to be listed, any pump
capable of producing necessary
pressure is acceptable.
When/Why do You Need a
Jockey Fire Pump? To start with,
you won't need any jockey pump
on all systems. According to NFPA 20,
pressure maintenance or jockey
pumps should be used where it
is essential to maintain a uniform
or high water pressure on the
fire protection system.
A fire pump then sends
more water through the
pipes to put out the fire.
During this process, a
jockey pump keeps the
water pressure within a specific range,
to protect the sprinkler system.
If you're unsure what fire protection
system your building needs, Palcon
has you covered.
Fire fighting water pumps
can be powered by either petrol
or diesel. Diesel engine fire fighting
pumps are an industrial
duty pump with a longer pump life,
more durable and with higher
torque which are generally used
in industrial applications.
Diesel engine pumps are
generally more expensive
to buy than petrol pumps.
In pump sizing,
two factors are needed
to select a pump: flow
and pressure. Flow is
generally measured in
gallons per minute (gpm).
The max instantaneous flow that will
be entering the pump's basin needs
to be determined so that a pumP can
be selected to efficiently maintain the
system.
The equation EP = NP + FL + APP
+ ELEV is the basic equation
every pump operator needs to
calculate when operating
the fire pump. Today, many
pump panels have flow meters
that allow the pump operator to
match the readout on the pump
panel with the gallon-per-minute
(gpm) flow of the selected nozzle.
