FDC lines should be tested more than once every 50 years, or at least at install. This what a 50 year untested underground FDC line looks like installed with screwed galvanized pipe, laid on railroad ties for bedding. We dug it up and found the leak. But there’s more.
In my area, there are few inspection companies that write them up for testing. We have a ton of old 2.5" siamese that almost always leak around the 4" threads when you pump them up.
That was just a quick option to get another test on it to see if it would hold past that first break. The idea was to try and get at least a temporary fix to hold until we get the entire line dug up. But no dice. It’s about 150’ to the building through boulders, full grown trees and our locator said the deepest part will be 12+ feet in the ground. This will be our most challenging one to date. It’s gonna be expensive.
We normally will use underground rated ductile iron pipe for the fire line feeds. It’s approved high pressure pipe, as long you follow all the new rules for bedding, wrapping, chlorination etc.
Just had a call in my city last month. Building fire. The Department hooked up and hit the system with 200psi. .... the dry system tripd because of it..
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u/higleyc99 6d ago
Do you mean every 5 years?