Posted: 8/14/2009 6:45:27 PM EDT
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Does anybody know the correct size 3/4" drive socket needed to open a fire hydrant?
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| I have seen wrenches for sale that include hydrant and gas meter fittings. I think it looked like an axe but had the hole for a hydrant fitting. While I think its a good idea to keep something like that around I wouln't suggest using it to open a hydrant to get water out. If you get caught getting water out its larceny, hook something to the hydrant and you get the tampering with a water supply charge which falls under domestic terrorism. Talk about a screwed up law! |
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There are some older ones that take a 4 point socket, but the majority of modern (last 30 years) hydrants use the 5 point lug. Standard hydrant wrench, you should be able to buy one out of Gall's. 
Why the hell didn't I think to check Galls? 
Thanks! (Muttering: It's not like they don't send me eight e-mails a week or anything...) |
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Around here hydrants use a 5 point hex that I have never seen used anywhere else. What you probably need is a what's called a hydrant wrench. +1 for the above. 5 point hydrant wrench. You really don't want to open one of those puppies unless your with the local water authority or your a member of the local Nozzle Nut contingent fighting a fully involved structure. You WILL muddy up your neighbors water at the least. If the water authority dosen't do regular maintenance on the hydrants you might break the 6-8 foot stem off, or, not shut it all the way off and wash away the ground surrounding it. Not a good way to make friends. |
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I have seen wrenches for sale that include hydrant and gas meter fittings. I think it looked like an axe but had the hole for a hydrant fitting. While I think its a good idea to keep something like that around I wouln't suggest using it to open a hydrant to get water out. If you get caught getting water out its larceny, hook something to the hydrant and you get the tampering with a water supply charge which falls under domestic terrorism. Talk about a screwed up law! Wasn't asking with the intent of doing anything illegal, more along the lines of for potential SHTF and fire companies engaged elsewhere in the city for something far more important (like one of the local chemical companies being on fire). More a good neighbor-type prep idea. |
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Quoted: So, what would you do when you get it open? Just wondering.Quoted: I have seen wrenches for sale that include hydrant and gas meter fittings. I think it looked like an axe but had the hole for a hydrant fitting. While I think its a good idea to keep something like that around I wouln't suggest using it to open a hydrant to get water out. If you get caught getting water out its larceny, hook something to the hydrant and you get the tampering with a water supply charge which falls under domestic terrorism. Talk about a screwed up law! Wasn't asking with the intent of doing anything illegal, more along the lines of for potential SHTF and fire companies engaged elsewhere in the city for something far more important (like one of the local chemical companies being on fire). More a good neighbor-type prep idea. Unless you are buying the hoses to go with it, just opening one won't do much besides flood the street and possibly wash parts of it away. |
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For SHTF use this, http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/4866/191766-15130_pipe_wrench_large.jpg  Yep. That'd work in a pinch. Question, what type of hose (and how much) and nozzles do you plan on keeping on hand? |
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So, what would you do when you get it open? Just wondering.
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I have seen wrenches for sale that include hydrant and gas meter fittings. I think it looked like an axe but had the hole for a hydrant fitting. While I think its a good idea to keep something like that around I wouln't suggest using it to open a hydrant to get water out. If you get caught getting water out its larceny, hook something to the hydrant and you get the tampering with a water supply charge which falls under domestic terrorism. Talk about a screwed up law! Wasn't asking with the intent of doing anything illegal, more along the lines of for potential SHTF and fire companies engaged elsewhere in the city for something far more important (like one of the local chemical companies being on fire). More a good neighbor-type prep idea. Unless you are buying the hoses to go with it, just opening one won't do much besides flood the street and possibly wash parts of it away. Local library (1/2 block away) has 4" fire hose (150'). Street has two hydrants, one on either end. That length of hose would permit putting water on a structure anywhere on the street from one or the other hydrant. |
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Did you ever think of becoming a Volley? You can learn quite a bit that can carry over to ahhh Our way
of thinking. I, personally, got into it later in life than most and at 40yrs of age I took my FireFigther 1 test (and passed ).
You can pick up rope work, first aid, fighting wildland fires etc. Plus, you may get the chance to drive that Big Truck  .
Something to think about. ETA: Sorry that 4" hose isn't gonna do you much good. That goes on the Steamer connection(the big fitting). That's for feeding an Engine. You and ten men wouldn' be able to hold it and do any good. Like I said above, consider joining up. We're always looking for people. |
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Did you ever think of becoming a Volley? You can learn quite a bit that can carry over to ahhh Our way of thinking. I, personally, got into it later in life than most and at 40yrs of age I took my FireFigther 1 test (and passed ).
You can pick up rope work, first aid, fighting wildland fires etc. Plus, you may get the chance to drive that Big Truck .
Something to think about. No volunteers in Philly (that I am aware of), I took the FF test here in 1993 along with 10,000 other people. Due to this city being so stingy with necessary services, they only hired 300 people off the list (good for 3 years). Destroyed a knee after that so... no more attempts at becoming a city FF. |
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Local library (1/2 block away) has 4" fire hose (150'). Street has two hydrants, one on either end. That length of hose would permit putting water on a structure anywhere on the street from one or the other hydrant. I doubt you really mean 4" fire hose. Hose of 4" diameter is supply hose (that goes from the hydrant to the fire engine, or from fire engine to fire engine). You would never be able to lift or move 4" hose that is filled with water. If you say the library has hose, I assume you are speaking of 1-1/2" diameter hose on hose racks within the building. There's probably either a red plastic nozzle on the end or a brass cone type nozzle. Personally, I would not rely on this hose or the nozzle. The hose is most likely single jacketed (very, very easy to burst) and the flow able to be achieved through the nozzles are rather minimal, probably way to low to fight any type of house fire properly. You would also need a reducer fitting (going from the 2-1/2" outlet on the hydrant to the 1-1/2" female fitting on the hose) to do this. I admire what you're considering, I have thought about it myself. But you would need to obtain properly sized hose, fittings, and nozzles. I would also be curious what the hydrants in your area flow both in volume and pressure. Also, what is the source of the water in the hydrants? Is it gravity fed from an elevation? Is it wells pumped into a ground level holding tank? Does your town require electric power to run pumps to move the water to the hydrants? All these things are important considerations. |
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Did you ever think of becoming a Volley? You can learn quite a bit that can carry over to ahhh Our way of thinking. I, personally, got into it later in life than most and at 40yrs of age I took my FireFigther 1 test (and passed ).
You can pick up rope work, first aid, fighting wildland fires etc. Plus, you may get the chance to drive that Big Truck .
Something to think about. No volunteers in Philly (that I am aware of), I took the FF test here in 1993 along with 10,000 other people. Due to this city being so stingy with necessary services, they only hired 300 people off the list (good for 3 years). Destroyed a knee after that so... no more attempts at becoming a city FF. You need to move to Schuylkill Co. We have more Vol. Fire Co's. then anywhere in the state. I have bad knees to, so I know your pain. |
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I have seen wrenches for sale that include hydrant and gas meter fittings. I think it looked like an axe but had the hole for a hydrant fitting. While I think its a good idea to keep something like that around I wouln't suggest using it to open a hydrant to get water out. If you get caught getting water out its larceny, hook something to the hydrant and you get the tampering with a water supply charge which falls under domestic terrorism. Talk about a screwed up law! Has to do with possible contamination of the water supply. Most hydrants come directly off of a normal water main, unless it happens to be a fire loop around a building specifically for the hydrants and/or feeding an interior sprinkler system. Whenever we install waterlines we have to chlorinate them and then the local authority has to perform bacteria tests before the line can go into service. When we need a water source out on a job and have to tap a waterline, we have to use a back flow preventer (one way valve) to keep any possible dirty water from making it's way back into the system. It's a pain in the ass but I can see their point and the possibility of someone making a lot of people sick. |
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Local library (1/2 block away) has 4" fire hose (150'). Street has two hydrants, one on either end. That length of hose would permit putting water on a structure anywhere on the street from one or the other hydrant. I doubt you really mean 4" fire hose. Hose of 4" diameter is supply hose (that goes from the hydrant to the fire engine, or from fire engine to fire engine). You would never be able to lift or move 4" hose that is filled with water. If you say the library has hose, I assume you are speaking of 1-1/2" diameter hose on hose racks within the building. There's probably either a red plastic nozzle on the end or a brass cone type nozzle. Personally, I would not rely on this hose or the nozzle. The hose is most likely single jacketed (very, very easy to burst) and the flow able to be achieved through the nozzles are rather minimal, probably way to low to fight any type of house fire properly. You would also need a reducer fitting (going from the 2-1/2" outlet on the hydrant to the 1-1/2" female fitting on the hose) to do this. I admire what you're considering, I have thought about it myself. But you would need to obtain properly sized hose, fittings, and nozzles. I would also be curious what the hydrants in your area flow both in volume and pressure. Also, what is the source of the water in the hydrants? Is it gravity fed from an elevation? Is it wells pumped into a ground level holding tank? Does your town require electric power to run pumps to move the water to the hydrants? All these things are important considerations. Yeah, I believe you're correct, brass cone nozzle, but it does have the coupler installed because they link directly to their wet standpipes (wheel shutoff below the connection). Also, thinking about it more, I believe the library has three lengths of hose like this, one near each entrance. City supply is under pressure I'm on the top of a hill, plenty of pressure under all climactic conditions. Lines (at all hydrants) are purged twice per year (by city code); tap water is filthy for a day each time its done. Ordinary fire equipment use (we've had structures fires in the past on adjoining blocks) don't seem to produce this effect. As I posted earlier, this isn't to be Mr. Fire Brigade, but during a SHTF event, city FF are going to be (rightfully) more concerned about Rohm & Haas and Allied/Signal than common house fires. That's what's driving my thinking. I would rather not get burned out for lack of professional response because they are committed to something far more destructive to the area. Plus, Mayor Nutter has been scaling back on purchasing/upgrading fire equipment and consolidating companies. Elements of a perfect storm, IMO. |
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Did you ever think of becoming a Volley? You can learn quite a bit that can carry over to ahhh Our way of thinking. I, personally, got into it later in life than most and at 40yrs of age I took my FireFigther 1 test (and passed ).
You can pick up rope work, first aid, fighting wildland fires etc. Plus, you may get the chance to drive that Big Truck .
Something to think about. No volunteers in Philly (that I am aware of), I took the FF test here in 1993 along with 10,000 other people. Due to this city being so stingy with necessary services, they only hired 300 people off the list (good for 3 years). Destroyed a knee after that so... no more attempts at becoming a city FF. You need to move to Schuylkill Co. We have more Vol. Fire Co's. then anywhere in the state. I have bad knees to, so I know your pain. Hunt there; when Oreland had their drive for funds for the new ladder truck it went up to $500,000 I think. Prices for equipment being what they are, volunteers are very important. |
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Local library (1/2 block away) has 4" fire hose (150'). Street has two hydrants, one on either end. That length of hose would permit putting water on a structure anywhere on the street from one or the other hydrant. I doubt you really mean 4" fire hose. Hose of 4" diameter is supply hose (that goes from the hydrant to the fire engine, or from fire engine to fire engine). You would never be able to lift or move 4" hose that is filled with water. If you say the library has hose, I assume you are speaking of 1-1/2" diameter hose on hose racks within the building. There's probably either a red plastic nozzle on the end or a brass cone type nozzle. Personally, I would not rely on this hose or the nozzle. The hose is most likely single jacketed (very, very easy to burst) and the flow able to be achieved through the nozzles are rather minimal, probably way to low to fight any type of house fire properly. You would also need a reducer fitting (going from the 2-1/2" outlet on the hydrant to the 1-1/2" female fitting on the hose) to do this. I wouldn't sweat the hose, it's 2.5" pin rack hose(about 4" flat) likely, and while it has no bussiness being connected to a fire engine (unless a qualified engineer is charging the standpipe), it is designed and NFPA rated to be connected to mains pressure, which is all you will see at the hydrant. We still have a stash of it at some of our facilities for washing fallout off the roof :-). It's funny because they have this crap pin rack hose connected to a $200 brass nozzel |
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As I posted earlier, this isn't to be Mr. Fire Brigade, but during a SHTF event, city FF are going to be (rightfully) more concerned about Rohm & Haas and Allied/Signal than common house fires. If it's a true, all out SHTF I for one am not going in to work so I can protect other people's possessions. I think you'll see another Katrina situation where city "servants" say screw the unappreciative taxpayer and leave to take care of their own family. If it's a single so-called SHTF event, then firefighters are going to be concerned about all fires in a city because even the small ones, if left to burn freely, can grow to consume the entire city. |
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Local library (1/2 block away) has 4" fire hose (150').
Street has two hydrants, one on either end. That length of hose would permit putting water on a structure anywhere on the street from one or the other hydrant.[/quote] You can get an adapter for the hydrant that will allow the use of 2" discharge hose from a gas powered water pump. I don't know what kind of pressure you have in your area but it's easy to find out and you should so you're not guessing. Use only Goodyear or other QUALITY hose as the cheap stuff tends to blow out. I have personally used this setup on a system with @140lbs. static pressure (which is unusually high for this area) with no problems. Get the adapter and 3 or 4 lenghts of the hose (it comes in 50' sections) and they make decent plastic nozzles now. This way you have your own stuff and don't have to waste critical time if the need arises. This setup costs a little $ but if you look around or know an underground pipe worker or a sprinkler man or a fireman, he can fix you up on the cheap with the fittings. 
And if you don't have a hydrant wrench, a pipe wrench works just fine. Just remember to crank the hydrant all the way open. It will cause problems underground after a while if you don't. ETA This would only be for SHTF. If you get caught just fooling around, the water dept. and the popo will have angry buttsekks with you. 
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Ok. You seem really into this fire thing, so lets discuss a few details. Now this is a true SHTF situation we are in.
Ask around at the local fire stations. See if they have any lengths of 1 3/4 or 2 1/2" hose they wanna get rid of. Just so it isn't full of holes or dry rotted. They may give it to you no ?'s asked. Maybe a nozzle also. Ask about your Hydrant threads––New York, National. Find out if the water system is gravity or pump fed––no power, no water. The Fire Dept. can tell you what the pressure at the hydrants are, You don't wanna blow the hose off. 1 3/4 hose is "fairly easy" for 1 person to handle––2 1/2 requires more people unless you know the ways to handle it. Yes, a pipe wrench will work in a pinch. Get at least an 18" one. All the way on-all the way off. They have stops. What you are considering is a noble gesture, its just that there's more to it than hooking up a hose and "Putting wet stuff on the red stuff". A charged line that gets away from you can possibly kill you. That isn't a good thing in a SHTF situation. Above all–– DON't go into the building. Be smart and stay safe. 
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http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/4866/191766-15130_pipe_wrench_large.jpg
This is the way I get water on a new construction job when I have no other source. you take the small or large cap off and then slowly open the the top about 1-1 1/2 turns and listen at the hole. You can hear the water come up slowly and can choke it down enough to fill a 5 gal bucket. You should not leave it in this condition for long since it could be washing out the bottom. This is your shtf solution since it really pisses off the water company and could get you a fine in some places. |
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Pressure at the hydranwill usually not be more than 65psi in most localities - usually it'll be around 30psi. Some localities mark their hydrants with different colored paint to signify hydrant pressure.
Hydrant will take ~13 turns to open. Open all the way, if you don't it'll be pouring water out underneath the ground (the hydrant is actually a few feet tall, most underground) and it will erode the dirt and soil away under the hydrant and possibly the road, creating a sinkhole possibility. Before you open it all the way, open the cap you want to use - the 5 or 6" steamer connection, or the 2 1/2" hose connection, let the cap hang by the chain. crank the top nut a few turns til water flows out, this will 'flush' the hydrant of any sticks, nests, dirt etc that is inside the dry section of pipe. Turn the water back off, connect your hoses and open the nut all the way. Back off about 1/4 turn to keep it from seizing in the open position. |
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Pressure at the hydranwill usually not be more than 65psi in most localities - usually it'll be around 30psi. Some localities mark their hydrants with different colored paint to signify hydrant pressure. In almost all areas, the hydrant pressure is equal to the pressure before the pressure regulator in your house. In the SE, I've never see one below 40 psi and I think the highest is 132 psi. Now if a fire truck hooks up the to hydrant and starts feeding a few 2.5" lines, pressure will drop. Since pressure increases about 1 psi for every two feet of head, a hydrant on the top of a hill will have much less pressure then one near the bottom of the hill. Not coincidentaly, hydrants tend not to be located at the absolute top of a hill unless required, or water pressure is acceptable there. |
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Pressure at the hydranwill usually not be more than 65psi in most localities - usually it'll be around 30psi. Some localities mark their hydrants with different colored paint to signify hydrant pressure. In almost all areas, the hydrant pressure is equal to the pressure before the pressure regulator in your house. In the SE, I've never see one below 40 psi and I think the highest is 132 psi. Now if a fire truck hooks up the to hydrant and starts feeding a few 2.5" lines, pressure will drop. Since pressure increases about 1 psi for every two feet of head, a hydrant on the top of a hill will have much less pressure then one near the bottom of the hill. Not coincidentaly, hydrants tend not to be located at the absolute top of a hill unless required, or water pressure is acceptable there. Amen brother. I put a large retail store in at the bottom of a large hill and the static pressure on the main was @160. It wasn't regulated until it got INSIDE the bldg. which worried the shit out of me. When we poured the thrust block for the sprinkler riser I just went ahead and shot finished floor elevation and poured a block 10' by 12' about five feet thick. I did NOT want that damned thing jumping out of the ground. I bet the whole loop around the bldg. just lays there quivering. |
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I wasn't aware that you're supposed to turn the hydrant on all the way. Is that necessary? I open up hydrants all the time to fill up a water truck for work (we have a permit). I never open them up all the way, but I was trained by my boss, who's an idiot. There are a couple hydrants I use that make the ground shake when I turn them on. Makes me a bit nervous.
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I believe a spanner wrench is usually needed (at least prefered) for making hose connections and possibly hose to hydrant/nozzle connections too. However, I have no experience or specific knowledge on that  The adjustable hydrant wrench I use at work is also a spanner wrench. Looks like the little one in this link: http://www.redheadbrass.com/wrenches105.aspx |
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I wasn't aware that you're supposed to turn the hydrant on all the way. Is that necessary? I open up hydrants all the time to fill up a water truck for work (we have a permit). I never open them up all the way, but I was trained by my boss, who's an idiot. There are a couple hydrants I use that make the ground shake when I turn them on. Makes me a bit nervous. Quoted:
I believe a spanner wrench is usually needed (at least prefered) for making hose connections and possibly hose to hydrant/nozzle connections too. However, I have no experience or specific knowledge on that The adjustable hydrant wrench I use at work is also a spanner wrench. Looks like the little one in this link: http://www.redheadbrass.com/wrenches105.aspx I have had a hydrant wrench for more than 25 years, carried it in cars for a decade and have never used it, but had no clue the little hook on the end was a spanner. Picked a spanner up for a buck at a flea market, knew what THAT was. Didn't know I already have one. Learn something new every day here in the SF. Thanks Cathan91 |
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I wasn't aware that you're supposed to turn the hydrant on all the way. Is that necessary? I open up hydrants all the time to fill up a water truck for work (we have a permit). I never open them up all the way, but I was trained by my boss, who's an idiot. There are a couple hydrants I use that make the ground shake when I turn them on. Makes me a bit nervous. Quoted:
I believe a spanner wrench is usually needed (at least prefered) for making hose connections and possibly hose to hydrant/nozzle connections too. However, I have no experience or specific knowledge on that The adjustable hydrant wrench I use at work is also a spanner wrench. Looks like the little one in this link: http://www.redheadbrass.com/wrenches105.aspx YES. if your using a hydrant then it should be opened ALL the way. they have a drain built into the bottom and if you dont open all the way it allows water to flow out the drain and will flush the dirt from under the hydrant and can cause a failure. tell your boss he is an idiot and you hope he has good insurance, because if he was using a hydrant for an extended period of time and it fails and the city/town knows he has been using it they will come after him for replacement cost and they aint cheap.
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I wasn't aware that you're supposed to turn the hydrant on all the way. Is that necessary? I open up hydrants all the time to fill up a water truck for work (we have a permit). I never open them up all the way, but I was trained by my boss, who's an idiot. There are a couple hydrants I use that make the ground shake when I turn them on. Makes me a bit nervous. Hydrants have a drain at the bottom of the barrel. When you close the hydrant the holes allow the water to empty, keeping the barrel protected from freezing during winter. Only with the hydrant fully opened will the drain holes seal up. Anything in between and water runs out the holes and saturates the ground. The critical time for hydrants occurs when closing them, close them slowly. Shutting them down too fast can hammer the system causing a main break. All of our hydrants in the city I work for have a square operational nut so we can use a crescent wrench. Iowa brand hydrants vibrate the worse when closing. |
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To those that say hydrants must be open all the way, I have indeed heard that. However hydrants in the City of New York must be different then, or somehow installed impervious to the erosion problems being only partially open.
I can personally attest to the fact that all summer long, there are hydrants with sprinkler caps for the little ghetto rats to run around in. We open them only a turn or two at the most and leave them that way.... for weeks on end. I have never heard of a drainage or erosion problem associated with doing so. |
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The firehydrant wont wash the street away, propel young children who get in it's path to the moon, or wash your neighbors house away. In the summer the local youts in the inner city memphis open the fire hydrants to cool off because they do not have air conditioning to cool themselves off. You get lotsa water, crowds of people, and the street gets wet for blocks. Everyone goes home safe, no homes damaged. |
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Quoted: The firehydrant wont wash the street away, propel young children who get in it's path to the moon, or wash your neighbors house away. In the summer the local youts in the inner city memphis open the fire hydrants to cool off because they do not have air conditioning to cool themselves off. You get lotsa water, crowds of people, and the street gets wet for blocks. Everyone goes home safe, no homes damaged. Well, if you have a crappy street it will. I've seen it done. You are right, most streets will not get washed away. |
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I wasn't aware that you're supposed to turn the hydrant on all the way. Is that necessary? I open up hydrants all the time to fill up a water truck for work (we have a permit). I never open them up all the way, but I was trained by my boss, who's an idiot. There are a couple hydrants I use that make the ground shake when I turn them on. Makes me a bit nervous. Hydrants have a drain at the bottom of the barrel. When you close the hydrant the holes allow the water to empty, keeping the barrel protected from freezing during winter. Only with the hydrant fully opened will the drain holes seal up. Anything in between and water runs out the holes and saturates the ground. On the way to work today I happened to pass by a couple workers from the city's water bureau who were flushing a hydrant. They confirmed your explanation––they said it was best to completely turn on the hydrant otherwise you run the risk of having it leak underground. Glad to know I've been doing it wrong for two seasons Fricking idiot boss, always talking out his ass...
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| if your in philly city proper your sol for a hydrant wrench from galls philly uses a special one. there are hydrants without drain holes my towns got somed they have to be pumped out before winter or they freeze. another useless fact besides having a private hose thread all 400 some of the hydrants im my town open backwards. the last fire we had in january when we called for help the other departments broke two of them |
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Not all hydrants use pentagonal cap nuts. Depending upon where you're at, you might find two or three different sizes or shapes. Over the years, some cities and counties have purchased different manufacturers' hydrants, built to different specifications. The county for which I work has a small number of pentagonal nuts and a large number of large and small square nuts. Because caps get broken and stolen, you might find all three types on one hydrant. We have a large number of older hydrants with only two 2.5" ports. Some have two 2.5" ports and one 4" or 4.5", but most have a 5" steamer port. Our static pressure is at least 80 psi on the north end of the county, and as high as 120 psi on the south end.
We do not use those silly "hydrant wrenches." A real hydrant wrench is simply the largest pipe wrench you can buy. We use 18" pipe wrenches. They work on all our hydrants, even if the nuts are stripped because they're more than 50 years old. In addition, a length of thick-walled pipe that fits over the handle of the wrench can come in handy for breaking loose impossible hydrants. A rubber mallet can be handy for loosening sticky steamer caps. Sometimes a few good whacks on the sides can help you turn them. I'll also repeat that you do not want to LEAVE hydrants partially open. In non-freezing months, you'll just erode the ground around the main and the hydrant. This could eventually cause a sinkhole. In winter months, you'll leave water in a dry-barrel hydrant, causing it to freeze and burst. Bad juju. When fully closed, the hydrant barrel drains back into the main, leaving the inside of the hydrant dry. In areas where there is never any chance of freezing temperatures, you may find wet barrel hydrants. These aren't as common, and don't drain when closed. There is a valve for each port on the hydrant, instead of one valve running down the center. Someone mentioned not putting your head over the top of the hydrant. That's a bunch of crap. You don't want any part of your body in front of a cap, though, unless one cap is completely removed. And be sure the others are on quite well anyways or you'll just get wet. If all caps are on the hydrant when it's opened, any of the caps could fail and shoot off. Firefighters have been seriously injured during such events, causing some to retire early for medical reasons. If one cap is completely off, it's unlikely that enough pressure could build to shoot any others off, unless you've attached hose and are not flowing water. |
| If you open a fire hydrant, open it all the way! There are two holes down at the valve level that let the barrel (the vertical pipe that sticks up ) drain so it does not freeze in the winter. On some (most?) hydrants, these holes are only sealed when the valve is full open. A partially open hydrant will eventually wash out the area around the valve. |
