If a nozzle firefighter closes the bale of his nozzle, his individual line gauge will:

If a nozzle firefighter closes the bale of his nozzle, his individual line gauge will:

• A. Drop to zero
• B. Fluctuate wildly
• C. Assume the pressure setting of the pressure gauge
• D. Read a different line pressure unrelated to master gauge

Answer: (C)

When the nozzle bale is closed, there is no water flowing through that hose, so there is no friction loss along the line. The pressure in the hose is then simply the pump’s discharge pressure set on the master gauge. In other words, the line gauge will read the same pressure that the pump is set to deliver, not zero and not varying independently. The line pressure remains tied to the pump setting because the system is static with the nozzle shut.

When the nozzle bale is closed, there is no water flowing through that hose, so there is no friction loss along the line. The pressure in the hose is then simply the pump’s discharge pressure set on the master gauge. In other words, the line gauge will read the same pressure that the pump is set to deliver, not zero and not varying independently. The line pressure remains tied to the pump setting because the system is static with the nozzle shut.