Elkhart Brass CSW-LB Selectable Flow Master Stream Nozzle

One nozzle for five flow settings

The Elkhart Brass Select-O-Flow CSW-LB is a brass master stream nozzle with selectable flow. Elkhart lists settings of 350, 500, 750, 1000 and 1250 gpm (1300, 1900, 2900, 3800 and 4750 LPM) at 100 psi (7 bar) through a 2.5 in inlet, and the flow can be changed while the nozzle is flowing. That makes it useful where one monitor must serve different hazards, or where the pump capacity changes during an incident.

Elkhart also describes the pattern as easily changed under flow from straight stream to 90 degree fog, in a brass body with satin and cast brass finish. The CSW-LB is the brass version; aluminium versions are the CSW-L (same five flows) and the CSW (350, 500 and 750 gpm).

Specifications from the catalog

Elkhart publishes reach at height charts for the CSW-L series from 350 to 1250 gpm, a flow data sheet and an NFPA compliance note for the Select-O-Flow range on its product page.

Setting the flow and shutting off

To change gallonage, stand behind the nozzle, press down on the locking lever pad to lift the arm out of the current notch, rotate the ring with the tabs until the arm can drop into another notch, and always make sure the arm is engaged in a notch before flowing. For shutoff, press the lever pad and keep turning the ring clockwise past the lowest notch until flow stops. This is not a positive shutoff, and there is no notch for the off position. The CSW-LB can be had in a non-shutoff version in which a pin prevents the lever from passing the lowest notch.

Installation and maintenance

Thread the inlet swivel onto the 2.5 in NHT male outlet of an Elkhart monitor, with the flow controls and pattern handles in the position you want, and tighten with a spanner wrench. Open the supply water valve slowly to avoid water hammer. Inspect after each use and at least monthly when idle. After each use, with the nozzle in straight stream, wipe the inside of the tip and apply a thin coat of grease; Elkhart recommends Dow Corning #7 lubricant.

Matching the flow setting to the water supply

A selectable flow nozzle only delivers its rated gallonage when the inlet pressure is at the stated 100 psi (7 bar). Before choosing a setting, the fire engineer or operator should know what the pump, hydrant main or fixed fire water ring can supply at the monitor while other lines are also flowing. Selecting 1250 gpm on a supply that can only sustain 750 gpm will drop the nozzle pressure, shorten the reach and break up the stream. The practical approach is to start at a lower setting, check the pressure gauge at the monitor and step up only when the supply holds.

Straight stream or fog

• Straight stream: maximum reach and penetration, used for attacking a fire from a safe distance or reaching elevated targets such as tank shells and structures.
• Narrow fog: a compromise between reach and cooling, useful for protecting exposures.
• Wide fog: broad coverage for cooling equipment and creating a water curtain, with much shorter reach and greater wind sensitivity.

Because the pattern can be changed under flow, the crew can adapt as conditions change without shutting down the monitor.

Fixed and portable monitor applications

The 2.5 in NHT inlet allows the CSW-LB to be fitted to a wide range of fixed and portable monitors with a matching outlet. Typical installations include fixed monitors around storage tank farms, loading racks and process units, monitors on fire trucks and on industrial or airport crash tenders, and portable ground monitors used where crews cannot stay close to the fire. Where the monitor thread differs, an adapter from the correct thread standard is needed; confirm the thread before ordering.

Care after use

• Flush the nozzle with fresh water after use with seawater, foam solution or dirty water to prevent deposits and corrosion.
• Operate the flow ring and pattern control through their full travel during periodic inspections so they do not seize.
• Check that the locking lever still engages each gallonage notch positively.
• Inspect the inlet threads and gasket for damage before reconnecting.

Oil, gas and port facilities in Oman and the GCC

Refineries, gas plants, tank terminals, ports and airports in the region rely on fixed fire water systems with monitors as a primary means of cooling and fire attack. Brass construction is well suited to coastal sites where salt air attacks lighter materials, and the five flow settings help match the nozzle to the design flow of each monitor position on a site-wide fire water network. Regular flow testing, combined with fresh-water flushing, helps keep the nozzle ready in hot, dusty and humid conditions.

Confirm before ordering

Confirm the flow settings needed, brass or aluminium body, shutoff or non-shutoff version and inlet thread. The attached Elkhart sheet covers installation, operation and maintenance; ratings come from Elkhart catalog data. Send the details for a quotation and see more Fire Fighting equipment.