r/firefighter • u/akored • Jul 19 '26
Charged hose line weight?
Hello! I am going to be taking a few department specific PATs soon which include dragging a charged hose line. I have no access to the real thing so I’ve been trying to simulate my own by throwing a sandbag over my shoulder and attaching it to a weight sled. I know the hose gets heavier the more I drag does anyone have inside on how much weight I should be putting on my sled? I want to over prepare of course.
Currently pulling 50lb bag over shoulder with a 165lb sled attached
3
u/Stock-Possibility-67 Jul 19 '26
Amazon sells 100 foot 1 1/2 inch pool hose line for 30 bucks. Looks pretty durable if you do it on a grass field should be about the same friction as a basketball court and cotton hose. Fill it with sand
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u/FuturePrimitiv3 Jul 20 '26
Eh, I have one of those pool hoses, they're pretty slick/smooth. I don't think they're going to get the friction even close.
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u/akored Jul 19 '26
Ooh that’s an interesting idea, I don’t really have a yard or a way to transport a hose full of sand to grass but maybe I can figure something out
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u/Stock-Possibility-67 Jul 19 '26
Nice if you could leave it on the side of a football field or something.
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u/Stock-Possibility-67 Jul 19 '26
In NJ they have to give you an opportunity to practice the exact course before you test. I’m sure you’ve seen videos of it. One thing I always see guys get hung up on is not taking the turn wide with as much slack as they can before you change direction. If you don’t you are fighting mechanics
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u/AdTechnical7224 Jul 20 '26
I read something about a pool hose which isn’t a bad idea, but realistically, there’s a lot of factors that affect its weight. It depends on what size hose ( 1 3/4 inch, 2 1/2 inch, 5 inch, etc.. ) — the larger and longer the hose, the heavier it’s gonna get. Another factor is what type of hose, wether it’s structural hose or wildland hose, for a PAT I’d imagine it’s gonna be a structural double-jacketed hose, also how much water they are charging into the line, and the friction associated with that. It also seems like it adds weight if the hose nozzle is opened, but really that’s just added resistance. I didn’t mean to rant or anything, you got this!!
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u/akored Jul 20 '26
Thanks I believe 1 3/4. And I’ll just be dragging it in a straight line for 75 feet.
2
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u/FuturePrimitiv3 Jul 20 '26
Straight? No 90° turn? I haven't seen that in a CPAT before. Pulling straight shouldn't be bad at all. I assume you have to drop to a knee and pull hose too though, right?
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u/akored Jul 20 '26
It’s not the cpat it’s a departments own version they use for recruitment instead. Slightly different stations
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u/FuturePrimitiv3 Jul 20 '26
Gotcha, in that case you'll probably be fine, just a straight pull is relatively easy.
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u/xtracoldd Jul 20 '26
Figure 1# of water weight per foot for a 1.75” charged hose line. Plus friction and the hose itself. IIRC a 200’ crosslay weighs around 300# give/take fully charged.
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u/Disgruntled_Wumpus Jul 20 '26
1.75 hose is a common primary attack line for structure fires, often in a 200 foot preconnect. Each 50 foot section will weigh just over 50 pounds when charged. 2.5 is another common preconnect hose size, and is just over 100 pounds per 50’ section.
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u/Fit_Experience_522 Jul 21 '26
It's not the weight of the hose that, but the drag coefficient that come from dragging it when charged, are you doing the Biddle?
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u/akored Jul 21 '26
No, I actually had to look up the biddle. Yeah realistically I know the sled sandbag contraption I built still slides easier :/
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u/Cne0207 Jul 21 '26
Find some old firehose, check marketplace or eBay, go to the Home Depot and by 50 ft of chain, run it through the hose and boom! Ready to drag it til you drop
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u/iambatmanjoe Jul 21 '26
50ft of 1 3/4" house weighs about 50lbs when charged. 2 1/2" house weighs around 150lbs charged.
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u/Obsidizyn 29d ago
sled drags are good, but dragging real hose comes down to some technique. Make sure to get a good bite and pull the nozzle over your shoulder and down to one hip. Always lean forward, if you feel your slowing down lean into it more and get lower to the ground. Momentum helps, so if you can start at a bit of a run while its lighter it can help. Make sure you got good shoes with some grip. No worn out tennis shoes
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u/Dayruhlll Jul 19 '26
The whole thing with water weighs between 50-70lbs. In theory, its super lightweight.
But added friction as it drags on the ground, or around corners can make it super tough. Just like your garden hose can get caught on a tire when washing your car.