Standpipes in buildings are used for active fire protection systems and can be charged with water using a siamese connection. These Y-shaped connectors allow two fire hoses to be connected to the same standpipe and are typically placed on the outside of buildings close to the ground. Once water is supplied, pedestals within the building can be used as remote fire hydrants. Siamese connections can also be used for garden faucet bibs and have adjustable flow and knife switches.
Many large buildings have components called standpipes that are used in active fire protection systems. Standpipes are common in high-rise buildings, although they can also be used in low-rise buildings if the footprint is large enough. To charge a riser system with water, a siamese connection can be used. This fitting can allow two fire hoses to be connected to the same standpipe, typically from two different fire engines. Conjoined connections get their name from the phenomenon of conjoined twins, which these Y-shaped connectors may superficially resemble.
Standpipes are typically placed on the outside of buildings close to the ground and may be free-standing or built into the side of the building. Siamese fitting is a common type of pipe inlet that can be connected to the end of the standpipe. Regulations in many areas require standpipe systems to be charged by hoses from two different fire engines, which can be made using either side of a siamese connection. When not in use, these fittings will typically be wrapped in plastic safety covers to prevent tampering. Siamese connection covers are usually designed so that a firefighter can break them off quickly.
Once water has been supplied via the Siamese connection, pedestals within the building can be used as remote fire hydrants to fight the fire. Standpipe risers can carry water up to the upper floors of a building, which can be useful in tall structures where it could be dangerous or inconvenient to stretch a pipe up many flights of stairs. Inside buildings, riser pipe risers usually have single-ended fittings rather than conjoined-type connections. Water supplied by a Siamese connection can also be carried laterally across the floors or ceilings of a building to charge an irrigation system. Some bollard systems are already loaded with water, in which case they are referred to as wet.
The phrase Siamese connection can also be applied to any other Y-shaped fitting. Garden faucet bibs are often fitted with these so that two hoses can be served from one source. This is the opposite of using a siamese fitting in a firefighting context where two supplies converge into a single hose. In Siamese faucet connectors, the flow on each side can be adjustable. There may also be a knife switch positioned on each side, which allows you to cut off the flow of water at one or both ends.
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