I have seen quite a few tankers with round dumps on the side and square dumps on the rear. I was wondering why this is being done? Why not put square on the sides also?
It sure makes it a lot easier if you can position the dump tank so your tanker can pull up next to it, dump its load then drive away never having to back up.
Permalink Reply by FETC on October 22, 2008 at 9:39am
I am not a truck builder, one ones I have seen the round do not extend, (we had to place a round extension pipe everytime we dumped on an old tanker and the square dumps telescope out so you can get it into the porta-tank with ease.
Our tanker has three telescoping square 10" JET dumps, they work off a remote cab switch. It is behind the chrome cover between the rear duallies.
The square and round are two different animals. The square is for quick large, very large disacharges only. The round side are for large discharge into a hose line. We don't have a tanker but I've been involved in them in PA quite often. You back into the dump tank on the ground, pull a lever and dump the tank and load on the side from a draft engine. Watching a good operation run is a thing of beauty. I've seen two alarm fires run off of two dump tanks about 2000 gallons each, 6 tankers and 2 engines at the draft site and never get below 80% full.
Permalink Reply by FETC on October 22, 2008 at 1:56pm
Craig, please expound on your comment that "the round side are for a large discharge into a hose line?"
Do you mean pumping off the tank water? So look at the photo provided by Lt Lake (top one) and explain how the water gets in a hose line from that large round dump discharge?
Thank For the Replies. I guess what I still don't understand is if a square dump will dump faster than a round one why would you put a round one on the side instead of a square one?
The round dumps on the side are tank valves that either open all the way & let the water flow out by force OR you hook a hose up to it & pump the water out. I have never seen square hoses. The square dumps on the back are quick dumps, you pull the lever, open the valve & the water comes pouring out. They are square because it is easier to retro-fit, seal & work than a round shape.
Permalink Reply by FETC on October 22, 2008 at 5:37pm
Patents, manufacturers choice and it also depends what you spec when you build a new tanker - tender apparatus.
Jenny, I have been around a long time and never seen anyone hook onto the round dumps and suck the water out. If you have a pic of this operation please enlighten me... we are not talking about the steamer connection.