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FAQ's Customer Service

What is the "DIN Standard" referred to in the Storz

pages of this catalog?
DIN is an abbreviation for the Deutsches Institut für
Normung e. V, an institution of trade and industry
responsible for the preparation of National Standards in
Germany. Storz fittings were patented in Europe by Carl
August Guido Storz over one hundred years ago and are
now is use worldwide. DIN publishes standards for the
design of these Storz fittings. Although the catalog refers to
the "DIN Standard," there are actually a number of
standards that apply, one for each size and type of Storz Shelley Terrie
coupling or adapter. All of the Standards for aluminum
fittings are in the DIN 143xx series. For instance, DIN
14303 covers Size B (75mm) Aluminum Delivery Hose from the abrasion and corrosion resistance provided by
Couplings for Fire Brigade Use. This standard specifies that Hardcoat Anodize. It is the specification Red Head Brass
the Storz head be a DIN 1725 Part 1 Aluminum forging. follows in manufacturing its quality aluminum products.
Cast aluminum Storz fittings can be used for non-
firefighting, lower pressure applications such as agriculture. What is a "Higbee"?
In the interests of the safety of the "Fire Brigade," all Storz A "Higbee," also known as a Quick Start Thread, is a
couplings, adapters and caps supplied by Red Head Brass modification to the first thread of a hose thread. The thread
are made from aluminum forgings. is machined back from the end until the cross section of the
thread is full, in other words looks like a fully formed
What is the difference between a forging and a casting? triangle. Mating threads go together and start quickly. There
Forgings are manufactured by pressing metal under great is no partial, or thin thread to be rolled over and jam the
pressure into parts that, as a result, have high strength. The connection.The full strength of the thread is available as
metal is typically heated, but not melted, before forging. In soon as mating threads are connected. On Rocker Lug parts,
the casting process, the metal is melted before going into a there is a notch in the lug adjacent to the Higbee to help
mold. The metal poured into the mold solidifies as it cools. locate the Higbee for ease of assembly. This is especially
The control of the molten metal temperature is critical. important for internal threads where the Higbee cannot be
Likewise, the quality of the metal being melted must be easily seen. NFPA 1963 requires a Higbee on NH threads.
controlled so that no impurities get into the molten metal. Taper Pipe Thread, NPT, does not get a Higbee.
Any gases that are trapped can create porosity as the metal
cools. Low casting temperature and impurities, such as sand Will Storz fittings from Red Head Brass mate with Storz
or slag, can cause imperfections known as cold shots. fittings from other manufacturers?
Metallurgically, a casting has no grain flow or directional Simply put, as long as they are the same size, they should.
strength. A casting can contain many unseen defects. Red Head Brass manufactures Storz fittings to meet the
Forgings, on the other hand, have no internal voids that can established dimensional standards. As long as the Storz
cause unexpected failures. The grain structure of a forging fittings from other manufacturers meet these standards,
is oriented to part shape for greater strength. A forging has the fittings will mate. The 4" and 5" Storz connections, for
greater density. In general, forgings are seen as having a example, are included in NFPA 1963. However, there are
higher integrity and greater reliability than castings. numerous sizes of Storz fittings available. Some are only
metric sizes. Others are combination English/Metric sizes.
What is "Hardcoat Anodize" and why do I need it? Those sold domestically are very specific sizes for the U.S.
Not all anodizing is the same. "Hardcoat Anodize" is very market and are usually marked with the nominal size in
specific type of anodize that gives aluminum parts greater inches. They may also be marked with both English and
abrasion and corrosion resistance than that provided by the Metric units. Red Head Brass currently offers 1" (25mm),
more conventional plain anodize processes. It is sometimes 1-1/2" (38mm), 2" (52mm), 2-1/2" (65mm), 3" (75mm),
referred to as "Alumilite Hard Coat," "Martin Hard 4" (100mm), 5" (125mm) and 6" (150mm) Storz fittings.
Coating," "Hard Anodizing" or "Hard Coating". The coating
is a hard aluminum oxide that is formed by the Why is "Seamless" better than "Structural" extruded
electrochemical reaction of aluminum with oxygen. It is aluminum for firefighting applications?
chemically bonded to the aluminum. Hard Anodic Coatings Although they may look the same, structural and seamless
are defined by Military Specification MIL-A-8625, Type III, tube are two distinctly different products. The two products
Class 1. In order to meet this specification, the coating are extruded by two different techniques. "Seamless" is
thickness must be held to .002" +/- 20%, pass the abrasion extruded from a hollow billet by the die and mandrel
resistance requirement found in the specification, and be process or from a solid billet on a piercer press. In either
routinely tested to these parameters to insure quality. Plain, case, the wall of the extruded tube never separates as the
or conventional anodize has no such requirement for shape is extruded. This results in a uniform structure with
thickness or wear resistance. Other coatings, for instance predictable strength throughout. Structural tubing, on the
paint or powder, likewise have no such requirement for other hand, is produced by a bridge die or port hole die.
abrasion resistance. The threaded and non-threaded The mandrel that makes the inside diameter of the tube is
couplings and adapters used in firefighting greatly benefit supported by webs. As the metal passes through the die it is

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MADE IN USA
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separated by the webs. As the metal exits the die a

mechanical bond, or weld, is created. The grain structure is FAQ's
often different where the weld seams are located. The weld
seams run down the entire length of the tube. The seams
can often be seen after anodizing. The seams take on a
different color than the surrounding metal. When viewed sometimes referred to as “IPT”, or Iron Pipe Thread. “NH”
on end, the seams appear as spokes on a wheel. There are and “NPSH” threads are not interchangeable. “NH” and
no standard industry guidelines for weld seam quality and “NPSH” threads are straight threads and require a gasket for
each producer establishes their own internal criteria. There sealing between mating threads. “NPT”, or National Pipe
are no published burst pressure ratings for structural tube. Tapered, is the thread most commonly found in plumbing
Manufacturers of structural tubing do not recommend its applications. Being tapered, the seal between mating threads
use for pressure applications. Test pressures for fire hose is made by squeezing the threads together. No gasket is
couplings and adapters can be in the 1000-1200 psi range. used. “NPT” and “NPSH” threads are similar in diameter
For its quality hose couplings and adapters, Red Head Brass and threads per inch.
machines these critical components from seamless extruded
6061-T6 aluminum exclusively. Why aren't tapered pipe threads (NPT) available in
swivels?
Are there different types of Storz gaskets? The typical coupling consists of three main components;
In general, there are two different types of Storz gaskets, male, band, swivel. The swivel's job is to bring together the
namely Pressure gaskets and Suction gaskets and they male and the band, squeezing a gasket between them,
operate in different ways. It is important, when ordering, to sealing the water path. With straight threads, like NH or
specify the application so that the correct coupling or NPSH, the swivel turns on the male as far as necessary to
adapter, with the proper gasket, is supplied. The gaskets, make this seal. However, NPT threaded components seal by
although similar, are generally not interchangeable. The jamming the mating threads as they are tightened. No
Pressure gasket has a lip, or flap, that is open to the inside, gasket is used. The turns required to tighten may vary. If
facing the water. As the line is charged, the lip pushes out NPT threads are used in a coupling, the end of the male
tighter and tighter against the lip of the gasket in the mating may not stop at the correct place in the swivel. The male
coupling to make a waterproof seal. The coupling torque to can be tight into the swivel but, even with a gasket, it may
assemble two mating pressure couplings is small so that the not seal against the band. This would allow water to leak
couplings can easily be connected. Water may leak out until out of the joint. Thus, NPT threads are not available in
the pressure in the line rises to push the flaps together. On swivels. However, a coupling set with a NPT male and a
the other hand, Suction gaskets have a flap on the outer NPSH swivel can work. NPSH thread is the straight version
rim, facing the outside. The coupling torque to assemble of NPT thread. A NPT male will screw into a gasketed
mating suction couplings is higher so that these flaps on NPSH swivel and seal against the band, provided the end of
mating couplings are pressed together initially, sealing out the male is cut square.
the outside air, so that the draft can be started. As the
suction increases, the flaps are pulled together even tighter. What kind of maintenance should be done on Couplings
Because of the higher connection torque, wrenches may be and Adapters?
needed to assemble Storz Suction fittings. Pressure gaskets
are black in color. Suction gaskets are grey. The NFPA publishes an excellent Standard, NFPA 1962
Standard for the Inspection, Care, and Use of Fire Hose,
What is the difference between "NH", "NST", "NPSH", Couplings, and Nozzles and the Service Testing of Fire Hose,
"IPT" and "NPT" threads? that covers this subject very well. Red Head highly
recommends that the Standard be followed. Chapter 6 of
“NH”, or National Hose, thread is the thread that has the Standard pertains to Nozzles, Couplings, and Gaskets
become the standard thread used in firefighting today. The but the recommendations in the chapter apply equally well
threads specified in NFPA 1963 are “NH”. This thread was to appliances, such as elbows, wyes, and adapters, both
previously known as “NST” or National Standard Thread. threaded and non-threaded. In general, NFPA 1962
“NPSH”, or National Pipe Straight Hose, is slightly smaller recommends that these type items be inspected after each
in diameter and has more threads per inch than the same use and at least annually. The annual Service Testing of
nominal diameter “NH” thread. “NPSH” thread is hose is a good time to include these inspections. Some of
the items the inspection should look are:
• Waterway clear, no obstructions.
Engineering • Threads not damaged.
• Swivel rotates freely, bearing plug and bearings in place.
• No excess corrosion.
• Gaskets in place and in good condition.
• Clamp bolts on LDH coupling collars in place and tight.
• Storz head lock levers, if so equipped, in place and
operating freely.
• Hose not slipping out of the coupling.
In the case of connections of components made of
dissimiliar metals, for instance brass and aluminum, the
standard recommends that they be disconnected and
inspected quarterly for corrosion. If the inspection reveals
problems, the item should be fixed immediately, taken out
of service and fixed, or replaced as necessary.
Joe Zip

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