Firelite Hose Stream Testing

The video above shot in February 2018, whilst not a full Hose Stream Test, demonstrates the ability of FireLite to remain structurally stable when doused with cold water. The furnace temperature at test termination was 1050 Degrees Celsius, and water was immediately played onto the exposed face after a 4 hour test duration

FireLite’s robust resilience against fire cannot be better demonstrated than by its ability to survive intact in a hose stream test, when a full firefighter hose stream is played over the exposed hot ceramic surface after endurance in a full-on fire resistance furnace test.

FireLite, at only 5mm thick, has the fundamental ability to resist the water stream, staying in place and untouched.

Only wired glass approaches that level of performance at that thickness (but the use of wired is limited to no more than 60 minutes fire test exposure). Other fire-resistant glazing types such as borosilicate, modified special toughened glass and integrity laminated glass types have all failed to pass the hose stream test to achieve US listing.

The hose stream test is carried out by moving the FireLite test panel to one side after a standard period of fire resistance furnace testing, to allow a firefighter hose stream to be slowly played over the full area of the exposed surface whilst it is still hot. Typical firefighting hose streams can deliver around 175 gallons pressured water per minute.

FireLite has the ability to stay in place, untouched during and after what is an arduous test for any fire-resistant glazing exposed to high fire temperatures.

Ref: UL 263 American Society for Testing and materials E119, Standard for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, and National Fire Protection Association 252, Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Door Assemblies.

  • The test hose stream is delivered through a 63.5mm (2 1/2 inch) hose at a nozzle pressure of 30 psi (207 kPa), at 6.1 metres (20 feet) from the centre of the exposed test panel.
  • The whole test panel surface is progressively subjected to hose stream exposure. After a long exposure fire resistance test each square metre of the hot test panel surface is typically covered by the hose stream for around 16 seconds (on the panel surface that has been exposed in the fire resistance furnace).

  • The prime purpose, and original idea, is to evaluate mechanical resilience of a test panel remaining after full endurance in a fire resistance test.
  • Test conditions are relatively extreme compared with standard fire resistance furnace testing, and can be taken as an indication of resilience to water exposure in developed fire conditions.
  • The test conditions effectively include evaluation of resilience to the impact momentum of the test hose stream. The quench thermal shock and erosion by the pressured water stream are important effects as well (and particularly significant for other glass types which do not survive the test exposure).