{"id":1632,"date":"2026-09-17T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borrapumps.com\/blog\/jockey-pump-pressure-settings\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T14:33:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T06:33:56","slug":"jockey-pump-pressure-settings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/borrapumps.com\/pt\/blog\/jockey-pump-pressure-settings\/","title":{"rendered":"Jockey Pump Start and Stop Pressure Settings Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

Set jockey pump pressure controls as a coordinated sequence derived from the approved system pressure and main fire pump start requirement. The jockey pump normally starts before the main fire pump as pressure falls and stops after restoring normal pressure. The main fire pump start point must remain low enough to avoid nuisance starts yet high enough to meet hydraulic and response requirements. There is no universal set of numbers: suction pressure, elevation, churn pressure, pressure regulation, sensing-line location, and device ratings all matter.<\/p>\n

Safety and scope:<\/strong> Fire pumps and their drivers are life-safety equipment. Hydraulic, electrical, diesel, fuel, battery, pressure, rotating-equipment, testing, and impairment work must follow the current approved design, manufacturer instructions, applicable standards, and the authority having jurisdiction. This guide explains the engineering decision path; it does not authorize field changes, bypasses, or operation by unqualified personnel.<\/p>\n

Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n
    \n
  1. Establish the pressure basis<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Arrange the start sequence<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Set jockey stop pressure<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Protect the main pump start point<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Use a reliable sensing line<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Understand controller behavior<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Diagnose cycling<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Commission with controlled tests<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Decision table<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

    Establish the pressure basis<\/h2>\n

    Use the normal static pressure, source variation, pump curves, elevation, system ratings, and approved hydraulic minimums. Confirm which gauge location defines each setting. Treat this as a system condition rather than an isolated component choice. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    Arrange the start sequence<\/h2>\n

    As pressure falls, the jockey pump should receive the first maintenance call. Continued pressure loss from a real demand must then initiate the main fire pump. The most useful evidence is measured or approved project data, not a copied rule of thumb. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    Set jockey stop pressure<\/h2>\n
    \"Jockey
    Design and installation details to verify for this topic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Choose a stop point the jockey pump can reliably reach without excessive deadheading or exceeding system ratings. Check its shutoff head. Review this condition at normal, test, and credible abnormal states before procurement. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    Protect the main pump start point<\/h2>\n

    Do not set it so low that required residual pressure is lost before starting, or so high that normal pressure variation starts the main pump. The design team should turn this point into a traceable calculation or drawing note. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    Practical decision table<\/h2>\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Pressure event<\/th>\nExpected response<\/th>\nIf incorrect, check<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Small normal pressure loss<\/td>\nJockey pump starts<\/td>\nSensing line, controller, start setting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Pressure restored<\/td>\nJockey pump stops<\/td>\nStop setting, curve, leakage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Demand exceeds jockey capacity<\/td>\nPressure continues to fall<\/td>\nJockey size and test demand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Main start threshold reached<\/td>\nMain fire pump starts<\/td>\nController and sensing path<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Main pump running<\/td>\nSystem follows approved stop logic<\/td>\nController mode and procedure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Frequent jockey cycles<\/td>\nInvestigate leakage or control issue<\/td>\nCheck valves, system volume, settings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

    Use a reliable sensing line<\/h2>\n

    Verify connection location, valve position, drainage, blockage risk, trapped air, and independence from pressure surges or an unrepresentative local point. Treat this as a system condition rather than an isolated component choice. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    Understand controller behavior<\/h2>\n
    \"Jockey
    Inspection and commissioning details to document before handover.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Review automatic start, manual stop or automatic-stop provisions as applicable, timer functions, alarms, and what happens after power restoration. The most useful evidence is measured or approved project data, not a copied rule of thumb. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    Diagnose cycling<\/h2>\n

    Trend start and stop pressure, run time, leakage, check-valve condition, pressure tank where used, and gauge calibration before changing settings. Review this condition at normal, test, and credible abnormal states before procurement. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    Commission with controlled tests<\/h2>\n

    Lower pressure slowly, record the jockey and main pump actions, verify stop behavior and alarms, then restore the system and secure settings. The design team should turn this point into a traceable calculation or drawing note. Identify the source of every input, the unit used, the operating condition it represents, and the person responsible for approval. If information is preliminary, mark the assumption and test how the decision changes at a conservative boundary. This prevents a neat calculation from hiding an uncertain water level, pressure, valve position, driver condition, or simultaneous demand.<\/p>\n

    For jockey pump pressure settings, verify this section against the selected pump curve, the actual site arrangement, manufacturer instructions, and the current requirements accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Check the installed condition as well as the drawing because pipe routes, elevations, supports, controls, and access often change during construction. Record the result in a form that can be repeated during commissioning and later inspection. Do not change a safety-critical setting or isolate fire protection without the approved impairment and restoration process.<\/p>\n

    How this relates to BORRAPUMP equipment<\/h2>\n

    BORRAPUMP supplies engineered pump equipment for water and fire-protection projects. Review the relevant BORRAPUMP product configuration<\/a> as a starting point, then submit the required flow, head, water source, driver, power, controls, site conditions, applicable requirements, quantity, and destination. Final selection must use the project hydraulic basis and approved submittal; this guide does not claim that one catalog arrangement fits every jurisdiction or risk.<\/p>\n

    Related BORRAPUMP guides<\/h2>\n