What is the working pressure of the SCBA?

What is the working pressure of the SCBA?

• A. 4500 psi
• B. 3000 psi
• C. 5000 psi
• D. 6000 psi

Answer: (A)

The working pressure is the pressure the SCBA system is designed to deliver from the cylinder to the wearer. For most firefighters, the cylinder is filled to 4500 psi, and that 4,500 psi is the service (working) pressure the regulator must handle. The regulator then reduces this high pressure to a breathable level at the face piece (roughly 80–125 psi, depending on the design). The other pressures listed aren’t the standard service pressure for typical SCBA cylinders, and using a different fill would change the system’s performance. So the working pressure is 4500 psi.

The working pressure is the pressure the SCBA system is designed to deliver from the cylinder to the wearer. For most firefighters, the cylinder is filled to 4500 psi, and that 4,500 psi is the service (working) pressure the regulator must handle. The regulator then reduces this high pressure to a breathable level at the face piece (roughly 80–125 psi, depending on the design). The other pressures listed aren’t the standard service pressure for typical SCBA cylinders, and using a different fill would change the system’s performance. So the working pressure is 4500 psi.