The New National Standard For Fire Hose GB6246 Released

 

     On February 27, 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China officially approved and released the new mandatory national standard GB 6246-2026 "Fire Hose". This is the third major revision of the national standard for fire hoses since the 2011 version, replacing the GB6246-2011 standard which had been in effect for 15 years.

The new standard will be fully implemented on March 1, 2027. This means that from now until its official implementation, the fire hose industry has entered a critical window for compliance upgrades. Enterprises need to align with the new regulations in advance to ensure that their products complete technical upgrades before the new standard takes effect; otherwise, they will face market access risks.

The new standard not only sets higher requirements for technical indicators and testing methods but also comprehensively upgrades product classification, performance parameters, and testing methods. Let's take a look at the key updates in the new standard.

I. Clearer Product Classification: Three Categories of Fire Hose with Definite Roles

GB 6246-2026 introduces a new chapter on "Terms and Definitions" for the first time, clearly classifying fire hoses into three categories based on their application scenarios:

Class I Fire Hose: Equipped by fire and rescue teams and mini fire stations for firefighting and rescue training and actual combat; it is the main equipment on the front lines of firefighting.

Class II Fire Hose: Equipped in fire hydrant boxes in various buildings, projects, and facilities; mostly used in conjunction with fixed fire-fighting facilities.

Class III Fire Hose: Used in conjunction with long-distance water supply systems and flood control and drainage systems; the inner diameter is not less than 125mm; used for large-flow water delivery and drainage.

The three categories of hoses have corresponding parameter requirements in terms of design working pressure and inner diameter specifications, allowing companies to match their products to the appropriate category.

II. More Standardized Model Numbering: Information at a Glance
The new standard has changed the model numbering rules for fire hoses. The model number includes key information such as hose type, design working pressure, inner diameter specifications, length, and fire hose connection type.

For example, SD-Ⅰ-50-40-40-KDK can be interpreted as a Class I water hose with a design working pressure of 5.0MPa, an inner diameter of 40mm, a length of 40m, and a card-type interface. This improvement makes product information more transparent and selection more convenient.

III. Multiple New Performance Indicators: Comprehensive Upgrade of Safety Requirements
Compared to the 2011 version, GB... Standard 6246-2026 adds several key performance requirements and test methods:

Reflective strip optical performance requirements: Class I water hoses must have no fewer than two reflective strips, with a width of no less than 10mm. The retroreflective coefficient must meet regulations to improve operational safety at night and in low-visibility environments.

Bending resistance requirements: Class I water hoses must not leak or rupture when bent under pressure, testing the reliability of the hoses in extreme usage scenarios.

Alternating pressure resistance requirements: After 2000 cycles of alternating pressure, Class I water hoses, fire hose couplings, and connections must not leak, rupture, or slip.

Conductive heat resistance requirements: After a conductive heat resistance test, the burst pressure of Class I water hoses should not be less than 75% of the pre-test value, suitable for high-temperature environments.

Radiant heat resistance requirements: Class I water hoses must withstand radiant heat for no less than 10 seconds.

UV light resistance requirements: After UV irradiation, the adhesion strength and burst pressure of Class I water hoses must both be no less than 75% of the pre-test value.

IV. Enhanced Appearance and Design Requirements: Details Determine Quality

V. Comprehensive Revision of Performance Indicators: Higher Standards and Stricter Requirements

The new national standard has revised and improved several key performance indicators:
* Adhesion Strength: The adhesion strength requirement for Class I and Class III water hoses is no less than 35N/25mm, higher than the old version;
* Hot Air Aging Performance: After aging, the burst pressure and adhesion strength should not be lower than 75% of the original strength, testing the long-term service life of the product;
* Abrasion Resistance: Class I and Class II water hoses must not leak or rupture after the abrasion test, and the abrasion amount of Class III water hoses with an outer coating must not exceed 1mg/100r;
* Water Hose and Fire Fighting Joint Connection Performance: Under test pressure, the connection must not leak, burst, or slip, and the fire fighting joint must comply with GB12514.

VI. Removal of Outdated Content: More Meets Actual Needs

The new standard has removed requirements related to wet water hoses, indicating that the technical direction of wet water hoses is no longer a national standard specification. Enterprises should adjust their product layout accordingly based on actual market needs.

VII. More Scientific Testing Methods: More Precise Testing

The new standard has scientifically revised several testing methods: Lining and Outer Coating Physical and Mechanical Property Testing: Tensile strength and elongation at break are performed according to the latest methods, resulting in more accurate data; Low Temperature Resistance Testing: Testing is conducted immediately after storage at -30℃±3℃ for 24 hours to assess reliability in low-temperature environments; Inner Diameter Measurement: Precise measurement is performed using a plug gauge with a surface roughness of Ra1.60, with clearly defined tolerance ranges.

The implementation of GB 6246-2026 "Fire Hose" is not only a standard replacement but also a significant opportunity for the overall quality upgrade of the fire hose industry.