NFPA 14400, Version A	NFPA 14400, Version B	NFPA 14600	Micro Rack

Overview

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NFPA 14400, Version A
(#1187)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired this SMC NFPA 14400 from On Rope 1 in 2009.

This SMC NFPA 14400 rack is 241 mm. tall, 92 mm. wide, 25 mm. thick, and weighs 755 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into a U, with an internal width of 32 mm. The bottom of the U is smashed flat. There are four brake bars. The top bar is a 92 mm. long, 25 mm. diameter, tubular stainless steel hyperbar. The third bar is an inverted copy of the first. The second and fourth bars 62 mm. long, 25 mm. diameter, tubular stainless steel bars. The second bar has a straight slot, and the fourth has an angled slot. Allowing 35 mm. for the rope leaves 63 mm. range for spreading the bars.

One side of the frame is stamped with the Underwriters Laboratories classified logo, "20JF," "MEETS NFPA 1983 (2006 ED),"G-MBS 22kN Ø11-16," and "L-MBS 13.5kN Ø9.5-12.5." The other side of the frame has "SMC USA" in raised letters. Each bar has a stamped SMC logo.

Comments

This is a well-made rack, but with only four bars, it provides less friction than I prefer. Using the hyperbar to increase friction effectively turns this into a constant-friction device with "power brakes."

Flattenening the bend in the frame serves no functional purpose, but it does provide a convenient surface for all the markings. Sadly, these markings are more important to some organizations than how well a product performs.

I noticed that SMC’s literature adopted my "J-frame" and "U-frame" rack terminology. I'm honored!

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NFPA 14400, Version B
(#2521)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired this rack from Inner Mountain Outfitters at the 2019 NSS Convention.

This SMC NFPA 14400, Version B rack is 246 mm. tall, 93 mm. wide, 25 mm. thick, and weighs 766 g.

The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into a U, with an internal width of 32 mm. There are 4 brake bars. The bars are 25 and 25 mm. in diameter and 93 and 62 mm. long. Allowing 35 mm. for the rope leaves 60 mm. for spreading the bars.

This SMC NFPA 14400 rack is 241 mm. tall, 92 mm. wide, 25 mm. thick, and weighs 755 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into a U, with an internal width of 32 mm. The bottom of the U is smashed flat. There are four brake bars. The top bar is a 93 mm. long, 25 mm. diameter, tubular stainless steel hyperbar. The third bar is an inverted copy of the first. The second and fourth bars 62 mm. long, 25 mm. diameter, tubular stainless steel bars. The second bar has a straight slot and has a black finisu, and the fourth has an angled slot. Allowing 35 mm. for the rope leaves 63 mm. range for spreading the bars.

One side of the frame is stamped with the Underwriters Laboratories classified logo, "20JF," "MEETS NFPA 1983 (2017 ED.),"G-MBS 22kN Ø11-16," and "L-MBS 13.5kN Ø9.5-12.5." The other side of the frame has "SMC USA" in raised letters. Each bar has a stamped SMC logo.

Comments

Aside from the finish on the second bar and the updated edition of the code in the markings, this is essentially identical to the earlier version.

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NFPA 14600
(#1188)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired my SMC NFPA 14600 from On Rope 1 in 2009.

My SMC NFPA 14600 rack is 356 mm. tall, 93 mm. wide, 27 mm. thick, and weighs 845 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into a U, with an internal width of 32 mm. The bottom of the U is smashed flat. There are six brake bars. The top bar is a 92 mm. long, 25 mm. diameter, tubular stainless steel hyperbar (SMC model 12110). The remaining bars are 63 mm. long, 25 mm. diameter aluminum alloy bars. The second bar is anodized and has a rope centering groove and straight slot, and others have angled slots but no centering groove. Allowing 35 mm. for the rope leaves 153 mm. for spreading the bars.

One side of the frame is stamped with the Underwriters Laboratories classified logo, "20JF," "MEETS NFPA 1983 (2006 ED),"G-MBS 22kN Ø11-16," and "L-MBS 13.5kN Ø9.5-12.5." The other side of the frame has "SMC USA" in raised letters. Each bar has a stamped SMC logo.

Comments

This is a well-made rack. Six bars provide more than enough friction for my taste, and the long frame provides enough room to spread the bars adequately. The hyperbar increases the rack’s bulk. Although there are some offsetting advantages, a hyperbar is not necessary on a six-bar rack used for caving.

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Micro Rack
(#1415)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired this rack from Inner Mountain Outfitters at the 2014 NSS Convention.

My SMC Micro Rack is 239 mm. tall, 70 mm. wide, 22 mm. thick, and weighs 408 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into a U, with an internal width of 18 mm. There are four 22 mm. diameter brake bars. Allowing 35 mm. for the rope leaves 77 mm. for spreading the bars. The top bar is a single-sided hyperbar and the third bar is the same, inverted. These are 70 mm. long, the standard bars are 44 mm. long. All bars have shallow rope grooves that reduce the outer diameter by 0.5 mm.

The second bar has an black finish and is marked with the SMC logo, a Reading-Is-Dangerous icon, and "rope ø 7-12.5mm."

Comments

This is a nicely made rack. The shallow rope grooves help guide the rope, but they reduce the metal thickness. Fortunately, stainless steel bars wear well, at least on clean rope. The top hyperbar is important for heavier cavers, while the third, inverted hyperbar is more of a nonessential luxury that aids in tying off (although tying off can easily be done without it).

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