What does a gated wye enable that a non-gated wye does not?

A gated wye allows for regulating the flow to each side of the wye independently, which is its primary advantage over a non-gated wye. Each outlet on a gated wye is equipped with its own valve, enabling firefighters to control and adjust the water flow to each arm according to the needs of the situation. This feature is especially beneficial in scenarios where different hose lines may require varying amounts of water pressure or flow rates, allowing for a more tailored response to the fire conditions.

In contrast, a non-gated wye typically does not have these individual control valves, resulting in the same amount of flow going to all connections at the same time. Thus, if one line needs to be adjusted or shut off, it affects all the connected lines, which can lead to difficulties during firefighting efforts.

In this context, other options such as remote control of valves, tamper-proof security, or the ability to connect hoses of unequal diameters do not pertain to the unique functionality provided by a gated wye. Therefore, the capacity to independently regulate flow to each side is clearly the distinguishing feature of a gated wye.