There is presently a conversation about equipment fires in the "Skid Steer" topic but fire extinguishers are a general safety issue so I decided to make it's own topic.
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Can I get an "amen" that this one looks OK?? well...
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I will agree until you look at the nozzle. Yikes!!! Yup, a dirt dauber had chosen to make this it's hatchery.
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I cleared it out taking care to also remove the inner seal. This is an end seal like I put on my rifle barrel muzzle.
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I folded the tape end back onto itself to create a pull tab to quickly remove the tape.
Man, that's a great point. I never thought of that. I have to go check mine now. I keep two of these mounted on the Mule, one on each side and usually have a third in the storage box. During the warmer months though I keep a bigger PW extinguisher in the bed, it's handy for other stuff besides fires.
One of the thing most folks forget or don't know about these small 1-5# extinguishers is that they expire in just a year and they are not rechargeable. Check the date on them, it's there somewhere. You are supposed to replace them every year. the larger more expensive ones are supposed to be checked and serviced every year.
Another point is that once you pull the trigger on these, even an accidental 'blip', they are done, because the valve can't fully reseal and the remaining pressure will bleed out.
Last point, if you use one of these dry chem units DO NOT breathe the dust at all. I have no info on lasting health effects (but it can't be good for ya) however I can tell you one good snoot full and you will have a 2 alarm headache for quite a while, maybe even a little puking
thrown in just for fun. I took a snootfull on an initial knockdown of an incipient structure fire once and it took me a full day and night to shake that headache. It was hard running the pump on the engine when I was constantly gagging and had to puke every 2 minutes. :D Ah good times!
Good catch on the clogged nozzle, that could have been bad. I'll be checking mine.
Good topic. I need to pay more attention to my fire extinguishers.
Mud daubers! taz-smiley They drive me crazy! They will stop up any exposed holes with their special glue mud that's stronger than any known man-made adhesive. I try not to leave anything exposed, but that's an impossible task. I never considered the fire extinguisher angle.
Time to replace all mine and add a few more. I'm considering using the serviceable kind this time, but . . .
As a firefighter, you would think I would be well prepared with fire extinguishers around like all of you, but such is not the case. I have one in the shop and that's it. I should get a few more to keep around the mill, mule, tractor area. When I do, I'll remember to tape off the nozzle to keep out the wasps.
No, that doesn't surprise me at all Bill. Lets face it, how often do we use a dry chem off the truck? The one exception is combustible metals fires. I do use my PW's a lot because recharging is free and takes 5 minutes. They work good on wasp nests and misbehaving kids. ;D
I want to correct something I wrote in the post above. I just checked the 3# extinguisher I keep by the house wood stove. Turns out after reading all the fine print, that one is rated for 12 years after the stamped year on the bottom. I still have to check the ones on the mule. I just wanted to set the record straight, read your instructions on the can.
Those small ones ain't really worth much. Many is the car fire we arrived at and 6 of them were laying on the side of the road with the fire fully involved. Half of them only let out a single spurt and were done...too old.
But I saved a New Holland Skid Steer from burning to the ground with .....
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two of those throw-away fire extinguishers this year.
I was told you should tip them upside down and smack them on the bottom with a rubber mallet every so often to fluff up the powder that settled.
Smack them on the bottom to re-fluff them. Mmmmmm, are we still talking fire extinguishers? ???
Good on you MM! Yeah, one is never enough, that's why I have at least two on the Mule. I work in many p[laces with no cell service and I know the Fire Department probably couldn't reach me in a timely manner even if I could make the call.
We once got called to an oil delivery truck fire, The driver couldn't get the engine to shut off (the details are fuzzy now) and by the time we arrived, they nearly had it fully out by throwing piles of snow on top of the engine. Just smothered it out. ;D Not sure what happened with the 'Required by law' extinguisher that was supposed to be on that truck.
Yeah, fluffing, I have heard that but have no scientific data to support it. I always give them a shake before I pull the trigger. Its a habit, I don't know where it came from, maybe nervous energy and kind of like revving a saw before you enter the cut. It could lead to a new public service campaign, 'remember to set your clocks back, change your smoke alaram battery, and fluff your extinguishers!' :D :D :D :D
Speaking of dry chem, here's a neat little trick. Blasting a dry chem extinguisher into a working chimney fire is not easy and can, in itself, be hazardous. But if you talk nice to your fire equipment supplier you may just be able to get some of the dry chem itself. You put a pound or two in a brown paper bag (a 'sack' if you are west of the Mississippi) and just tape the top shut. When you have a working chimney fire, just jump up on the roof and drop it down the chimney. The fire will burn off that bag right quick and the dry chem will go to work. I always liked keeping some of these chimney bombs on the truck, it can reduce the level of excitement pretty quick in the right conditions.
Quote from: Raider Bill on November 26, 2021, 05:17:59 PM
I was told you should tip them upside down and smack them on the bottom with a rubber mallet every so often to fluff up the powder that settled.
Bill is right. The dry powder tends to settle in the bottom of the canister in a hard packed solid. So at least every year you should shake every dry powder fire extinguisher vigorously until you fluff up the powder. If shaking does not do the trick, use Bill's rubber hammer trick.
I saw an ad for a new fire extinguisher a few days ago.
https://www.firstalert.com/fire-extinguishers/ez-fire-spray/ez-fire-spray/SAP_AF400.html
Might be good for a kitchen.
I'm not so sure about that little fire extinguisher. You are supposed to smother a grease fire rather than blowing it around the area with any spray extinguisher. And how could they possibility claim it could spray four times longer than any other fire extinguisher. ???
Looks like it is made to sell and not use.
Edit: It's being sold as a "fire spray" and thus apparently does not have a fire class rating. ::)
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on November 26, 2021, 06:16:24 PM
When you have a working chimney fire, just jump up on the roof and drop it down the chimney.
A lot easier to do in the glaciated north where the ground catches up to the eves as winter progresses. Thankfully that phenomenon dosen't occur down this way. :D
Not too much chance of chimney fire when your firewood pile is smaller than your air conditioner. 😏
You are a bad man. ;D
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And you're a good role model.
Quote from: Southside on November 26, 2021, 08:23:13 PM
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on November 26, 2021, 06:16:24 PM
When you have a working chimney fire, just jump up on the roof and drop it down the chimney.
A lot easier to do in the glaciated north where the ground catches up to the eves as winter progresses. Thankfully that phenomenon dosen't occur down this way. :D
OK, I will give you that one SS, but even if the snow is up to the eaves that doesn't mean you can run up on the roof. I did have a ladder in mind in my scenario. When you are feel the wall rumbling and facing the option of your house burning down you would be surprised how fast you can grab a ladder and 'hop up' on the roof. It's actually easier without the snow. (ever try to drag a 16' ladder through 3' of snow in a hurry?) ;D :D
Quote from: Magicman on November 26, 2021, 08:51:08 PM
You are a bad man. ;D
Don't be mad Lynn, I envy you being able to cut, split, and stack enough firewood for the season in a single day and still have time to mow the lawn after. :D ;D
10 cord is my safe zone and I am only at about 7 now and am seriously worried, but I have no time. So take comfort in your security that you will be fine in those blackouts you seem to get which seem to be endless for minutes at a time. :D You can thumb your nose at the rest of us.
(sorry, I just could not resist.)
Let me know if you need some Tom. This is my pile at the moment.
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Actually, I take that back, that is about half the pile right now. Barge don't know it but he has competition. :D
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on November 26, 2021, 09:20:29 PMDon't be mad Lynn, I envy you being able to cut, split, and stack enough firewood for the season in a single day and still have time to mow the lawn after.
I resemble that statement because I have not mowed my lawn since Wednesday, yes the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. :D
Quote from: Southside on November 26, 2021, 09:35:48 PM
Let me know if you need some Tom. This is my pile at the moment.
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Actually, I take that back, that is about half the pile right now. Barge don't know it but he has competition. :D
Yeah, @BargeMonkey (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=24634) should be looking over his shoulder because he would need to run his processor for well over an hour to catch up with that pile. Yes, I envy you for your pile and I am ashamed that I don't have my wood done yet. It throws me off in every respect. Things just ain't right and it bothers me a lot. I have an out of course, but that means asking for help which I rarely do even if we could solve the problem in a day. Firewood is hard earned money for them what sell it, but it's a lot more important for those what really need it to keep moving on.
I keep a good sized one here at the house and a smaller one as well. I've used the bigger one before on a flu fire in the old farm house. Sprayed'er in the furnace and she sucked 'er right up the flu, fire gone.
When I get the shop up, one will be out there to before any fire is built in the stove. :)
I've got 18 cord here not far from the stove, but I can probably add 4 or 5 more when the shop is up. I don't mind since the woods needs thinned out and it's cheap. ;D Did I say I like wood fire? As the neighbor would say about her barrel full of gasoline in the back, 'got it, might as well burn it'. :D
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on November 26, 2021, 06:16:24 PM
Speaking of dry chem, here's a neat little trick. Blasting a dry chem extinguisher into a working chimney fire is not easy and can, in itself, be hazardous. But if you talk nice to your fire equipment supplier you may just be able to get some of the dry chem itself. You put a pound or two in a brown paper bag (a 'sack' if you are west of the Mississippi) and just tape the top shut. When you have a working chimney fire, just jump up on the roof and drop it down the chimney. The fire will burn off that bag right quick and the dry chem will go to work. I always liked keeping some of these chimney bombs on the truck, it can reduce the level of excitement pretty quick in the right conditions.
We do pretty much the same here Tom and been quite successful at that but we use a 1 gallon ziplock bag that just melts and the powder gets dispersed. We store the bags along with an old rectangular truck mirror for looking up the chimney through the clean out (if there is one) in a galvanized salvage tub just in case they get torn so we don't have dry chem powder all over the compartment.
Brent
We used to carry plastic bags of dry chem. Mostly now, we just put a fan in the front door and open up the stove or fireplace. Shoot dry chem into the stove until dry chem comes out the chimney.
Quote from: firefighter ontheside on November 27, 2021, 01:35:48 PM
We used to carry plastic bags of dry chem. Mostly now, we just put a fan in the front door and open up the stove or fireplace. Shoot dry chem into the stove until dry chem comes out the chimney.
We have done that as well Bill. We try to avoid water on a block or clay flue unless we have extension into the structure due to the potential for cracking the flue but sometime you have no choice. Much prefer the dry chem option.
Brent
My dad owned a fire extinguisher service and repair business when I was growing up. I spent many days of my childhood hanging around his shop and "helping." And going on service calls to the shipyards and businesses. I can also recall looking at extinguishers around town to see if Dad's signature was on the card.
Anyway, He would discharge old extinguishers, sandblast, repaint, recharge, etc. My job was to sift the river sand that was dumped on the parking lot so his sandblaster wouldn't get clogged. 😂
If I think about it just right, I can still smell that dry chemical 40 years later.
Just the other day at the firehouse someone brought an expired dry chem extinguisher to the firehouse and asked if we could dispose of it for them. I put it in my truck and it will now be my expired extinguisher for use around the place.
Last time I was up at the fire training center we had about 300 of them in various shapes, sizes, and conditions. They were trying to fiure out what to do with them all. ;D
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on December 07, 2021, 09:44:59 PM
Last time I was up at the fire training center we had about 300 of them in various shapes, sizes, and conditions. They were trying to fiure out what to do with them all. ;D
That seems like a good problem!
We put a new fire extinguisher in each new police car, and when stripping the old turn in cars removed the old extinguishers. After 130,000 miles of rolling around in the trunk they were in rough shape, safety pins missing, some were empty and some went off when removing from nooks and crannies. Nasty stuff, cough,cough!
There was a fire extinguisher incident in our local Kroger this week. I just missed seeing what happened, but the after effects were awful.
The cloud started to climb up from the back end of the kitchen utensil aisle near the cheese aisle at the back of the store. I came around the corner to see the extinguisher on the floor. The hose was still attached to the strap. But the floor had 1/4" of dry chem on it half way up the aisle.
Shoppers just kept on shopping and didnt seem to care. They were just walking up and down the aisle.
Within 10 minutes, the cloud was into the produce department. All the time, there was no urgency from the staff.
They will be cleaning that store for weeks.
You can always just take them out for a ride now and then, they seem to appreciate it. :D
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Speaking of making a mess with an extinguisher. When I was in the Air Force I worked in Tech Engineering for Minuteman Missiles. We got called out to the ReEntry Vehicle area to look at an APU on an unmarked semi bristling with antennas. As we were looking at the unit the APU caught fire. It was quickly put out with a purple K fire extinguisher. After the incident my buddy, for God knows what reason, tried to put the pin back in the extinguisher. He shot purple K all over the shoes of our full bird Deputy commander for maintenance. The commander was a good sport about it, but it took him a long time to live that one down.
Doug in SW IA
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In reply #7, the talk was about smacking the extinguisher on the bottom while having turned it up side down.
While rebuilding our boat, I was told to mount all of the extinguishers sideways instead of up-right. In other words they should be horizontal so that when the boat rocks or tips on its side as the wind blows, the dry chemical inside the extinguisher bottle will keep itself fluffy and loose instead of packing down to the bottom of the bottle .
I wonder if the same trick will work in a car or truck or dozer or . . . . . ?
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