Fire Extinguishers - when need to replace?

[micky]

After I used my ABC FE on my oven, and days before the window in front of the oven broke, I realized I could not possibly clean well a continuously cleaning oven. So I called an FE company and asked what if some of the powder fell on the food, and he said, Not a problem.

Huh. I wonder what that was. My cheap kidde ABC, about as big as a small propane gas tank for a hand held torch, that sprays powder was used on the top of the oven too, but didn't damage anything. The range hood is still fine, the radios in the room, the tv.

[micky]

Didn't he miss the point here, guys? I suppose it's hard to tell without being inside, but one isn't supposeed to have to shake so hard he loosens caked powder. If the powder is caked when you start shaking it, it will be caked again within a month, I presume is what was meant.

[krw]

It was a fairly common dry fire extinguisher at the time. The blue powder got into everything and was highly corrosive.

[krw]

OTOH, a FE likely to be seen in a home has one purpose in life; to get your ass out.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Another thing to keep in mind is todays' newly built houses burn 8 times faster than older houses which were built with more natural materials. They are talking about changing the code so even private residential single houses built with sprinklers.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Right

Not a requirement so no problem.

[Stormin Mormon]

Yes, I can see the combination of ether and spark being a real blast. I'm glad you were not injured. Sorry to hear there was a lot of damage to the car.

. Christ>

[Stormin Mormon]

I don't have any data, but the FE guys I talk with seem to think that it takes many months, or years for the powder to cake.

. Christ> On Sun, 15 Sep 2013 17:05:15 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson

and shaking to loosen up possibly caked powder!

[Stormin Mormon]

Yes, I've heard that from a couple sources. Youtube has some videos about "light weight construction". The homes of now days are loaded with plastic and truss frame construction. They go fast, hot, and collapse earlier than the homes of years gone by.

The home owner or passerby on the spot int he first minutes with a FE can be the difference between a mess and a total loss.

The fire department women and men are world's finest people, and they are also often several minutes away, in the days of staff shortages, volunteer departments, and congested roads.

. Christ> Hi,

[Stormin Mormon]

Here is one such light weight construction home.

Unsure how the fire started, here.

Another video, a homeowner had a fire pit on the back deck, and left the hot coals.

. Christ> Yes, I've heard that from a couple sources. Youtube has

[clare]

Must have used an INSANE amount of ether to blow the valve covers off. Either that or it was very badly flooded witha lot of gasoline in the crankcase!!! It definitely wasn't because of a little spritz of ether into the intake.

[trader4]

What nonsense. If that were true, there would be millions of illegal fire extinguishers out there.

[Stormin Mormon]

Hey, that's racially insensitive. They are "undocumented" fire extinguishers. Just cause they don't have paper work proving they are citizens, we can't call them illegal.

I bet you're racist, too? You want to talk about illegal RED fire extinguishers? Man, you need sensitivity training.

There ought to be a "Path to Citizenship" for undocumented fire extinguishers, so they can enjoy the benefits of US society.

The time is now! A call to action. Contact your Congressman, immediately.

. Christ> >> Local city FD fireman come around house to house to check on smoke

[Nate Nagel]

Commercial FE's need to be pressure tested and recharged (or replaced) every 6 years I believe. No requirement for private homes unless local code. But it is a good idea to keep an eye on them. Also with ABC (dry powder) types it is a good idea to move them around, turn upside down, whatever while inspecting them. I don't have any science to back this up but it makes sense that you don't want that powder settling/compacting, you want to keep it loose so that the FE will go off when you want it to.

Don't test the FE - just keep an eye on the gauge, and when it goes low, get it recharged or replace it depending on value of FE.

nate

[Nate Nagel]

That is what I've heard as well. Shouldn't be an issue with commerical extinguishers which are never left hanging in the same place longer than

6 years but if you e.g. use old commercial ones as "better than nothing" in your house it might be a concern.

nate

[Stormin Mormon]

As for me, if I ever use a dry chem FE, I plan to invert and shake the unit before approaching the fire. It only takes a second, and may make the difference between put out the fire, or vent the propellant.

I should mention calling the fire department, or 911 to report the fire before getting involved with fire extinguishers. They never object to being called in case of something really on fire. If they show up and find a citizen with a fire extinguisher starting on the job, that's OK also. Or if the concerned citizen puts the fire out, that's good too.

The two times I've used a FE for unplanned fire, I neglected to call for FD help. As it happens, I got the fire out, and there was no danger of spreading fire. Ah, well. At that particular moment, it wasn't a big deal. If I'd used the entire FE and the fire was still going, I'd have phoned for fire department. A lawn mower on fire in the middle of the wet green grass isn't a high risk of conflagration.

. Christ>

[trader4]

You're a funny guy!

[Ralph Mowery]

That would not surprise me in some cities. If not required and not one in the house, OK, but if one is in the house it has to have an inspection tag..

Sort of like where I worked. Most areas and jobs did not require a dusk mask. If you thought it might help keep dust out of you while doing a job, you had to get a documment stating it was not needed and you were just doing it to make you feel safer. However if you had a beard they would not give you that documment because they said it would not seal off your face correctly and you could not wear one even though it was not needed.

[trader4]

I'd like to see any actual ordinance that says that. It would be 180 deg opposite public policy. People having a fire extinguisher is a good thing for the public. Tell them that if they go down to Walmart and buy a $20 extinguisher for the kitchen that they then have to have it inspected every year, most people would not buy one, which is the opposite of good policy.

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, What is the point of buying one and not keeping it in good working order then? Do you as an owner have an ability to determine the FE will do it's job when needed? For me I always go 110% every thing on safety issues. Drilled into my head as a kid growing up and during my active career.