Fire bad. (Fire extinguishers)

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by oil pan 4, Jun 3, 2016.


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  1. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    This is pretty much every day shtf stuff.
    What do you use for a fire extinguisher?

    Had a gas turbine generator catch on fire the other day when I left a noob alone with it for 30 seconds. It was just a battery wire but could have been a lot worse.
    Used dry Chem ABC to put it out.
    After my wife used one to put out a toaster a few years ago I said no more. The dry Chem gets everywhere and they are one time use and you have to service them. I still have ABC dry Chem as a last resort.
    I don't like dry Chem because they are one time use, even just one little squirt and they have to be taken apart and cleaned, serviced with powder and charged with nitrogen. Or all the remaining nitrogen will bleed off within a few hours.
    Dry Chem ABC also makes a better than nothing last resort weapon and smoke screen.
    So picked up a 15lb CO2 and two 5 gallon pressurized water squirters.
    The pressurized water extinguishers were practicality free, bought from the scrap yard for 50 cents a pound, empty of course. I love these things. Super easy to operate and user serviceable. Just add 4 gallons of water, a little dawn soap and pressurize with 100psi of air and they knock down a lot of fire. Add a little more dawn soap ans they can take down hornet nests. Major fire threat at home is grass fires, these are perfect for grass fires. Not good for burning puddles of liquid or electrical.
    My other favorite are the CO2 extinguishers, the original ABC. These are expensive, I got mine used for around $140. You can use one or 2 squirts and put them away. Refilling them is just as easy as refills on any CO2 cylinder, just charge and go.
    The only bad thing with CO2 is they pack a pretty big punch, to the point where they can actually spread the fire around more. You have to throttle the CO2 discharge rate back to avoid this. Other wise it's a clean agent, works ok for killing mice and bugs.
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2023
  2. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    Great Post!
     
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  3. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    I have the First Alert dry chem extinguishers...... One in the shop, garage, kitchen pantry and upstairs, as well as an extinguisher in each vehicle. In addition, I have a first aid kit with each extinguisher for medical emergencies as well.
     
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  4. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    I just carry bottles of water in the vehicles. Probably should get a vehicle one.
     
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  5. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    I also carry water, food, ammo, shelter and much more. ;)
     
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  6. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    I keep 2 of the dry chem 30 pounders I think they call them on my welding truck, one on each side of the bed. I *think* there is still one of the small ones in the club cab under the rear seat. Honestly need a couple more for the house. I carry one of the large pressurized o2 ones on the truck when I know I'll be working in an area where I could start ground fire-hay field, wheat field ect.

    BTW, as a kid in high school we used to swipe them from school and use them for water fights while dragg'in the ave on a Friday night. Nothing like pulling up next to a buddy's car at a stop light and hosing him and his passengers down through the open window on a Friday night:rolleyes:
     
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  7. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    I keep a 50# CO2 bottle in the PowerHouse, for use on electrical & Diesel Fires in there... Never use a Dry Chem on a Running Engine, no matter What... I keep a 20# Dry Chem in the Cabin, as well as another 50# CO2 as a Primary extinguisher.... Fire is the biggest Danger, out in the Bush... Once started, they are dang near impossible to put out... And they can destroy a place very fast, leaving nothing but ashes...
     
  8. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    We have had 3 car fires at work... the first two individuals used the dry chem extinguishers from the computer labs... both cars were totaled and over 23 fire extinguishers were used... the last car fire our safety manager got smart and placed CO2 extinguishers near the exits to the parking lots and the fire was out with 2 extinguishers and minimal damage to the care...

    Just sayin... watch what you use on the fire one extinguisher may not work on all types of fires....
     
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  9. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Yeah, I got the First Alert dry chemical for the house. I never thought about a CO2 for the garage with the cars and all the flammable liquids until now but definite a good idea that I will look into. Out of curiosity, where would one get a CO2 bottle charged as I have no way of doing so?
     
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  10. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Any local gas supply house should be able to do it. You may have to leave it until they get around to it.
    On oxy-acetylene it is normally a bottle swap, unless they are private tanks, then it is your tanks refilled. It should be no diffrent with any other gas they sell.
     
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  11. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Learning the right agent for the fire is most important , I'm surprised they didn't teach this in school.
    modern education is so stupid.
    Dad was a fireman in the service, and taught me volumes, and I fought fire in the forest service, including a few of my own through out my life time .
    Forest service fire fighting ,my favorite tools are the Pulaski the shovel and the water back pack.
    A good shovel can put out a lot of fire using dirt.
    In those days I could throw dirt 30-40 feet accurately to put out a tree fire.(Much like Hi Li )
    Any one venturing in the woods should take responsibility in fire safety and prevention as well as the courage to fight a fire especially before it escalates .
    But selfishly going to the woods zero concern for forest fires, with only a teaspoon doesn't cut it. IMO
    The least I take (with no vehicle) is a good size folding shovel ,something I can throw dirt with.
    Truck camping gets the whole arsenal of fire fighting gear.
    I keep water charged, C02 and baking soda (powder) extinguishers all over the place and in my vehicles.
    In fact a part of my system here a the house is water tanks (used and repaired water heaters, well tanks and such ) are tied together and plumbed in the city water with a check valve to prevent loss if the city lines fail . roughly 230 gallons.
    There is an air tank that maintains pressure any way.
    A single hose can tied to the house in the event I need it. or charge the bibs on the property.
    The water from those tanks is used in my washing machine, so it is cycled regularly.
    In the event the city system is down , I can repressurize those tanks and have water for fire fighting or any thing else pressurized water is critical .
    I have the capacity to install yet another tank with an access so I can add from other water sources say form a bucket , and I can close again and repressurize the system . adding valves and check valves can help prevent loss.
    One other thing comes to mind as well and that is building a sprinkler system especially for your for reserves . they should be in water proof containers to begin with ,but in the event there is a fire and your not home to do any thing about it. a sprinkler system in your safe room or food storage can make a big difference , even in the resale value of the home for that matter.
    So it's a win /win investment. Yet another project I have to do.
     
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  12. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Ask at the local fire house, betcha they'll have a pretty good idea where to get them filled. Also, there is apt to be a fire protection contractor not too far away from the house that can deal with it directly.
     
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  13. GOG

    GOG Free American Monkey

    @oil pan 4 thanks for posting this, it gave me a nudge. I just checked my extinguishers and realized I can't afford not to buy more. I don't have enough and I also need a couple for the shop and carport.
     
  14. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    @oil pan 4
    I second what @GOG said, "thanks for posting this, it gave me a nudge." I went out and inspected the garage and will purchase some fire extinguishers early next week when I go to town. It's on the 'do list.' It's too serious to mess around with...
     
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  15. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    New pressurized water extinguishers seem like they would be cheap enough.
    They are around $50 to $150 on evilbay.
    If you out have a local fire supply shop they will have them too, most fire fighting and safety shops deal in slightly used equipment, that is where I got my used CO2 extinguisher.
     
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  16. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    Fire, it's coming to your city or one near you.
     
  17. Tempstar

    Tempstar Monkey+++

    I have several dip tube CO2 bottles I keep for fire fighting after having a fuel line break on a truck years ago and CO2 was all I had. It put out the fire and there was no clean up. Then I tried liquid CO2 on the burn barrel and was sold. I have 2 in the house with 10' hoses and 1 in the garage with a 3' hose and all have a blow gun. There is a danger of frostbite but better that than my shanty burning down. 20# bottles like used for soft drinks were $26 to refill at Airgas about a month ago.
     
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  18. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    @Tempstar
    Please post pictures of these units .. I have dry chem and foam due to shop / gov regs , but my own private batch of your stuff sonds the best .
    Sloth
     
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  19. TnAndy

    TnAndy Senior Member Founding Member

    I keep a lot of the ABC dry chemical extinguishers around the place:

    One in the car, one in the truck:
    [​IMG]

    Steps down to the basement (quick access from living room) Also keep (right side of photo) Chimfex sticks to throw in the wood stoves to smother a chimney fire.
    [​IMG]

    Basement wood stove (and more Chimfex)
    [​IMG]

    Another in the basement
    [​IMG]

    Garage just outside kitchen door:
    [​IMG]

    Auxiliary kitchen/meat cutting room
    [​IMG]
    Kitchen broom closet. This one is a Halon type.
    [​IMG]

    Dry chem marine type on the tractor roll bar with a quick release mount.
    [​IMG]
     
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  20. nkawtg

    nkawtg Monkey+++

    35 years ago I put a fire extinguisher in my car then a week later I saw a car pulled over and he had a small fire under the hood.
    Knocked it down and went on my way. I later replaced it.
    Then a year later I put out another vehicle fire and I didn't replace it after that.
    Now without an extinguisher, I have not witnessed another vehicle fire for almost 35 years.
     
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