Fire Extinguishers???

[amboguy]

Hi everyone,

wondering what kind of fire extinguisher i should get?
what does everyone use one bush runs and in general in your truck?

jason

[Sadam_Husain]

1kg ones are a good size, dosent hurt to have a couple of them. Look for one with a secure mounting bracket with a decent catch or they keep popping out and start bouncing around your truck

[Jerry]

1kg minimum, the ones at supercheap seem ok, 2kg is better, I have a 1kg up front at hands reach and a 2kg at the rear. 2 x 1kg are less volume than 1 x 2kg.

Make sure its got a good metal strap to secure it (you may want to use a bit of velcro to replace it), and install it within easy reach.

It took 5 extingishers to put a fire out on a truck during a recent event.... so bigger/more is better.

[Swamped]

Is it the ABE class extinguishers you want?? I think thats what my one is.

[juz]

Some clubs require at least a 2kg extinguisher, incase your ever looking at joining a club? Oh and cheapest place I found was on Trademe $35, or http://www.newzealandfireextinguishers.co.nz/

[amboguy]

also dry powder/foam/co2??
preferances for each type

[juz]

Dry powder - To be used on
Class A Fires - Wood, Paper and Plastics,
Class B Fires - Flammable Liquids,
Class C Fires - Flammable Gases,
Class E Fires - Energised Electrical Equipment.

[Swamped]

From http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/fire-extinguishers/choosing-an-extinguisher

"Types of extinguisher

* Dry-powder extinguishers often contain sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or similar chemicals. When the powder is sprayed, it tries to smother the fire by excluding oxygen. As well the chemical breaks down at around 70°C and then releases carbon dioxide, which also excludes oxygen. Dry-powder extinguishers don't cool the fire.

* Foam extinguishers are water-based. The water is expelled with a foaming agent that increases its volume many times, and the foam then smothers the fire and removes oxygen. The heat of the fire also turns some of the water in the foam to steam - and this action cools the fire. But because foam extinguishers are water-based they are not recommended for use on electrical fires. They could give you an electric shock. (See below for more.)

Foam extinguishers use expanded water droplets to help smother a fire. This raises the extremely remote possibility of a person using a foam extinguisher receiving an electric shock if the foam found its way into exposed electrical connections and at the same time the user was touching something metal or was standing in a puddle of water. As far as we know, the possibility is theoretical and no one has ever received an electric shock from using a foam extinguisher on a cooktop fire.

In our view the efficiency of foam extinguishers far outweighs the theoretical risk of shock. Of course, you should never use a foam extinguisher on a switchboard or other electrical fire where the risk of electric shock becomes much more real.

* Carbon dioxide extinguishers stop the supply of oxygen to a fire. This type is multi-purpose and especially good for electrical equipment fires as there is no mess.

But the carbon dioxide comes out with some force, which means on liquids or on fires in loose material the flames can spread"

[Jerry]

My 2kg ones are ABE, and my 1kg supercheap one is ABE as well.

[tallsam66]

Dry powder is fine for having in a vehicle...the only thing to be careful of is they can be a little corrosive so if you do use it make sure to wash off all the powder after you use it .

[Landy Rover]

Yes, dead right, dry powder is cheap but they can cause real damage down the track especially in dash-electrical fires. Ive seen the results of these being used in a vehicle carpet fire, the powder goes in every nook and cranny. Two months later a whole raft of electricl gremlins started and on inspection, wiring conectors, circuit boards in instruments were corroded to hell. Be warned!!! Foam is the way to go, more expensive and in larger size, but no lasting after effects

[hosehustler]

Try and find an old BCF extinguisher if you can get hold of one they're the best by far, they will do everything just like DP but no mess
You can only get them 2nd hand as illegal now except for the aviation industry as it's a bad ozone depleater (not illegal to use one on a fire) also getting harder to find, they were most often painted yellow, I have a 3kg one which is a good size.

[Storm]

I have a BCF type, just took a look and its a 1989 year!!! was going to throw it but hey, are they that good I should keep it....

[Jerry]

its probably due for a retest by now....

[hosehustler]

I have a BCF type, just took a look and its a 1989 year!!! was going to throw it but hey, are they that good I should keep it....

Keep it, BCF is a liquid when it's pressurised or stored under pressure, turning to a vapour when released to atmospheric pressure often referred to as a vapourising liquid, some of them were pressurised with nitrogen as well to give extra throw when used, so testing was usually a weight check and visual check of cylinder condition and a top up of nitrogen if they were that type. So if you weigh it and it's close to what it should weigh it should work fine.
I carry a small 1kg DP as well as the BCF.

[tallsam66]

Id go for an ABE Dry powder...the most versatile one to carry that will put out all the likely things you might come up against in a vehicle.
Also a good idea to go on a course to learn how to use the various types of extingusiher out there.

http://www.wormald.com.au/fire-products/fire-extinguishers/extinguisher-selection-and-fire-classification

[curly12]

Id go for an ABE Dry powder...the most versatile one to carry that will put out all the likely things you might come up against in a vehicle.
Also a good idea to go on a course to learn how to use the various types of extingusiher out there.

http://www.wormald.com.au/fire-products/fire-extinguishers/extinguisher-selection-and-fire-classification

I am talking to the local fire brigade about a demo/training day for the welly crew at the moment. Hope to firm things up before christmas. Haven't told Taz yet but we will probbably want one of his POS to torch

[Jerry]

Only one