Fire Extinguisher

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rats1955

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 26, 2006
Posts
70
Location
Montana
My fire extinguisher in my 5th wheel is at the entrance just off the floor.  When winterizing my trailer last fall, I bumped it and broke off part of the top.  I want to replace it with a new one.  What kind and rating should I get and where can I mount it so this will not happen again?  Does any one put other fire extinguishers in other parts of the trailer?
 
You want it in a secure place, close to the exit, and you want as big as you can get.

Just inside the door is generally the best place. It's available for use both inside and out that way. It's at the exit so you would naturally go to the safe exit, get the extinguisher and then decide whether to go back and fight or to flee. Safety of the user is important.

The bracket that you mount it with should keep it from getting broken. Hopefully it was just an odd bump that dislodged it. If it's really in the way, perhaps move it back or sideways some to a better location.

If you have a fire, bigger is better. I carry 3A 40BC extinguishers. I buy mine at Costco, the lowest price I've found. These are commonly called the 5 pound extinguisher, instead of the more common 2 1/2 pound size. There are several reasons for this. One, twice as much agent. Two, a hose to direct the agent around a corner, thru a slot, under a counter etc. Three, it's big enough to break a window if needed to gain access to a fire. I have 3 extinguishers in my rig. One in the bedroom, one by the door, one in the propane compartment. I have a MH so your trailer may need some alteration of this placement. The propane compartment which by law is not ever locked gives me rapid access even without keys to get inside.

Of course you probably remember to shake the units monthly to keep the agent from packing inside, check the gauge - tap it with a finger to make sure it didn't stick, familiarize with the locking pin, aim at the base of fire, sweep agent across the base, never "practice" by shooting a little of the agent out, and all those other things.

Here's hoping you never use it.

Ken
 
bucks2 said:
snip... Of course you probably remember to shake the units monthly to keep the agent from packing inside, ...snip

That's something I didn't know Ken. Thanks for the tip. I don't know if I should toss the 2 (or maybe 3) year old extinguisher that came with my TT and get a new one now or not. What do you think?
 
Forget the dry chemical extinguishers.  Go to the Mac the Fire Guy web site and get some of his foam extinguishers.  We have a large on by the entrance door and assorted smaller ones around the motorhome.  One in the bedroom, one in the galley and one in an outside compartment.
 
First the fire extinguisher that came with the trailer is not the best kind

Google "Mac The Fire guy or Mac McCoy  if he's still around (posibility he is not.. Nothing sinister) he's the expert I trust.

I have two Foam All Class extinguishers here,  ONe by the bed, one higher up by the door.

Plus two powder jobs, the little one Damon installed, and a 20 pounder.

Several things are considered when firefighting. Powder has it's place, The foam jobs I have are good on most all fires  But on some things just water is better, (Epically fogged) normally these are not (Yet) fires though. 

Mac, is the expert.

I see while I was typing this someone else came with the link to Mac's page

So,  Moved and seconded, Mac the Fire Guy.
 
Ned said:
Forget the dry chemical extinguishers.  One in the bedroom, one in the galley and one in an outside compartment.
Absolutely! If you wake up in bed with a fire between you, your exit and your fire extinguisher, well... you see.

Kev
 
The government does not go more than 5 years on an extinguisher. Every 5 years they have to be sonic tested or replaced. 
 
  Just shaking a dry extinguisher may not always suffice.  I believe it is suggested that a rubber mallet be used to loosen the settled powder first (upside down) and then vigorously shake to finish the process.

 
Before you get too floppy eared throwing away your multi-purpose dry chem extinguishers, remember that some states required a "rated" fire extinguisher onboard. I find nowhere on Mac the fire guys site that his AFFF extinguishers have ANY rating. They may very well have an A and/or B rating but it isn't displayed on his site anywhere that I could find. AFFF is an excellent agent but to my knowledge is not currently rated for Class C / electrical fires.

Here's the Amerex site (http://amerex-fire.com/products/coast-guard-approved-2%C2%BD-gallon-afff-foam-extinguisher/) stating theirs is not rated or recommended for electrical fire.

Here is a British site that has good general explanations of the types of extinguishers. (http://www.ffmservices.com/products/fire-extinguishers/) Again with the warning that AFFF extiguishers are not for use on electrical fires.

Spraying a water based extiguishers on other types of fires also may cause more harm than dry chemical. For example a brake/wheel bearing fire will not react as well to water as it will to dry chemical since the hot metal may crack and it will continue to evaporate the finished foam mixture. The dry chem will tend to form a crust on the hot metal and stick to it continuing to extinguish the flame.

The powder even though it is siliconized to resist it, will tend to pack down over time and eventually not come out of the can. To counteract that, turn the extinguisher over and feel the powder slide or drop to the other end. Do this a few times each month to make sure it stays in powder form. Vehicles are especially prone to this after years of vibrating down the road, or for boats bouncing down the waterway. Watch the professional fire extinguisher guy check an extinguisher sometime if you get a chance. You'll see him use a rubber mallet to pound on the sides and make sure everything is loose inside.

Again, I'd like to think none of us will ever use an extinguisher and then it will never matter what kind you have.

Ken
 
When my commercial lobster boat is examined by the Coast Guard, they always turn it upside down and trap the bottom with a rubber mallet and tell me to do it monthly.  The dry chemical will settle on the bottom and vibration will pack it even tighter.  Try the rubber mallet tap.  You can feel the chemical fall when you hit it.  Much better than shaking it.
 
When my commercial lobster boat is examined by the Coast Guard, they always turn it upside down

The USCGS has never turned our boat upside down for a safety inspection  ;D  OTOH I've seen marine surveyors take a ball pein hammer to every inch of the hull, inside and out, during a pre-sale/purchase survey  :eek:

Good advice on using a mallet.
 
+1 for Mac the Fire Guy. We have several of his extinguishers, three small and one large. If you get a chance, go see his demo, and you'll be a believer!
 
Mac IS still around. I just attended one of his classes about 2 weeks ago. Very informative and using his foam extinguishers next to the chemical units was a eye opening experience.
He did comment to drop your extinguisher on the edge of the bottom from about 3 or 4 inches  on a flat rock (or anything like that) once and a while to help keep things loose.
I now carry 5 extinquishers on board and 1 in the toad.
 
hdrider said:
Very informative and using his foam extinguishers next to the chemical units was a eye opening experience.
A eye opening experience was going through the USCG ship board fire school way back in the mid 1970s.  They lit up a 30 foot pool filled with oil for us to try to put out.  That was fun, and that foam would have made it so much easier.
 
hdrider said:
Mac IS still around. I just attended one of his classes about 2 weeks ago. Very informative and using his foam extinguishers next to the chemical units was a eye opening experience.

I have seen Mac's presentation one time (Very impressive) and another done by a Fire Department as well,, And one more.

Learned from all 3,, Knowledge on the "one other" (Which was about prevention, not extinguishing) came in handy once.  (The demo gave me cause to remain calm and NOT panic when a bus showed symptoms of a fire, BUS runs on diesel, Diesel does not burn exactly like gasoline does So the Driver and I got out of the way of the panicked foliks and let them off first.. Fire turned out to be electircal, and self extinguished).

FD, .. Well a passing motorist had seen the smoke and called them before the bus driver even stopped!!!. So they "Gave chase" as it were. (Nice they were right there)

Learned a whole lot about fire fighting from both the FD and Mac. As I said, have 4  extinguishers here, 2 foam, 2 powder.
 
parmm said:
A eye opening experience was going through the USCG ship board fire school way back in the mid 1970s.  They lit up a 30 foot pool filled with oil for us to try to put out.  That was fun, and that foam would have made it so much easier.

"way back in the 1970s"  ???  what you talkin 'bout Willis ???  We ran some of those exercises in Uncle Sam's Navy  "way back in the 1950s" . :D ;D 
 
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