How to escape from MH bedroom in case of fire

[JerArdra]

Tin Man,

I looked at the web site you listed and my Kidde i9040 detector uses Ionization.  This appears to be the best type for this use because if all that Ammonia or whatever chemical's are in our Norcold refer started burning it seems to me that the fire would flare up immediately into a flaming fire.

Thanks for the info.

JerryF

PS,  The other benefit of the Kidde i9040 is that the horn is connected to the circuit board using wires so I could cut them and move the horn inside the coach.

 

[Wavery]

Tin Man,

I looked at the web site you listed and my Kidde i9040 detector uses Ionization.  This appears to be the best type for this use because if all that Ammonia or whatever chemical's are in our Norcold refer started burning it seems to me that the fire would flare up immediately into a flaming fire.

Thanks for the info.

JerryF

PS,  The other benefit of the Kidde i9040 is that the horn is connected to the circuit board using wires so I could cut them and move the horn inside the coach.

I don't think ammonia is flammable...... (could be wrong) it certainly will not cause an explosion. Having said that, the tank could get hot enough to burst (in a fire) but I doubt it would explode into flames.

 

[Jim Godward]

I don't think ammonia is flammable...... (could be wrong) it certainly will not cause an explosion. Having said that, the tank could get hot enough to burst (in a fire) but I doubt it would explode into flames.

Ammonia burns quite well as it contains a lot of hydrogen.  Also there is hydrogen gas in the refer.  There are some new ones that may have another gas but I haven't heard that was actually happening yet.

 

[Wavery]

Ammonia burns quite well as it contains a lot of hydrogen.  Also there is hydrogen gas in the refer.  There are some new ones that may have another gas but I haven't heard that was actually happening yet.

Interesting.... I just looked it up for kicks & giggles. Although it does have flammable properties (nitrogen and oxygen).... "The combustion of ammonia in air is very difficult in the absence of a catalyst (such as platinum gauze)"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia#Combustion

 

[Jim Godward]

Believe me, it burns in air. When I was a kid, a lot of ammonia based refers burned in sticks & brick homes.  That is one reason you don't find many on sale.  The firemen hated those fires.  Also the RVs that burn from Refer problems are because the ammonia catches fire.  Take some household stuff and try it.  Also ammonia is a major ingredient in home made bombs along with diesel fuel.  Great stuff, ask the people in OK.

 

[odie1234]

Believe me, it burns in air. When I was a kid, a lot of ammonia based refers burned in sticks & brick homes.  That is one reason you don't find many on sale.  The firemen hated those fires.  Also the RVs that burn from Refer problems are because the ammonia catches fire.  Take some household stuff and try it.  Also ammonia is a major ingredient in home made bombs along with diesel fuel.  Great stuff, ask the people in OK.

Well, kinda. Ammonia/air mixtures are flammable (I think around 20% ammonia is the magic concentration), but the flame it produces is colder than the autoignition temperature (1204 F) of the ammonia/air so combustion is hard to sustain. Per http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0028-rev.pdf "National Fire Protection Association has assigned a flammability rating of 1 (slight fire hazard) to ammonia".

As far as OK, wasn't that ammonium (nitrate)? Different than ammonia, for sure.

 

[Wavery]

Well, kinda. Ammonia/air mixtures are flammable (I think around 20% ammonia is the magic concentration), but the flame it produces is colder than the autoignition temperature (1204 F) of the ammonia/air so combustion is hard to sustain. Per http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0028-rev.pdf "National Fire Protection Association has assigned a flammability rating of 1 (slight fire hazard) to ammonia".

As far as OK, wasn't that ammonium (nitrate)? Different than ammonia, for sure.

Even the ammonia nitrate needed other properties of the fertilizer used........ then again....... I'm certainly not into that stuff..... makes me quiver just thinking about it....

 

[rsalhus]

The ammonia refrigerant used in RV refrigerators is definitely flammable.  Ask me how I know.  Or better yet, read my thread here http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,21285.0.html.  And I was lucky to catch it early, otherwise there would have been much more damage.

 

[Wavery]

The ammonia refrigerant used in RV refrigerators is definitely flammable.  Ask me how I know.  Or better yet, read my thread here http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,21285.0.html.  And I was lucky to catch it early, otherwise there would have been much more damage.

Good thread (in the link).... thanks for the info...... It should be made clear (on this thread) that this was not an ammonia generated fire but an electrical fire that seams to have caused the escaping hydrogen gas to ignite due to the intense heat of an electrical short. There are no signs of an explosion or "flare up" that one would expect from say "propane". Still not good but this scenario is so unlikely that it should be cause for inspection but certainly not alarm over ammonia. 

I know that I am going out today and inspecting my fridge cabinet wiring....... so a BIG THANKS!!!!! for the link to that post and pics. Sorry that it happened to you and I'm sure glad that it wasn't worse than it was.

 

[rsalhus]

There are no signs of an explosion or "flare up" that one would expect from say "propane". Still not good but this scenario is so unlikely that it should be cause for inspection but certainly not alarm over ammonia. 

Actually, there was a brief explosion that I think started the fire.  It was enough to make our cat, Princess, jump off my lap while sitting in a lawn chair just outside the MH.  I think I mentioned somewhere in the thread that there was a "minor explosion" that may have started the fire.  I don't think any real damage was done by the explosion itself, but the sound that it made was loud enough to startle me and our cat.  It was right after my wife closed the freezer door to get out some ice cubes that the fire started. 

 

[Wavery]

Actually, there was a brief explosion that I think started the fire.  It was enough to make our cat, Princess, jump off my lap while sitting in a lawn chair just outside the MH.  I think I mentioned somewhere in the thread that there was a "minor explosion" that may have started the fire.  I don't think any real damage was done by the explosion itself, but the sound that it made was loud enough to startle me and our cat.  It was right after my wife closed the freezer door to get out some ice cubes that the fire started. 

Judging by the burn hole it the fridge tubing, don't you think that the "explosion" may have well been caused by the electrical arching....... I'm a little surprised that the breaker didn't blow before that kind of damage was caused. Was it a heavy 12V wire that shorted or a 110v? My guess would be that it was an un-fused 12V.... like from a solar panel on the roof or something... maybe???? The 12V can often cause more damage than the 110V because of the extreme amperage available.

 

[rsalhus]

Judging by the burn hole it the fridge tubing, don't you think that the "explosion" may have well been caused by the electrical arching....... I'm a little surprised that the breaker didn't blow before that kind of damage was caused.

No, I do believe the explosion was the ammonia gas igniting.  Once again, the explosion wasn't all that loud.  I can't imagine how an electrical short could sound like that.  The circuit breaker did trip so I know it was the 110V wire that shorted out and not a 12V wire.

 

[Wavery]

Well...... whatever it was.... I sure appreciate the post. I went out and put wire ties on all the wire in my fridge compartment (away from the tubing). I was a little shocked at how many wires were in there.