As a Retired Fire Captain and Fire Extinguisher Tech. my question to you is- do you know if your extinguisher is charged in your camper if you need one? Is it the right extinguisher to use if you need to use it? The reason I ask these questions is because most rv extinguishers is the cheapest extinguisher made that the rv industry buys to put in the units. Most extinguishers do not have a gauge to tell you the pressure in the bottle, and it is rated for B,C class fires which is for Electrical and Flammable Liquids. Most of your class A fires would be things like paper, cloth, wood- combustible material fires. B,C class fire extinguisher will put out a class A fire if you use enough powder to smoother the fire where no oxygen can get to it.
I checked my camper, sure enough it had a Kiddie B,C fire extinguisher in it with no gauge. It had a green pin on top you push down to see if the pressure in the bottle would push it back up. Mine would not come back up. Due to my extinguisher being recessed in a cabinet near entrance door, I chose to go to my local Lowes home improvement store and purchase another ABC class fire extinguisher for around $20.00. I pulled my old out and had to cut the support head out of the recess cabinet with a portable grinder and install the new support head and new strap to get the new extinguisher to store. The black objects in the picture of the cabinet below.
[img width=480 height=640]http://i.imgur.com/0DggV.jpg[/img]
[img width=480 height=640]http://i.imgur.com/7NSAw.jpg[/img]
Keep in mind, over time, all dry chemical extinguishers need to be shaken to keep the powder inside stirred up with the nitrogen gas because vibration from the camper going down the road will settle the powder to the bottom and the gas will settle to the top of the bottle inside. So it doesn't matter how it is mounted, up and down or sideways, they need to be shaken or lightly tapped with rubber hammer to keep the powder slushy on the inside about 1-2 times a year. By the way, even though the green pin did not come back up from pressure on my old ext. it did have pressure when I set it off. I threw it away afterward. If you ever set the extinguisher off anytime wether you use all the powder chemical or not, it must be recharged or thrown away. On these small units, it is cheaper to buy another unit than to recharge. On the bigger units used in businesses, most of the time cheaper to recharge. Please feel free to send me a pm if you have any questions!
Keep in mind
First thing I do when getting a "new to me" used camper is check and/or replace the fire extinguisher as they are normally all too old (more than 5 or 6 years and never inspected/recharged) or have been used to put out the campfire and no one replaced it......
Look on the bottom (normally put) of your Fire Extinguisher for the DATE of manufacture - if more than 6 years - then recharge it, replace it or have it inspected by qualified person. After 12 years - they have to be replaced or re-manufactured (pressured tested, seals replaced, hose changed if need be, and recharged)
They SAY one time use (ones with plastic head assembly) or disposables are good for up to 10 or even 15 years if they have some kind of pressure gauge that said there are still "good" however I still check & inspect these every year - if the gauge goes down AT all (give them a heavy tap to make sure they are not STUCK).... replace.
Personally the Plastic Disposable are too cheap to keep for any length of time. I would not keep them for more than 5 years. These are good to show and test family members on how to use (after you purchased a replacement).
Funny this topic is here about Fire Extinguishers.....Just this past weekend I was at my MIL's house replacing her stove and when I was done she asked if I hooked it up right. I jokingly said to her..."You know where your fire extinguisher is just in case, right". Her response was "what do you mean? I don't have one" :banghead:
Her birthday is this weekend. Guess what her grandson is getting her :baseballhat:
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
Funny, but on a serious note, try to teach them on how to use without setting them off. Pull pin, aim, sweep side to side. The reason I say this, I was once in fire extinguisher business. I have had one person to bring in a burnt extinguisher. She said it didn't work. She pulled the pin and throwed it into the fire! I wonder why it didn't work???? ??? I was one day checking bus drivers extinguishers for their maintenance and would do a courtiousy class. I had others to tell me, to pull pin and turn upside down and spray like the old soda/water extinguishers. Nope, new way now.
lmao Jim! I don't even want to think what she would have tried to do if given a grenade! (pull the pin and spray??)
Great topic, The first thing I did when I brought my N2U camper home was replace the fire extinguisher. I definately need to ask for another one for my home for my birthday since the one I have is old.
You will also find that the variety usually sold at Wally worlds, Lowes, etc are not refillable/servicable. A commercial grade extinguisher is. And Your local fire extinguisher service company also sells them and can recommend the appropriate extinguisher for your home and RV/camper.
Did you know that in PA, in the tow vehicle you must carry road flares or other marker devices and a fire extinguisher? http://www.towingworld.com/art.....ngLaws.htm to get the low down on your state.
So true what thingette 1s sister said.
For ONE small Fire Extinguisher its cheaper & easier for many people to buy a new one.
Cost of new vers test and recharge for "HOME" style is not worth it.
A typical recharge will run you about $15-30 for up to a 5lb. unit and about $20-35 for a 10Lb. unit, if it is the rechargeable type. Add about $10-15 or more if you need to hydrostatic test on them (every 12 years).
Mine NEW from Wally World was about $25 - much easier to run to Wally World once than to find a fire safety depot run there twice and pay about the same. Worth it if you had 2 or more to be recharged---
Yes - but at Hospitals here (and other government agencies) are required to actually practice with actually putting out a real (but controlled) fire.
They line everyone up and hand them one - using a long pole with a flame on it light a shallow pan (of fuel) and they are to put it out....
Just because you tell people how to do it - they will NOT realizing how heavy it is, how award to manage holding the thing and aiming it....not to mention the force may knock (smaller) people off there feet - or at least off balance.
If your going to TOSS it or has to be re-charged (and you already have a spare or replacement) then there is no issues to practiced discharging one. Fire not needed to practice on - a "SOLO" cup is good. If blown away they you got it.
Darn now have that Red Solo Cup song going in my head! :guitar:
I've seen you in green, I've seen you in yellow, but only you red will do for this fellow
When I got the fire extinguisher I made sure to tell DW how to use it and where the pin was. Every now and then I would ask her out of the blue "do you know where the fire extinguisher is" At first she wouldn't remember, but she now knows. I would LOVE to have DW and DS set one off so they can "experience" what it is like....and so they don't toss the whole thing into the fire LOL.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
Feel almost responsible for your post Jimmy when you saw my just purchased BC Extinguisher (after you and had talked about our original ones didn't have a dial/gauge) Guess I didn't listen about the "A" thing. Now I'm off for a ABC one for the camper and probably will put the other new one in the TV.
Thank you kind sir for this Public Service Announcement.
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