There are no dumb questions...#1

Anything to do with camping, fundamentals, secrets, etc...

Postby kirtsjc » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:29 pm

cracker39 wrote:Well, there's another expense I hadn't thought about. I have one in my boat, but didn't even think about one for the TTT, and of course, you gotta have one. How many other things have I not thought about???
:?


Uh... the infamous BOTTLE opener with cap catcher, maybe? :lol:
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Postby kirtsjc » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:34 pm

Mightydog wrote:...I've since taken some extinguishers that need recharging anyway and just shot them off.



Part of that "closeness" is because the recharging is needed. Fully charged will allow you to be just a few feet farther back for your safety.

Pros who know fires will get and use them closer, but I know from experience that the posted distance on the label for a properly charged extinguisher is what an "average" user is supposed to use.

Ask around, or go to a recharge place and see if they will give you a short training lesson with a fully charged extinguisher. You will see the difference.
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Postby Juneaudave » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:41 pm

Funny story about fire extinguishers...and Julie...thats a good question!!!

Out of all the stupid stuff I've done over the years, I finally had the opportunity to actually use a fire extinguisher this summer.

I've got some kids (less than 25 year olds) living next to me...and they have all the Alaska goodies...four wheelers, jet boats , jet skis, snowmobiles, fast cars, big trucks etc. Wonder how they afford the rent?

Anyway, they were fussing with one of the jet skis this summer...and were trying to get it to run right...about three kids leaning over the motor hatch, revving it up, tinkering with this and that...

Pretty soon they set it on fire...Kid 1 runs starts yelling, Kid 2 starts jumping from one foot to the other...Kid 3 runs for the water hose and quickly spreads the oil/grease fire over the top!!!

I, being the mature and thoughfull adult ran to the garage and grabbed the nearest fire extinquisher. Quickly and adeptly, I ran out, sprayed the engine compartment. A great flume of smoke, gases, fog and confusion ensued. But it was quickly over.

I felt like a hero!!! I had rushed in and saved the day. I was chiding myself, thinking "how stupid could that kid be for using a water hose on a gas fire"!!!

The kids were amazed and very thankfull. I, having had my ego boosted was in a "hero" mode, declined when they offered to pay for the extinguisher, thinking that I had several around the house and it was no big deal.

What I didn't realize when I came to the rescue, and was so generous in my offer not to have them fork out any money, was that in my excitement, I had grabbed the Halon Extinquisher that I had taken out of my boat last fall!!! That was a $150 unit especially designed for engine fires in enclosed areas...Worked great, no residue, but shucks....I never did go over to ask the kids to pay for it...Juneaudave
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Postby dmb90260 » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:25 pm

kirtsjc wrote:
Uh... the infamous BOTTLE opener with cap catcher, maybe? :lol:


Like this??


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Postby Laredo » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:45 pm

Those Halons -- are they rechargeables?
Mopar's what my busted knuckles bleed, working on my 318s...
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Postby Juneaudave » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:35 pm

Laredo wrote:Those Halons -- are they rechargeables?


I think so..but only if you don't live in Juneau, AK (have to have someone who services them locally).... one nice thing about them...they don't leave a mess. Near as I could tell, the gas smothers the fire and there isn't any fire extinguisher residue at all. On that jet ski after the fire, it was clean a a whistle and a fella could have just started rewiring, mopping up the oil etc. I don't think you could have done that with a chemical.

Based on that one experience, the halon worked great in the enclosed space of the engine compartment. I don't know how it would work on a fire in the open with a breeze. Must be someone who has worked with a volunteer fire department on the board that could tell us.
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Postby Chris C » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:40 pm

You're pretty much correct, Dave. The Halon is extremely effective in a closed environment and less so out in the open with wind and all. It works, after all, by taking away the oxygen and smothering the fire. Try that in an Oklahoma wind! :lol: But they do come in handy for an engine fire. I've had to use tons of chemical extinguishers on plastic fires and believe me when I say they are a mess!!!!! But Halon is so darned expensive. My step-son dropped one of mine during a move several years ago, and when I went to have it recharged, I liked to passed out. Now I just keep chemical extinguishers around! :lol:
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Postby angib » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:28 am

Laredo wrote:Those Halons -- are they rechargeables?

Is Halon still legal in the US? It was banned in most of Yurp 10+ years ago (ozone layer depletion).

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Postby Chris C » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:33 am

Being the frugal people we are, (yeah, right!) :roll: Halon is still being sold in America, but no longer being manufactured! They are only selling "recycled" Halon. Go figure! :thinking:
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Postby Laredo » Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:05 pm

in our CERT classes we're told that there is a new formulation of Halon available that doesn't damage the ozone (as much, anyway). Where my better half works there's an installed Halon II system for the computer & networking equipment rooms.
Mopar's what my busted knuckles bleed, working on my 318s...
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Postby Boodro » Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:34 pm

I worked for GTE in Texas , I was in an electronic switch room. It was a large office with a Halon system thru out the building. the system went off & the building was VERY quickly filled with halon gas.( like a cold thick fog ) I instantly dropped to the floor & crawled out to the door , it was the only place there was oxygen. One guy ran blindly out & hit his face on a steel frame & almost lost his eye. He had a 3 inch gash just under his eye. It was not a fun time! It cost approx. 75,000 dollars to recharge the system. you really don't want to stay in a room full of halon!! :angel:
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