For a number of years I’ve had a LRover branded extinguisher...probably bequeathed to me a few years ago by my now deceased FiL. The needle is still in the green section and the date stamp on the base is 2011.
I’m going to take it with my, but buy another anyway....I’ve no way of checking whether it’s still in working order or not, without doing the obvious.
Better safe than sorry dont you think ?
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...if it's dry powder, I think its about at the end of it's (recommended) life (and even then, that would be if it had been periodically shaken vigorously to stop the powder settling).
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When I was doing private hire, we were required to carry a fire extinguisher. I think the council decreed they were out of life after 5 years.
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I think it's a bit longer for a powder one, I think 10 years. It'll normally say on it when it's life ex. The fact you can't check them is why they are lifed to 5-10 years. You can have them recharged as part of a servicing but the places that deal with deal in bulk.
Some are weighted, but they were full of nasty stuff so couldn't really be discharged other than in a fire.
Are you going to attempt to fight a car fire. The couple of people I know that have had car fires, they got really big fast, not something you would want to mess about with a hand held extinguisher.
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If the fire is under the bonnet, the biggest mistake people make is to open the bonnet fully to try and put it out, instead of just cracking the bonnet open slightly and spray the contents of the extinguisher through the small gap.
But the best practice is to just get as far away as possible and let it burn.
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Years ago a guy outside our office was shifting heaps of aggregate with a frontend loader when the engine caught fire. We watched him grab the fire extinguisher from it's bracket but he couldn't get the safety pin out of the handle so he just threw the extinguisher at the fire and stood back.
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>> If the fire is under the bonnet, the biggest mistake people make is to open
>> the bonnet fully to try and put it out, instead of just cracking the bonnet
>> open slightly and spray the contents of the extinguisher through the small gap.
Having seen the odd car fire while out and about that's what the fire service do.
Opening the bonnet allows a load more air to the fire so it flares and can do you serious mischief.
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Releasing the bonnet catch with your bare hands whilst the engine is on fire and using a tiny DIY extinguisher blindly aimed at what you hopeis the seat of the fire sounds a bit dangerous to me. I think make sure all passengers are safely out and stand well clear and call the fire brigade might be the best strategy. Its only a lump of metal after all.
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>> Releasing the bonnet catch with your bare hands whilst the engine is on fire and
>> using a tiny DIY extinguisher blindly aimed at what you hopeis the seat of the
>> fire sounds a bit dangerous to me. I think make sure all passengers are safely
>> out and stand well clear and call the fire brigade might be the best strategy.
>> Its only a lump of metal after all.
That'd be my thought too. Once a fire's taken hold in the engine bay the thing's likely to be write off anyway.
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If you look around tankers you will see under slung compartments containing the prescribed amount of extinguishers.
They are only provided for dealing with small fires such as brakes that have combusted. After that its long quick strides in the opposite direction.
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I stopped for what looked like a tiny car fire on the motorway hard shoulder. I pulled past the car and ran back with my puny powder extinguisher. Quite impressed with how long it lasted and how effective it was. The fire was under the rear seat (probably electrical) because as soon as the extinguisher ran out, it re-ignited. Helped the occupants rescue what we could from the fire and waited for the brigade. It became most impressive, particularly once the heat reached the tank and a jet of flame shot out what I presume the breather. Fire brigade turned up and asked "anyone in the car?"
Lessons learned:
1. Disconnect battery before attacking an electrical fire.
2. Make sure all occupants are out.
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Hold on till I pop the bonnet and get my socket set out the boot and remove all the covers to get to the battery and then I’ll be right with you…..
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> Lessons learned:
>> 1. Disconnect battery before attacking an electrical fire.
I'd forgotten until I read this but c1971 my Mum's Mini was undergoing some minor attention at a small garage owned by a family friend.
Something under the bonnet began to smoulder. The mechanic, a bloke named Len, had the boot open and ripped the +ve lead off the battery at a speed I'd never have believed him capable of....
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Unless you are trying to save a live or some other peril, I wouldn't fight a car fire, too unpredictable and that's what insurance is for.
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Car fire Extinguisher in car - 1972 MGB GT almost new and a 6 year old extinguisher from an older car.
Next door neighbour comes to door with a budgie cage, "look after XXX"- chip pan fire was raging.
Wet a towel, wrapped it around my hand that was holding the car extinguisher - open door of kitchen, pressed the button - fire out in a matter of seconds. Lid on pan - somebody else got it out of the house.
Extensive damage to kitchen and smoke throughout the house - the house was 6 months old at the time, The Fire Brigade came they were around 5 minutes after the fire was put out.
Never got a box of choccies, a new extinguisher or even a thank you
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>> Never got a box of choccies, a new extinguisher or even a thank you
>>
Were they Jocks?
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We were all Scots apart from a neighbour 2 doors up.
The neighbour was generous to our 3 kids were growing up.
However the lack of a thank you, at the time, was hard.
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>> Next door neighbour comes to door with a budgie cage, "look after XXX"- chip pan
>> fire was raging.
Sister-in-law set a chip pan on fire, opened a window and chucked it out. She was on the twelfth floor.
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> Sister-in-law set a chip pan on fire, opened a window and chucked it out. She
>> was on the twelfth floor.
>>
One way to deal with it i suppose.
Do people still cook chips at home (and other foods) in pans full of oil anymore?
Last edited by: sooty123 on Thu 7 Sep 23 at 09:24
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>> Do people still cook chips at home (and other foods) in pans full of oil
>> anymore?
Not me.
Last cooked chips on a ring c1982. Had a small electric deep fryer for a while after that.
Oven chips have been the thing since before the kids were born.
Mum cooked chips in dripping and had the odd flash fire. Damp tea cloth thrown over was enough.
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>>
>>
>> Oven chips have been the thing since before the kids were born.
>>
>> Mum cooked chips in dripping and had the odd flash fire. Damp tea cloth thrown
>> over was enough.
>>
A retired firefighter old me that kitchen fires had dropped considerably since the advent of oven chips.
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>> A retired firefighter old me that kitchen fires had dropped considerably since the advent of
>> oven chips.
London Fire Brigade chap attending after the office was evacuated for smoke activation would very much like to ban toasters from offices....
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Car fire extinguishers - tyrednemotional
