After close to a decade of working with a variety of flammable liquids in the dungeon, I finally got around to getting one of these. Menards had them on sale for $10 off plus a 11% October store rebate to took it home for about $50.
Something about rebuilding a 2 cycle carburetor last spring near a gas water heater and furnace that raised the most concern and then there were all the other solvents, sparks from a Dremel cutting wheel and everything else that could have gone south for me so now I feel a bit safer now, having something I hope I will never need.
It's a 10 pound unit that weighs about 20 pounds, puts out about 20 seconds of stuff up to 20-25 feet away and is rechargeable so I think I got a good deal. Works on everything electrical, liquids, wood, etc. Specs say it is an ABC "rated extinguisher is required for protecting HIGH hazard occupancies such as: vehicle repair shops, manufacturing processes involving flammable liquids, boat servicing & woodworking processes."
When I walked in the door with it, my wife asked if I was planning to blow up something in the basement. I said no, I'm not planning to buy any CaC2 lanterns . . . ;)
What do other "restorers" have in their work areas?
Welcome to the club :)
As I can't run away as easy as you can and beeing burned alive is one of the things I don't want to experience ever... I took precaution. One next to my bed, one on my workbench (as you can see working with isopropanol spray for e.g.) and another one in the kitchen. Just to make sure.
Haf
(and still don't know why some pictures flip over when uploaded them)
I just have a small automotive dry-powder extinguisher attached to my shelves behind my TV (and below my Cortelco 2554), had it for about 12 years, broken the safety tab accidentally in that time but has never been discharged, was sold as a reduced-to-clear as it was a few months off it's certified date (something to do with car insurance stuff), perfectly good for other uses though... :)
Of course, 12 years and never having used it kind of makes me wonder if it'll work if I ever needed it to, still, I'm not in the habit of making fire indoors (accidentally or otherwise!) but, like they say, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, especially with paraffin and head-butted aladdin lamps around... ;D
Read what happened to me almost exactly seven years ago to see why everyone should have a decent fire extinguisher handy. A large one with a gauge that shows if it needs recharging. Those little ones with no gauge like what I had are no good after five years. I have a decent one now.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3624.msg48272#msg48272
The Cub Cadet is still running fine, BTW.
I have one of those smaller Kidda dry chem extinguishers mounted on the wall in the kitchen. Only time I ever considered using it was when my Dietz Comet became a literal fiery comet. I think its fair to say that it is a must have for lamp/lantern collectors.
Quote from: jsowers on October 19, 2017, 09:23:47 PM
Read what happened to me almost exactly seven years ago to see why everyone should have a decent fire extinguisher handy.
I remember reading about that one, and it did make me question the reliability of my little extinguisher pictured above, but in the 5 years since I posted on that thread, I've still not needed to put out any unintentional and unwanted fires so far, so fingers crossed I never have to find out if it works or not!! :o
Quote from: twocvbloke on October 20, 2017, 07:00:47 AM
I remember reading about that one, and it did make me question the reliability of my little extinguisher pictured above, but in the 5 years since I posted on that thread, I've still not needed to put out any unintentional and unwanted fires so far, so fingers crossed I never have to find out if it works or not!! :o
The one I just bought is rechargeable and comes with a gauge.
I have had a small extinguisher that I bought in 1984 that has a green plastic button that sticks up from the top and depressing it tests the extinguisher. If good, it pops back up.
Does your powder extinguisher have something like that?
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PS: the image uploading discussion that was in this topic has been split off and moved to:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=19080.0
Quote from: TelePlay on October 21, 2017, 02:44:49 AMI have had a small extinguisher that I bought in 1984 that has a green plastic button that sticks up from the top and depressing it tests the extinguisher. If good, it pops back up.
Does your powder extinguisher have something like that?
Nope, mine's just basically a glorified aerosol style device, pull the safety wedge out and the button on top can be pressed to release the powder, no way to check whether it's still good or not... :-\
Though I do periodically give the thing a squeeze, if it feels too hard to squeeze like a full aerosol can, then it's probably still good, if it collapses like an empty one, then it'll go in the bin to be replaced, think I'll go do that now actually..... ;D
EDIT:
Yep, still hard to squeeze, so still under pressure... ;D
We had a Pyrene Junior extinguisher which my dad moved from house to house.
Sadly it got cleared out before I could inherit it. I think they're Carbon Tet and regarded as unsafe now.
Well, its about time..... wouldn't want all your telephones to go up in smoke....
Spotted this image while looking for something else. It's an oxymoron image.
This was taken in the Pentagon on 9/11 from what was tagged on the photo, it is an Air Force original image.
Looks like the pin was pulled and the gauge reads empty, just too small for that day.
That phone probably still worked though... ;D
Along with the extinguishers, it would be a good idea to have good smoke/carbon monoxide detectors around the house as well.
Woke up this morning to read about the Kidde fire extinguisher recall released yesterday 11/2/17.
I guess my procrastination and choice was a good thing in that I just bought mine and I bought the Pro model which has a metal handle to hold and operate the unit, should I need to. The recall covers some 22 million extinguishers with plastic handle and push button type discharge units.
More information, how to see if yours is being recalled (covers extinguishers made from January 1, 1973 to August 15, 2017 and involves 134 models of Kidde fire extinguishers worldwide) can be found at these two and other sites reached by using The Google.
https://inmarmarketaction.com/kidde/Kidde284US/
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2017/kidde-recalls-fire-extinguishers-with-plastic-handles-due-to-failure-to-discharge-and
so if you have one, you should get a replacement.
===============
Name of product: Kidde fire extinguishers with plastic handles
Hazard: The fire extinguishers can become clogged or require excessive force to discharge and can fail to activate during a fire emergency. In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard.
Remedy: Replace
Recall date: November 2, 2017
Recall number: 18-022
Yep, we got the recall as well.
Fortunately, ours was empty for some reason. We're essentially getting a free refill by replacing our recalled extinguisher! ;D
And here I was thinking I did right by myself for buying a Kidda product and not one of the cheap-ie generic brand ones....
Quote from: AL_as_needed on November 04, 2017, 09:37:00 PM
And here I was thinking I did right by myself for buying a Kidda product and not one of the cheap-ie generic brand ones....
Kidde has a majority share of the market and they sell their stuff to a lot of different stores with the store brand. I'm glad I went with the more expensive Pro model - they are not part of the recall in that they always had metal handles.
If they are recalling 40 million units covering 40 years, they could go bankrupt, as Takata did in the automotive area.
Quote from: TelePlay on November 04, 2017, 09:48:57 PM
Kidde has a majority share of the market and they sell their stuff to a lot of different stores with the store brand. I'm glad I went with the more expensive Pro model - they are not part of the recall in that they always had metal handles.
If they are recalling 40 million units covering 40 years, they could go bankrupt, as Takata did in the automotive area.
Sort of amazing that it took 40 years for the issue to be addressed. That extra 5 hours on the R&D end would have saved them. Where I used to work, there was a Chief Choker extinguisher. It was all chrome and brass internal and user refillable. Not sure how old it was but it got used when soldering and welding jobs got too exciting....worked every time in every condition! Might need to hunt one down.
Well, for our telephone workshops this is the one to use.
When I had my shop the Fire Dept wanted the ABC extinguishers serviced every couple of years. One time I went out to see how they are serviced and if the needle is in the green they turn the unit upside down and tap it with a rubber hammer to fluff up the powder inside. For $15.00 a piece. I told the FD about that the next time and they said to just do the same and mark down the date. Paul
Quote from: TelePlay on October 19, 2017, 05:27:12 PM
What do other "restorers" have in their work areas?
I'm glad I stumbled across this thread. Coincidently had purchased a small extinguisher a few weeks back, might go back and get another as didn't think to put one in my little telephone workshop.
In the barn room adjacent to my workshop there is a fire extinguisher which we have owned for at least 10 years. Thick with dust I never give it a thought, not even checked the gauge. We have a couple others scattered about the place, they keep getting moved so am not even sure where they are. I will go on a search for them tomorrow and try out Paul's tip.
Other than those; fire blanket in the kitchen. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms all over the house. In the horse lorry we have one of those multi function alarms that also detects *gas.
Our previous house took a direct hit from a lightening bolt so am aware of how needed smoke alarms are.
Destroyed a chimney, the electrics zapped, the phone and ansaphone blew apart (found in pieces across the other side of the room). Even electrical stuff that wasn't plugged in arc'd and was destroyed.
*Just in case this is lost in translation - lorry has living accommodation, so gas as in cooker, not gasoline...
I never saw this post before! But it's extremely important to have a good working fully charged fire extinguisher handy.
I used to be in charge of checking fire extinguishers where I once worked. We had several 10 and 20 pound extinguishers hanging in key areas and signs up on the wall marking the location.
A small extigusher is only good for very small fires.
If you have a decent size area with combustible things around I would say get at least a three pound extinguisher.
At my work place every two years a company came in and inspected all the extigushers and location if they got changed as sometimes things got moved around.
And they also recamend up grades to larger 20 pound units.
John you did pretty good getting that ten pounder that's a good size for your area and contents.
I have a 4 pound on in my shop right next to the door.
That place I worked at had a fire in the middle of the night once, a painter had covered security lights outside with plastic, and the light was triggered, the rest is history.
A lot of damage happened in a short time and boy I sure hate the idea of some thing catching fire in my home or my shop when I'm not around.
I don't know if anyone here has gone through that experience, but it's extreem to say the least.
Protection is very important.
Protection is incredibly important. Sometimes, however, all the preparedness in the world doesn't help. I am currently recovering from a nasty 2nd degree burn on the thumb and palm of my left hand due to a freak accident involving a B tank acetylene torch. The swivel ferrule at the hose end closest to the torch handle came apart partially while I was brazing a lineset. It erupted into flames and created a bit of a hazard inside an apartment we were rehabbing. Luckily, I was able to drag the entire unit outside, once I wasn't engulfed in flames, and the only way to get it to go out was to turn off the service valve on the tank. It was a painfully slow process. In 53 years on the planet, it was the closest I have been to death. Nothing would put out that fire, water, smothering it with wet rags, or the extinguisher. It just kept on shooting fire like a rocket gone astray. Once the adrenaline wore off I realized I had badly burned my left hand. I am left handed, so the last week or so have been a challenge.
Oh no! Wow I wish you the best in recovery and healing.
You are correct too, you can be prepared for what you think might happen, but there's always that chance the unexpected happens. Good luck in your journey.