Fire Extinguishers

This hobby is fun & enjoyable, but it is not tiddlywinks. Be safe!

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Butch27
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Fire Extinguishers

Post by Butch27 »

So how many and what size and type of fire extinguishers do you have handy when you are stillin? Where do you keep them located?
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Dmcmullen »

I make it a point to keep one near me while im running.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by tiramisu »

CO2 seems like the least messy.
I'm running 240V so water is out.

I would hate to have to actually use a chemical extinguisher inside the house

... Additionally, if you ever have to use your chemical extinguisher on a fire... give it a short blast point away from the fire first so you aren't giving the fire a big blast of straight air when you start. I learned this in cadets. 50-foot flames from an oil fire before the chemicals kicked in. Very impressive. Then you get to clean up the mess.
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Birrofilo
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Birrofilo »

I have one of those water pipes with a "pistol" two meters from myself. The tap is opened and the pistol controls the water. The device can "spray" water on a large surface and can extinguish any alcohol fire in no time. Alcohol is simply extinguished by diluting it with water.

Something similar to this: https://www.manomano.it/p/tubo-da-giard ... d=22914843
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Expat »

10# ABC extinguisher mounted to the wall of my work shop near the exit. Never more than 15' from hand.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Euphoria »

CO2 extinguishers may seem to be "less messy" until you try to use one on a flammable liquid fire. They are under pressure and I wouldn't even think of using one on burning alcohol any more than I would use one on a grease fire in a pan on the stove. You'll just be spreading, (forcefully blowing,) that burning liquid all over the place. Get a good quality, large sized, ABC extinguisher. And please don't buy one of those useless little compact units. You want a big one. As to the mess? Well, once you blow burning liquid all over the garage or still shed with a CO2 extinguisher, you won't really have to worry about any mess to clean up since you probably just burned that structure to the ground. Very easy cleanup. Just bring in the dump truck and the front end loader.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by BamaHawk »

I have a 10lb (net agent weight) rechargeable Kidde Pro 460 (UL rated 4-A:60-B:C) monoammonium phosphate (dry chemical) fire extinguisher that I have mounted to my wall next to where I am typically "stationed" during a run. It's probably a little overkill but it is a cheap insurance policy if something goes wrong.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Deplorable »

I'd rather clean up after a dry chemical extinguisher than explain to the law man and fire Marshall what I was doing when the house burned down.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Expat »

Deplorable wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:22 am I'd rather clean up after a dry chemical extinguisher than explain to the law man and fire Marshall what I was doing when the house burned down.
^^ This exactly! :thumbup:
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by stillanoob »

I am a bit of an extinguisher nut as an ex-FF. I have no less than 5 of them scattered around the property plus one I carry in the car. In the shed I have one just outside the door that I leave open for ventilation. Don't have it too close to the still or you may not be able to get it when you need it.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by River Rat »

Expat wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 2:29 am 10# ABC extinguisher mounted to the wall of my work shop near the exit. Never more than 15' from hand.
Same here. Same type, same spot.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by opus345 »

First Alert FE3A40GR 5 lb. dry powder, Monoammonium Phosphate extinguishing agent ((UL rated 3-A:40-B:C) mounted under the workbench in the garage. Got for $35 at Costco.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by tiramisu »

abc it is. Thanks gents.

I generally focus on avoiding my risk of an event but having the ability to suppress a fire when working with alcohol, vapors and heat seems like a no-brainer.

Here is one to share with the "mason jar" idiots

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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Birrofilo »

Another demonstration that ethanol burns with a transparent flame. This danger is well known to backpackers. The stove comes with a lid which is to be put on the stove before any operation. It's easy to be absolutely certain that that flame is out, just cover it and wait a few seconds, or better don't refuel a stove which is still hot.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Yonder »

BamaHawk wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 7:30 am I have a 10lb (net agent weight) rechargeable Kidde Pro 460 (UL rated 4-A:60-B:C) monoammonium phosphate (dry chemical) fire extinguisher that I have mounted to my wall next to where I am typically "stationed" during a run. It's probably a little overkill but it is a cheap insurance policy if something goes wrong.
What he said!
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Kareltje »

tiramisu wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:49 am abc it is. Thanks gents.

I generally focus on avoiding my risk of an event but having the ability to suppress a fire when working with alcohol, vapors and heat seems like a no-brainer.

Here is one to share with the "mason jar" idiots

Very valuable information, indeed.
But I hoped to see some more about mason jars and this has nothing to do with these jars.

On topic: with my electric still I work in the open. With my smaller stills I work in the kitchen on my stove and there is a water tap at arms length.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by tiramisu »

Pressurized jet of alcohol vapor. You can pick your own ignition source. Or set up a camera and make your own fires. There are so many ways of setting up a safe thumper that there is no reason to create an unsafe one so that you can play russian roulette.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by cranky »

Here are some of mine
FX 1.JPG
They are all around my garage when distilling so when I set my truck on fire the closest one was only 4 feet away...unfortunately it was 2 feet on the other side of the closed and locked garage door :roll: at the time I had no idea that antifreeze was flammable. Now when I do stuff to the truck I make sure I have at least one handy.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Deplorable »

cranky wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:56 pm Here are some of mine
FX 1.JPG

They are all around my garage when distilling so when I set my truck on fire the closest one was only 4 feet away...unfortunately it was 2 feet on the other side of the closed and locked garage door :roll: at the time I had no idea that antifreeze was flammable. Now when I do stuff to the truck I make sure I have at least one handy.
Wait...
Antifreeze is flammable??
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by cranky »

Deplorable wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:10 pm
cranky wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:56 pm Here are some of mine
FX 1.JPG

They are all around my garage when distilling so when I set my truck on fire the closest one was only 4 feet away...unfortunately it was 2 feet on the other side of the closed and locked garage door :roll: at the time I had no idea that antifreeze was flammable. Now when I do stuff to the truck I make sure I have at least one handy.
Wait...
Antifreeze is flammable??
Yes it is.

I was running my truck for the first time after rebuilding the engine, going through the cam break in procedure when the lower radiator hose blew off spraying antifreeze all over the engine compartment. When it hit the hot exhaust it caught fire :esurprised: fortunately I managed to put it out without any serious damage but it very easily could have burnt my truck to the ground.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by SmokyMtn »

Grain dust can be highly flammable and explosive. In our hobby, milling would probably be our most vulnerable. Stay on your toes even if it is less likely than an alcohol fire.

https://ag-safety.extension.org/grain-dust-explosions/
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Kindafrench »

Was about 500 m away when a huge sawdust silo blew up. I don‘t remember a big bang, but it felt so warm, like on a summers day at the beach.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Toxxyc »

Deplorable wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:10 pmAntifreeze is flammable??
Antifreeze is essentially a combination of different types of alcohols. It's hella flammable.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by SassyFrass »

I've seen after effects of grain silo fires, sawdust fires from mills, and alcohol fires from the big guys over in the flat lands of the state. But finding out that antifreeze is flammable is a bit of information that I did not know. So thank yall.
SF
PS...I reckon it gets stored in the flammables locker from now on, with the paint, thinner, etc...
Simple Lil' Pot Still, no temp guage, no carbon, no scrubbers, nuthin' fancy. Sometimes use a thumper, sometimes don't.

Real good info for New Folks:
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by ROD01 »

have spent many hours this week reading the "tell us your mistakes" thread.

Just ordered two fire extinguishers.......
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by cranky »

SassyFrass wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 1:42 pm I've seen after effects of grain silo fires, sawdust fires from mills, and alcohol fires from the big guys over in the flat lands of the state. But finding out that antifreeze is flammable is a bit of information that I did not know. So thank yall.
SF
PS...I reckon it gets stored in the flammables locker from now on, with the paint, thinner, etc...
I've had the same reaction many times when I tell the story of my fire. It seems few people know that antifreeze is flammable.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by stillanoob »

SassyFrass wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 1:42 pm
PS...I reckon it gets stored in the flammables locker from now on, with the paint, thinner, etc...
Good to see I am not the only one with a flammables locker. I have two, one for gas and fuels and one for paint and other flammables. Made of metal and attached to the outside of the shipping container that has my solar and power system.
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by SassyFrass »

Yep, that's a take away from a career in the military. Everything has to be grunt proof, KISS principle rules in my shop. And, before you ask, yep I was a grunt.
SF
Simple Lil' Pot Still, no temp guage, no carbon, no scrubbers, nuthin' fancy. Sometimes use a thumper, sometimes don't.

Real good info for New Folks:
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by realestwhiteboy »

We have 1 in the kitchen, which is just home safety. The hobby takes place in the kitchen, as well. When we were researching before we bought the still, hobbiest on another site (I won't name it, but it rhymes with Feddit) assured us that we didn't have to worry too much, since we were using an electric heat source (we have a hotplate we use). After seeing this thread, I feel like buying 2 or 3 more. :lol:
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Re: Fire Extinguishers

Post by Washingmachine »

Is it practical for me to have an ABC extinguisher in the shop
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