Know Your Fire Extinguishers

[dlandersson]

A typical recreational marine fire extinguisher—basically the little foot-long jobbies tucked into the corners of untold thousands of boats (mine, for example) —will last 10 to 12 seconds. That's not much.

http://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/do-you- ... 37799&jb=0

[seahouse]

Good article.

Often not mentioned is that in the case of a larger extinguisher, you need to step back farther from the fire to use it than you would with a smaller one. IIRC, the larger one I had required 7 feet. If you had a galley fire for e.g., getting 7 feet between you and the fire wouldn't be easy in our boats (I think you would want to do it from the companionway). Any closer and you risk spreading the fire (think grease for e.g.) by the force of the nozzle blast. I put a large bright sticker on my extinguisher stating to stay 7+ feet away from the fire to use it.

[NiceAft]

One can't emphasize enought that if needed, always aim at the base of the fire. Don't waste precious seconds shooting above the combustion-able material. Also, dry chemical extinguishers should be inverted once a year, and hit ( not really hard) with a rubber mallet. This helps prevent the powder from caking in the extinguisher

Ray

[seahouse]

One can't emphasize enought that if needed, always aim at the base of the fire. Don't waste precious seconds shooting above the combustion-able material. Also, dry chemical extinguishers should be inverted once a year, and hit ( not really hard) with a rubber mallet. This helps prevent the powder from caking in the extinguisher

Ray

Yup, you can rock it back and forth and feel that it is free and not one solid (and useless) block inside. Important because it turns the (solid) powder inside back into behaving like it was a liquid (it settles and solidifies in time, even on a moving boat). Also check the pressure gauge, unscrew the nozzle (blow through it if you need to) to make sure it is clear (of spiders, insects etc) and sign and date the card. (Anybody that knows what they are doing can sign and date the card).

[grady]

(Anybody that knows what they are doing can sign and date the card).

Well that eliminates me and everyone else on this site! (Except Summer)

[mrron_tx]

One can't emphasize enought that if needed, always aim at the base of the fire. Don't waste precious seconds shooting above the combustion-able material. Also, dry chemical extinguishers should be inverted once a year, and hit ( not really hard) with a rubber mallet. This helps prevent the powder from caking in the extinguisher

Ray

Ray..... I never even thought about doing the bottom bump...... but will now Ron.

[seahouse]

One can't emphasize enought that if needed, always aim at the base of the fire. Don't waste precious seconds shooting above the combustion-able material. Also, dry chemical extinguishers should be inverted once a year, and hit ( not really hard) with a rubber mallet. This helps prevent the powder from caking in the extinguisher

Ray

Ray..... I never even thought about doing the bottom bump...... but will now Ron.

If you have left this too long (say, years) it can take way more than one or two bumps with the mallet to make it functional again. Otherwise the extinguisher will not work when you need it to, even though the pressure gauge says it is full.

To check that, cradle it horizontally in your hand and grab it at its centre of gravity so that it pivots between your thumb and forefinger (or middle finger). Now rock it back and forth from end to end (which would be from top to bottom of the extinguisher). It should flow as if it were a bottle of liquid (OK, picture a partly full bottle of rum, but a bit more viscous), sloshing back and forth from one end to the other. If it is real quiet where you are, and you have good hearing you can put your ear up to it, listen and hear it flowing as well I have found.

Very often though you will feel it slide from bottom to top when you invert it for the first time when you check it (assuming it has been stored in an upright position), and /or when you tap it with the mallet you will feel it loosening and moving.

[cptron]

Great article. Now I have to go check my extinguishers.