fire extinguishers type / difference question

Rick Webb · Oct 19, 2004

Good News

A can of Labatts is the same size as my Diet Coke can. I still had a can from the six pack that my old neighbor in Biloxi brought back with him when he was up visiting his inlaws north of the border. That means we have a universal round. Thanks for measuring Bob I do not know what all those funny numbers mean but a can is 12 ounces with a 2 1/2 inch diameter just the way god had intended them to be. If he intended it to be a base ten world why do we have a hour day? I'll have to watch for that episode of Myth Busters they might have had better succes using steel wool as chaff than the foil to defeat the radar. Those radar guns are hard to defeat as they use a very narrow beam and the receivers are very directional. The best defense is a radar detector as the cop checks the guy in front of you. Of course our neighbors to the north with their socialist totalitarian government are not allowed radar detectors. They do however have good beer.

Bob B. · Oct 20, 2004

I am signing off

this thread because you guys seem to be thinking on a different level & it seems to be catching. Scary!Rick. I am surprised that you folks south of the border have gone to an "hour day". We are still on a 24 hour day. Time must really fly down there. Time flies when you're having fun & I can tell that you are having lots of fun. You must be REALLY old because of your shorter days. I am 70 years old & it seems like it has taken me about 70 years to get where I am now.Patrick. When you are in White Rock at your dentist, go next door & get a flu shot. I hear the shots are scarce down there but your leader said that healthy people don't need them. On this one point, I agree with him & I have had only 3 or 4 since retiring 10 years ago.I lived in Vancouver 1956-59 & we used to drive down to Point Roberts (close to your home?). I don't remember why. They probably sold booze on sunday. Used to get half drunk & drive home. Older & wiser now. (We probably had one sober driver)I have been making the space ships but it takes 8 beer cans to make one. I have stopped making them because I have only a couple of brain cells left & want to preserve them. I wouldn't do that to the friendly bear as he might pee on my stove/engine????I notice saner people stay on William's topic. Little did he think when he posted a simple question. I'll sign off before the forum police come jumping through my monitor.Regards, Bob B.

Rick Webb · Oct 20, 2004

Flu Shots

Do you get a beer back with those up there?

John Dawson · Oct 20, 2004

When good threads go bad

Thats what happens when you fly Bud airlines.

patrick · Oct 23, 2004

Bob, we will miss you, but

I think you (and Peggy) are still lurking around. No reason to fear different levels of thinking. I just spent three days looking for a missing airplane in the Cascades and we were at all kinds of levels up to 10,000 feet. I was thinking at all of those levels. Saw a few mountain goats but no bears or cougars. Wonder what it is like to loose control at 17000 feet at 500 knots! Sailing is a lot more forgiving.By the way, the Doc pulled my tooth in less than 30 minutes from the time I entered the office till I paid the $82.50 (Canadian - not real money) and left. He really is the best dentist I have ever been to. Don't need a flu shot and haven't had one for more than 30 years. Flu shots are for weenies but Washington has lots of those who will pay a lot of money and go to Canada too, eh?You guys always come to the US for gas. Write that down. It is about $4 a gallon there and it is $2.00 a gallon here. You pay 15 percent sales tax too. You should see all of the old shoes in new shoe boxes in the Bellingham mall parking lot on a Monday morning.Sorry, I am rambling off topic and I mustn't do that lest Bob will think me not sane. Anybody ever used a CO2 extinguisher through a hole in the engine compartment cover? What is there to be learned from that experience? I am thinking that a deflection plate inside the hole would keep the cold blast off of the engine block. Wouldn't a beer can projectile which would burst on impact help put out a fire from a distance? I have noticed that a small puncture in a shaken can will spray quite a ways. Speaking of engine fires, I had one of those once. It was in a 1982 Oldsmobile. The fuel line leaked and when a spark ignited it, the fuse block melted. That shorted every electrical device in the car. The wipers started wiping, the washer started washing, the lights all came on, the horn honked, the electric cooling fan provided more oxygen, and last but not least, the electrical fuel pump went full on and continued to feed fuel to the fire. I could not open the hood to put out the fire or disconnect the battery because of the flames shooting out from under the hood where the "safety" latch was located. I was impressed at those layers of complicating events and look for them now. Is there anything like that on a boat? What would a grease fire be like on a stove/engine? I am still waiting for answers about that.As to Williams thread, I think it is all a little relevant to the original question. If I see any forum police on my monitor, I am going to send them back to Canada where they came from, eh? That is where they put you in jail if you speak your mind, not here in the good old USA.Thanks William, this looks like it may be the thread that will never die. It might be a little cross-threaded at times but Rick, Fred, et al and I will certainly flatten this topic once and for all and will only rant a just little.There are a lot of unanswered related questions like:1. Does the ozone hole have any effect on boat fires?2. If you have a good attorney, will you have any more or less chance of a fire?

Calif. Ted · Oct 24, 2004

I once had a brand new fire truck catch fire,

a Fire Engine actually, we called the ones with the big ladders Trucks. We'd finished putting out the fire and had picked everything up, got in the cab and flipped off the red lights but they keep going & smoke started coming from under the dash. Turned off all electrical & ignition, kill switch, engine kept running, all lights still flashing and smoke getting real noticeable. I turned the battery switch to OFF with no change, had to have Fireman cut the battery cables while I put the electrical fire out under the dash. Middle of the night, of course, first use of plastic air lines which they had routed bundled with electrical so they melted locking air brakes which had to be released to put on a giant flatbed to be towed. Turned out the battery switch wasn't actually doing anything, whole thing wired wrong so all circuits energized all the time. $150,000 "mistake" by some poor guy making minimum wage to string wire.

John Dawson · Oct 24, 2004

Sounds like a Raymarine GPS problem

A fellow told me his GPS kept locking up but the repair center couldn't find anything wrong. At the Annapolis show, he asked some technicians and they told him the problem was the antenna was wired directly to the battery and was sending signals whether the GPS was turned off or on, so it was overloaded all the time. When he put the antenna on the switches, it solved the problem. Not as expensive as a fire engine, but similar wiring problem. Is there anything else that should bypass the main switches besides a bilge pump?

Bob · Oct 24, 2004

Halon Fire Extinguisher

I recommend you Halon fire extinguishers made with 100% recycled Halon 1211. It leaves no residue that can destroy engine, interior, electrical system and paint and it's effective on chemical fires, flammable liquids and electrical fires. You can even recharge any discharged extinguisher after use. Resource - http://www.h3r.com/products/home_vehicle_2.htm

John Dawson · Oct 24, 2004

I thought...

It is, however, not as effective in any area that is not confined. Most of the mandated uses involve life-threatening situations where there is critical equipment in confined spaces, like inside tanks and airplanes and important computer sites. If you use it in a breeze it tends to blow away rather than smother the fire. On a boat or car, you might not want to have only that type; circumstances may be very unconducive to its effectiveness. Besides, its still a discarded CFC.

Rick Webb · Oct 26, 2004

The Answer to The First Question

Just in case someone looks in the archives. In order for the extingisher to be Coast Guard approved it must have a mounting bracket packaged with it when sold. There may be no difference between the red or white ones. While for recreational vessels there is no requirement for the fire extingisher to be mounted it is a very good idea.Halon sounds like a good idea if you can find one. I am not sure about using one in an enclosed space like the cabin, check on that if you do buy one.Another very good idea is to install a fire port anywhere a fire is likely to occur such as the engine, electrical, or battery compartments.For all of you who have only one or whose is not mounted I would encourage you to first buy a second one and then mount it. If it is mounted it is always in the same place and wont be covered up by all the other junk that accumulates on our boats.A fire exitngisher location and condition check should be included on your pre-departure check list and a free Vessel Safety Check from the Coast Guard Auxiliary or the Power Sqadron is a painless, informative and cheap. You might even find these are organizations worth becoming a part of. Did I miss anything?

Rich · Oct 26, 2004

Required to be CG approved?

I have two extinguishers that came with mounting brackets, that I have mounted, but are NOT Coast Guard approved. Am I going to get cited if I get checked?

Rick Webb · Oct 26, 2004

Rich, I Would Not Be Surprised

Just like the PFDs if there is not the Coast Guard approval endorsment on the item it can not be counted towards your required equipment. I have only ever seen one extinguisher that did not have the endorsement. Is there a UL endorsement on it? The Coast Guard one would be right under it.

Calif. Ted · Oct 27, 2004

I don't think inspector looked close enough

at mine to tell it had CG approved on it or not. FM in a diamond shape is Factory Mutual another testing lab like UL that also does testing of devices. I have CG basic nav class tomorrow night, I'll ask those guys.

Rick Webb · Oct 28, 2004

Checked My Manual

The Coast Guard Auxiliary manual for Vessel Exams states that the fire extinguisher must be Coast Guard approved.

patrick · Oct 28, 2004

Rick

Does your book say what kind of beer to use?

Rick Webb · Oct 28, 2004

Patrick, Only My Favorite Type

Cold

Rick Webb · Oct 30, 2004

Another Use

Attach a heaving line to the beer can and you already bought a beer for the guy assisting you with a tow. They would be waiting in line to tow you if you needed.Some of you guys seem to be underemployed.

John Dawson · Oct 30, 2004

Speaking of towing

This guy I met told me this - he went out on the upper Potomac and his engine died. For several hours he waved a paddle (small boat with no radio) at passing powerboats, who merrily waved back and sped on their way. Finally a little boat with two guys going fishing changed course and came over. They took him in tow all the way back to his marina.Along the way, he offered them cold beers but they declined politely. After a while he still wanted to show his appreciation so he repeated his offer of cold Millers. "Oh okay" they said, "we thought you probably had Budweiser." I guess if you want to know what to use for bait, talk to the local fishermen.

Rick Webb · Oct 31, 2004

Another Lesson to be Learned Here

Do not bother to bring cheap beer out on the boat. It may be a goood idea to bring a couple of different brands just in case you do not get a bite from one.