fire extinguisher recommendations

[balancedforday]

I have come to the realization that I have a locker full of guns but no way to put out a fire, in light of this I am curious what size and type of fire extinguisher do people recommend for a home and for a vehicle, just want to get some opinions before I buy.

 

[AustinBR]

I have come to the realization that I have a locker full of guns but no way to put out a fire, in light of this I am curious what size and type of fire extinguisher do people recommend for a home and for a vehicle, just want to get some opinions before I buy.

I've got this in my SUV:
Amazon product ASIN B000P0DPGQ
And I've got these in my master bathroom laundry closet, kitchen (under sink), outside by my grill, and in my garage:

Kidde Basic Use Fire Extinguisher with Easy Mount Bracket & Strap, 1-A:10-B:C, Dry Chemical, One-Time Use, 2-Pack 21030932 - The Home Depot

The Kidde Basic Use Fire Extinguisher with Easy Mount Bracket is a dry chemical fire extinguisher that is ABC-rated to fight recreational fires associated with: trash, wood, paper (Class A fire), liquid

www.homedepot.com

The one I keep in my car is significantly smaller than the one I keep in my house, but is rated for car fires. It definitely won't put out an entire car that's on fire, but it could keep a small fire from spreading or could be used to put out a random ground fire if I'm somewhere camping or what not.

 

[Forgotten]

A close friend of mine that works in Fire & Gas for the oil industry always recommended Amerex. For some reason kidde seems to lose some pressure over time, something with kidde gasket and seal. I've had 2 Kidde lose pressure but it took a few years.

 

[AustinBR]

A close friend of mine that works in Fire & Gas for the oil industry always recommended Amerex. For some reason kidde seems to lose some pressure over time, something with kidde gasket and seal. I've had 2 Kidde lose pressure but it took a few years.

I saw the same thing in my research, but I figured it was just something I check twice a year and if they're low on pressure, they get replaced or used to practice with.

 

[Pocket]

I would recommend you get an A-B-C extinguisher with a metal nozzle and valve. They can be refilled after use as long as they are not out of hydro. The plastic ones cannot. Also a 5# unit.

 

[La26]

Multi purpose A, B, C, like Pocket recommended is best. Fire extinguishers are rated for a particular type of fire:
A= anything that produces ash (wood, paper,etc)
B= anything that boils (oil, liquids, etc)
C= anything that carries current (electrical fire, etc)
So, an ABC should cover everything. I have several Kidde, one in my kitchen, one in my garage, and one in my patrol unit. They are the replaceable type.

 

[lesgeaux]

At minimum get a 5 lbs capacity, 10lbs better if you have space for it.

 

[dantheman]

I put out a stove fire for my neighbor one time . Dry chemical extinguisher . It made one hell of a mess . The flames were rolling up over the range hood vent . If I hadn't been home it could have been really bad . They did not own a fire extinguisher ...

 

[joeg26er]

Multi purpose A, B, C, like Pocket recommended is best. Fire extinguishers are rated for a particular type of fire:
A= anything that produces ash (wood, paper,etc)
B= anything that boils (oil, liquids, etc)
C= anything that carries current (electrical fire, etc)
So, an ABC should cover everything. I have several Kidde, one in my kitchen, one in my garage, and one in my patrol unit. They are the replaceable type.

good to know

 

[J. W. Harris]

Keep in mind that ABC extinguishers will put out a class A fire,but sometimes, won't keep it out. Chemical agents deprive the fire of oxygen, so the effect may be temporary on wood and paper.
Also remember to know the range of effectiveness of your extinguisher. In oil fires, get no closer than you have to. If too close, you can "gouge" the fire and make it worse. Read and follow instructions on whatever unit you buy. Call your fire department as soon as possible.
Hope this helps. JW. 22 years industrial fire fighter

 

[joeg26er]

Keep in mind that ABC extinguishers will put out a class A fire,but sometimes, won't keep it out. Chemical agents deprive the fire of oxygen, so the effect may be temporary on wood and paper.
Also remember to know the range of effectiveness of your extinguisher. In oil fires, get no closer than you have to. If to close, you can "gouge" the fire and make it worse. Read and follow instructions on whatever unit you buy. Call your fire department as soon as possible.
Hope this helps. JW. 22 years industrial fire fighter

what are your thoughts on those "fire blankets" ?

 

[J. W. Harris]

I'm not really familiar with fire blankets, as I was involved with mostly oil or chemical fires. I was trained in all facets of fire fighting and trained hundreds of other people. Basically think of a fire as a triangle. For it to survive, it needs air,(oxygen), heat,to maintain combustion, and fuel. If you remove any " leg" of the triangle, the fire collapses.
A blanket, probably ,again, deprives the fire of oxygen, just as dry chemical agent. Water on a fire creates steam(212 degrees) which is below the ignition temp. of most materials, taking away heat. I would suggest a good dry chemical extinguisher, as it allows you to knock down the fire without getting too close. Those that loose pressure do so somewhat by design. The manufacturer wants you to have a full to 80% unit when you need it. We recharged every extinguisher when they were used , no matter how little. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
God Bless, JW
.

 

[joeg26er]

I heard those larger lithium battery fires can't be put out because it supplies all the "legs" ?

 

[J. W. Harris]

I've never dealt with lithium, but I would think it's like magnesium or gunpowder. It's the reason you can fire a gun in space; the oxidizer is included in it's chemical makeup. A material like magnesium sulfate is best put out with kitty litter. Using water on it can be a bad mistake.
In any case, I've been out of the fire business for 20 years. I'm not familiar with lithium fires. I would suggest, however, if someone is shooting at you in space, kitty litter would be ineffective. JW

 

[93gixxer04]

My .02 is get as big a fire extinguisher as you have room for. I just had to use one, (two actually) for the first time and they did not last nearly as long/have as such suppressive abilities as I had imagined

 

[J. W. Harris]

The last two questions posted were , senseless and a waste of time for those who want to help people make the right decisions to provide for the safety of their family. If you post just because you need attention, please don't waste peoples time on something as important as life and death situations. Please use the Internet to school yourself. JW

 

[AustinBR]

The last two questions posted were , senseless and a waste of time for those who want to help people make the right decisions to provide for the safety of their family. If you post just because you need attention, please don't waste peoples time on something as important as life and death situations. Please use the Internet to school yourself. JW

huh?

 

[J. W. Harris]

Sorry I was agitated with previous questions. The wording on the 2.5 ,after re-reading, I now realize was talking about a 2.5 lb. extinguisher. The grammar threw me off as to the meaning.
The question about lithium batteries puzzled me because it was describing " the eternal flame". It eventually runs out of fuel.
In essence, I feel that the questions were being asked with no useful purpose.
I guess it's best for me not to participate in these threads. I'm old school, so the answer to your " huh" Austin, is that I like helping people, but don't have a lot of time to waste.