propane1
Well-known member
Just wondering about, what happens if you have a fire. What do you have for putting it out. What precautions do you take.
Noel
Noel
What do you have for fire extinguishers. ?
- Thread starter propane1
- Start date
poncho62
Well-known member
Lacking here, for sure.....I do have a fire extinguisher, no idea of the charge on it, been sitting by the garage door for years. I do most of my welding with the garage door open or outside.
propane1
Well-known member
My son had a little fire in his garage yesterday Harry. Just lucky he had fire extinguishers, or the building would have been gone. I bought the extinguishers 5 years ago for him and me. Just lucky they worked. This was not a welding related fire. It was electrical. It can happen so quick. I had trouble five years ago with fire, got it out, was just lucky there was snow on the ground. So I have a fire extinguisher, water spray bottles and a few boxes of baking soda about the garage.
Nervous now,
Noel
Nervous now,
Noel
flyerdan
Active member
- Messages
- 27
- Good Post Points
- 12
I've got quite a few extinguishers around the shop, one strapped to the parts washer leg, a couple on the walls and a really big one setting just inside the rollup door. Also have one in a plastic box on the lean to where the forklift lives, as well as one on the fork and Bobcat.
When I'm welding or cutting outside in the gravel, I'll wet down the area first and keep the hose handy; just like tying something down, it's better to do a little prep first than try and catch up when things go pear shaped.
When I'm welding or cutting outside in the gravel, I'll wet down the area first and keep the hose handy; just like tying something down, it's better to do a little prep first than try and catch up when things go pear shaped.
propane1
Well-known member
Yep, I wet things down too, before I do anything involving any sparks.
Noel
Noel
desbromilow
New member
- Messages
- 1
- Good Post Points
- 0
- Welder
- various stick welders - mostly CIG
I have some 9Kg dry chem powder extinguishers in my shed - one near the switchboard, and the other 2 near the doors. Welding is supposed to be done in the hot works bay, but recently it has been inside the big roller door due to the clutter in the welding bay.
grantp
New member
Lost my old wooden shop to a fire after plasma cutting bad metal out of my '68 Camaro - I have since lined the rebuilt shop walls with galvanized steel sheets, and have 4 ABC extinguishers inside, as well as a live water line. My extinguishers are on an annual inspection contract with Tillsonburg Fire and Safety Equipment. If I see a gauge below the green, I just call and they replace it. Well worth the effort IMO.
ChickenGrower
New member
I have 4 of the white powder types in my electrical rooms and I've got one of the Amerex extinguishers that you can recharge with water and air. Just used it last week to put out a small grass fire after a squirrel got himself bbq'd on the electric pole and subsequently set the yard on fire. Thinking about ordering another one just to have.
jwright2
New member
Beerslayer
Member
I keep several of the 10 lb extinguishers around. I bought a few from home cheapo and the rest from Amazon.
Just read this and I think it applies to shop or home: Place all your fire extinguishers near your exit doors. That way you have to run to the door then go back to the fire to fight it. That gives you a clear exit in case the fire blows up and keeps you from being trapped. Moving all my fire extinguishers after reading that.
Just read this and I think it applies to shop or home: Place all your fire extinguishers near your exit doors. That way you have to run to the door then go back to the fire to fight it. That gives you a clear exit in case the fire blows up and keeps you from being trapped. Moving all my fire extinguishers after reading that.
John Deere dealers usually carry a water can type extinguisher, I carry one on my welding trailer. Recharge with RV antifreeze, water & air pressure. Also can use a pump up garden sprayer in a pinch. All of my welding is outdoors - no shop so i don't worry about electrical fires. (Welder is insured.)
dannoGT
New member
I always try and use the one that is closest to me!
Craig
Member
- Messages
- 15
- Good Post Points
- 15
- Location
- The Last County of Washington
- Welder
- Lincoln 210 tig/stic and 140c mig, Ox-gas, and a plasma torch
I have one of those new-fangled small 'spray can' style fire extinguishers close by and a bit further back I have a plastic 25 gallon water barrel just in case things start to get way.
Just moving into new shop with OSB interior wall so I'll cover with left over steel siding in the welding area. I'm more concerned about my chop saw and grinders than welding...lots more sparks thrown farther. Diesel Fuel storage is 60' away and paint is mostly latex. Only one small fire extingusher for electrical fire but three inside hose bibs with hoses attached.
Metal doors between the shop and hanger is closed most times with only a 4' personnel door usually open only to get into hanger. Shop has hydronic heat and none in Hanger. Main doors are 4' x 12' folding steel panels between shop and hanger with R 21 insulation. Perfect...not really but most welding is MIG or TIG so with common sense clean-up there probably won't be fire threat...I HOPE!!
Metal doors between the shop and hanger is closed most times with only a 4' personnel door usually open only to get into hanger. Shop has hydronic heat and none in Hanger. Main doors are 4' x 12' folding steel panels between shop and hanger with R 21 insulation. Perfect...not really but most welding is MIG or TIG so with common sense clean-up there probably won't be fire threat...I HOPE!!
propane1
Well-known member
Have to be careful for sure. My father was fixing up 64 Chev half ton in 1974 or so. Welding in floor patches. Useing Torches. Went in for supper, came back out, truck on fire. Ruined truck. Thank fully it was not in garage.
Noel
Noel
Frank S
New member
- Messages
- 4
- Good Post Points
- 3
- Location
- West Texas
- Welder
- Millermatic 210, Miller Bobcat 250 Miller big 40, Airco DC 300 amp, Lincoln 225 cracker box, Hobart beta mig 450, Hobart migman 135, Hobart 900 amp motor generator, P&H 250 tig
As far as fire extinguishers go in my over 50 years of welding mechanicing machining and other things I have probably discharged fewer fire extinguishers than anybody. on fires. This is not to say that there hasn't been fires I've had my fair share of them.
I keep a charged 20 lb dry chem in my machine shop van but I would probably allow everything in there to melt to the ground before I would pull the pin on it. inside of the trailer. It cause me extreme respiratory problems if I have to breathe that stuff. I know technically the chems are close to backing soda but not exactly. if one of those ABC dry chem things is discharged anywhere near me I will be choked up for weeks before I can get it out of my lungs. However I do have a 10 lb unit in my kitchen and would not hesitate to pull the pin in a fire were to happen in the house if I deemed it not possible to extinguish by other means.
Additionally I keep several CO2 fire extinguishers around I have in the past used many of them to freeze parts for assembly or for removing large diameter pins from earth moving equipment after lancing a hole through them
My favorite go to for fires though is a 5 gallon bucket of water or my 300 gallon tote mounted in the back of my pickup when I have to do welding or cutting in a field 300 gallons of water on hand is far better than having a fire truck 12 miles away Lastly I have the water tower for the house I can gravity feed out of a 2" hose or pressure feed out of a garden hose if there is a grass fire anywhere within 200 feet of the house or my shop
I keep a charged 20 lb dry chem in my machine shop van but I would probably allow everything in there to melt to the ground before I would pull the pin on it. inside of the trailer. It cause me extreme respiratory problems if I have to breathe that stuff. I know technically the chems are close to backing soda but not exactly. if one of those ABC dry chem things is discharged anywhere near me I will be choked up for weeks before I can get it out of my lungs. However I do have a 10 lb unit in my kitchen and would not hesitate to pull the pin in a fire were to happen in the house if I deemed it not possible to extinguish by other means.
Additionally I keep several CO2 fire extinguishers around I have in the past used many of them to freeze parts for assembly or for removing large diameter pins from earth moving equipment after lancing a hole through them
My favorite go to for fires though is a 5 gallon bucket of water or my 300 gallon tote mounted in the back of my pickup when I have to do welding or cutting in a field 300 gallons of water on hand is far better than having a fire truck 12 miles away Lastly I have the water tower for the house I can gravity feed out of a 2" hose or pressure feed out of a garden hose if there is a grass fire anywhere within 200 feet of the house or my shop
Durned Ugly
New member
- Messages
- 3
- Good Post Points
- 8
- Location
- California
- Welder
- Miller Econotig, Miller 35 mig, Forney buzz, Lincoln Sp 100, Hobart 300 amp trailer
For anyone relying on any fire extinguisher I can attest to what a hopeless feeling you get when fire breaks out, you reach for your trusty extinguisher and.....
.....IT DOESN'T WORK!
It's happened to me twice in my life.
I can tell you that a "gauge in the green" on chemical extinguishers doesn't mean much when you pull the trigger and nothing comes out and all you get is a sinking feeling along with utter shock!
I used to run a construction company equipment maintenance yard and we had dozens of extinguishers. I always marveled at how difficult it was for the technician to get the compacted powder out of the extinguishers when he serviced them. They were stationary extinguishers. The compaction is much worse for any extinguishers on equipment that moves.
You CANNOT hang an extinguisher up for years and years and then expect it to work when you need it to.
Kudos to those that put an emphasis on FIRE PREVENTION along with frequent checking/servicing/replacing their extinguishers.
.....IT DOESN'T WORK!
It's happened to me twice in my life.
I can tell you that a "gauge in the green" on chemical extinguishers doesn't mean much when you pull the trigger and nothing comes out and all you get is a sinking feeling along with utter shock!
I used to run a construction company equipment maintenance yard and we had dozens of extinguishers. I always marveled at how difficult it was for the technician to get the compacted powder out of the extinguishers when he serviced them. They were stationary extinguishers. The compaction is much worse for any extinguishers on equipment that moves.
You CANNOT hang an extinguisher up for years and years and then expect it to work when you need it to.
Kudos to those that put an emphasis on FIRE PREVENTION along with frequent checking/servicing/replacing their extinguishers.
jhfmedic1
New member
Every fire extinguisher has an alphanumeric rating that tells you what types of fires it can extinguish as well as the size of fire it can put out.
The letters stand for the class of fire the extinguisher can be used against:
A – ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, plastic, etc.)
B – flammable liquids (oil, gas, petroleum, etc.)
C – electrical equipment
D – metals
K – cooking oils and fats ( specialty extinguisher - a Class B works on these fires too)
Type A only extinguishers are usually a liquid type extinguisher (typically water under pressure) and should only be used on ordinary debris type A fires - they can cause a flammable liquid fire to spread by floating the burning fuel on top of the water, can shock you if used on electrical fires or cause an explosive expansion of fire if used on flammable metals (as in burning magnesium not hot steel)
Multipurpose extinguishers ( typically Dry Chemical, CO2) can be used on different types of fires and will be labeled with more than one class, like A-B, B-C or A-B-C.
The numbers give an idea of how much or the size of each type of fire, that the extinguisher can put out (if it is deployed correctly) . Every number before the A means it is as effective as 1 ¼ gallons of water. ( so 2A means the fire extinguisher is as effective as about 2 1/2 gallons of water on an ordinary fire, and so on) The numbers before B and C are a measure of the amount of square feet the fire extinguisher can put out . For example, a 10:BC fire extinguisher can extinguish a fire about 10 sq ft. in size.
Check that the extinguisher you intend to use is suitable for the type of fire encountered (eg a water extinguisher must never be used on any fire involving ENERGIZED electrical equipment.- I know but in an emergency, sometimes the brain doesn't fire on all cylinders)
Know how to use the extinguisher correctly.
There are four (4) basic steps for using modern portable fire extinguishers.
The acronym PASS is used to describe these four basic steps.
Now to answer your question (my God I'm a wind bag):
I have a couple of 2 gallon, air pressure type A squirt can extinguishers, a couple of 1A:10BC Dry chemical extinguishers and a 50' garden hose hooked up to my shop water system hanging on the walls. I also have a hot water pressure washer to clean off grease and oil from the area around the area I'm welding on the equipment I work on if needed and always try to limit where sparks, metal slag and where hot metal can drop and bounce around. I keep flammable liquids in a closed fire rated cabinet, and have the shop laid out well. It's not over kill - I'm a little anal, was a boy scout and have been a full time paid firefighter for the past 32 years - LOL)
The letters stand for the class of fire the extinguisher can be used against:
A – ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, plastic, etc.)
B – flammable liquids (oil, gas, petroleum, etc.)
C – electrical equipment
D – metals
K – cooking oils and fats ( specialty extinguisher - a Class B works on these fires too)
Type A only extinguishers are usually a liquid type extinguisher (typically water under pressure) and should only be used on ordinary debris type A fires - they can cause a flammable liquid fire to spread by floating the burning fuel on top of the water, can shock you if used on electrical fires or cause an explosive expansion of fire if used on flammable metals (as in burning magnesium not hot steel)
Multipurpose extinguishers ( typically Dry Chemical, CO2) can be used on different types of fires and will be labeled with more than one class, like A-B, B-C or A-B-C.
The numbers give an idea of how much or the size of each type of fire, that the extinguisher can put out (if it is deployed correctly) . Every number before the A means it is as effective as 1 ¼ gallons of water. ( so 2A means the fire extinguisher is as effective as about 2 1/2 gallons of water on an ordinary fire, and so on) The numbers before B and C are a measure of the amount of square feet the fire extinguisher can put out . For example, a 10:BC fire extinguisher can extinguish a fire about 10 sq ft. in size.
Check that the extinguisher you intend to use is suitable for the type of fire encountered (eg a water extinguisher must never be used on any fire involving ENERGIZED electrical equipment.- I know but in an emergency, sometimes the brain doesn't fire on all cylinders)
Know how to use the extinguisher correctly.
There are four (4) basic steps for using modern portable fire extinguishers.
The acronym PASS is used to describe these four basic steps.
- Pull (Pin)
Pull pin at the top of the extinguisher, breaking the seal. When in place, the pin keeps the handle from being pressed and accidentally operating the extinguisher. Immediately test the extinguisher. (Aiming away from the operator) This is to ensure the extinguisher works and also shows the operator how far the stream travels - Aim
Approach the fire standing at a safe distance. Aim the nozzle or outlet towards the base of the fire. - Squeeze
Squeeze the handles together to discharge the extinguishing agent inside. To stop discharge, release the handles. - Sweep
Sweep the nozzle from side to side as you approach the fire, directing the extinguishing agent at the base of the flames. After an A Class fire is extinguished, probe for smouldering hot spots that could reignite the fuel. - If it doesn't go out - get out - things can be replaced, People can't
Now to answer your question (my God I'm a wind bag):
I have a couple of 2 gallon, air pressure type A squirt can extinguishers, a couple of 1A:10BC Dry chemical extinguishers and a 50' garden hose hooked up to my shop water system hanging on the walls. I also have a hot water pressure washer to clean off grease and oil from the area around the area I'm welding on the equipment I work on if needed and always try to limit where sparks, metal slag and where hot metal can drop and bounce around. I keep flammable liquids in a closed fire rated cabinet, and have the shop laid out well. It's not over kill - I'm a little anal, was a boy scout and have been a full time paid firefighter for the past 32 years - LOL)
