Jump to content

halon fire extinguisher


avio@superherc
 Share

Recommended Posts

I remember in '72 while going through aircraft maint. and how toxic CB is was stressed. Later while in the ANG we got C-130s and the old heads didn't know how bad CB is. We had one of the two bottles installed in the plane pop off in the hanger. I told the dock chief we had to open the doors. At first he thought I was over reacting. After I retired one of the young FEs was standing behind an engine that was smoking looking at it when the pilot discharged a fire extinguisher. It permanently trashed his lungs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Purple K is a potassium based (hence the K) dry chemical agent particularly effective against hydro-carbon/petroleum type fires. It has/had a Class B rating, and was discharged from a pressurized extinguisher. Somehow, the idea got spread that it was for flammable metals, Class D fires. Nope, didn't work!!!!!!!! There was a similar agent, called Monex that did the same thing, but was extremely expensive when it came out. We cared them on the rigs I rode, and I do believe a person would have been fired had they used it. I remember one had something like a 1961 date of manufacture, and that was in '83 or so. And yep, these things were very corrosive. I don't know if the animal protein you mention is the old foam solutions or not. They were made of blood, fish guts, and who knows what else, and stunk like a SOB. Plus they only had about a seven year shelf life, and then just became a five gallon bucket of blood clots. AFFF and it's successors pretty much ended that crap. Tomorrow we will discuss Class A, C, D, and K fire classifications!!!!!! LMAO!!! Seriously, hope all you guys have an ABC dry chemical extinguisher and working smoke detectors in your house. You would not believe the injury, death and property damage that I have seen that these things could have reduced or prevented.....

Gizzard,

We have always carried either a Purple K fire extinguisher on the aircraft for munitions fires (AC-130) because we were told that Purple K was very effective with munitions. Do you agree with this or would dry chemical be a better choice?

Ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't really say, Ron. We were always taught not to fight ammo or explosive fires, they are losers.Kind of hard to run away from them on an airplane though. Purple K is a form of dry chemical agent, just as the sodium bicarb and ammonium phosphate based dry chems are. Like I posted earlier, for my purposes and training, Purple K was the cat's meow for Class B fires, which are flammable liquids, gases and greases. It interferes with the chemical chain reaction of combustion very very well, so I would not doubt that it would be effective on ammo fires. Since i was a civilian firefighter, our situations were different than the military. All that bein' said, let me see what I can find out. I have a couple contacts in the " go boom" industry and I'll see what they can tell me. I would bet they probably made some of the stuff you used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gizzard, I used to wash parts in MEK without gloves or a mask before we knew it is a carcinogen. I've already had prostate cancer. The E models we got out of SEA had to have been contaminated with agent orange. Add I was raised in South Charleston, WV (chemical center of the world back in the day) and no surprises about cancer.

I'm a bit bitter about the young FE getting messed up for life because IMO the system failed him. Back in the day we were made aware of how bad the fire fighting agents were. The system got lax.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Purple K is a potassium based (hence the K) dry chemical agent particularly effective against hydro-carbon/petroleum type fires. It has/had a Class B rating, and was discharged from a pressurized extinguisher. Somehow, the idea got spread that it was for flammable metals, Class D fires. Nope, didn't work!!!!!!!! There was a similar agent, called Monex that did the same thing, but was extremely expensive when it came out. We cared them on the rigs I rode, and I do believe a person would have been fired had they used it. I remember one had something like a 1961 date of manufacture, and that was in '83 or so. And yep, these things were very corrosive. I don't know if the animal protein you mention is the old foam solutions or not. They were made of blood, fish guts, and who knows what else, and stunk like a SOB. Plus they only had about a seven year shelf life, and then just became a five gallon bucket of blood clots. AFFF and it's successors pretty much ended that crap. Tomorrow we will discuss Class A, C, D, and K fire classifications!!!!!! LMAO!!! Seriously, hope all you guys have an ABC dry chemical extinguisher and working smoke detectors in your house. You would not believe the injury, death and property damage that I have seen that these things could have reduced or prevented.....

Giz, I bought a couple extinguishers I came across at Costo. They're the size of spray paint cans. No shelf life. Just pop the top and spray. Seem to be convenient and easily handled by anyone. You ever seen anything like that or are aware of their reliability?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Giz, I bought a couple extinguishers I came across at Costo. They're the size of spray paint cans. No shelf life. Just pop the top and spray. Seem to be convenient and easily handled by anyone. You ever seen anything like that or are aware of their reliability?

Yes, I have seen some like that. I guess what I would suggest is this" To be sure you have a good extinguisher, look for the following on the label. could be all or just one... the familiar UL for underwriter's laboratory, a diamond shape symbol with an FM inside, for factory mutual, or an anchor, for the coast guard. These indicate the agent, the container and the discharge system meet standards for effectiveness, safety, and reliability. If the ones you have have these, they are okay.. As for rating, Class A is ordinary flammables, like paper, wood, etc, Class B is flammable liquids, gases and greases, Class C involves or is near ENERGIZED electrical equipment.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gizzard,

We have always carried either a Purple K fire extinguisher on the aircraft for munitions fires (AC-130) because we were told that Purple K was very effective with munitions. Do you agree with this or would dry chemical be a better choice?

Ron

Ron, i did some research and contact queires and got this........ Purple K on ammunition fires is about the same as boiling water when someone is havin' a baby.....It gives you something to do until the shit hits the fan. They tell me that unless the ammunitin is involved in a petroleum or hydrocarbon fire, there is no benefit to using Purple K. Now I'll bet that some old heads will say "Oh that's wrong." But when i was teaching fire schools, I used to to tell my students to make a bullshit file, and to put all the old wive's tales about techniques, equipment, and situations in it that I would debunk. This one probably would go in that!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ron, i did some research and contact queires and got this........ Purple K on ammunition fires is about the same as boiling water when someone is havin' a baby.....It gives you something to do until the shit hits the fan. They tell me that unless the ammunitin is involved in a petroleum or hydrocarbon fire, there is no benefit to using Purple K. Now I'll bet that some old heads will say "Oh that's wrong." But when i was teaching fire schools, I used to to tell my students to make a bullshit file, and to put all the old wive's tales about techniques, equipment, and situations in it that I would debunk. This one probably would go in that!

Gizzard,

Thanks for taking the time to research this issue; however, maybe I'll keep the results to myself, after all I don't want to remove all hope!

Ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gizzard,

Thanks for taking the time to research this issue; however, maybe I'll keep the results to myself, after all I don't want to remove all hope!

Ron

Oh, I don't blame you a bit, Ron. I reckon in such a situation ANYTHING is worth a try. I just hope you are NEVER in that situation to begin with.

Giz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I have seen some like that. I guess what I would suggest is this" To be sure you have a good extinguisher, look for the following on the label. could be all or just one... the familiar UL for underwriter's laboratory, a diamond shape symbol with an FM inside, for factory mutual, or an anchor, for the coast guard. These indicate the agent, the container and the discharge system meet standards for effectiveness, safety, and reliability. If the ones you have have these, they are okay.. As for rating, Class A is ordinary flammables, like paper, wood, etc, Class B is flammable liquids, gases and greases, Class C involves or is near ENERGIZED electrical equipment.....

Giz,

This is what I found. Not spamming here, we just have 2 of these and they are convenient. Remember my wife cooks!

From the Manufacturer

Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray 's discharge time is 4 times longer than traditional fire extinguishers allowing you to fight fires longer. Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray is more effective than traditional fire extinguishers on common household fires. Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray's discharge time is four times greater than household fire extinguishers allowing the user to react more quickly. Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray's unique, patent-pending design is as easy to use as other familiar household products and covers a wider surface area-up to three times greater than a typical actuator. Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray offers easy cleanup - simply wipe it away with a damp cloth. Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray has been tested to the qualified performance requirements of UL 711, UL 711A and KOFEIC 0108 by an independent Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). Four times greater than 2-B:C or 5-B:C kitchen fire extinguisher; minimum of approximately 32 seconds vs. approximately eight seconds. Three times wider surface area; typical actuator-14 in2 vs. the Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray actuator-48 in2. Tundra is a trademark of BRK Brands, Inc. Safe storage between 32-107° F Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray is a strong, accurate, fast and effective home safety tool to extinguish fires. Fires can double in size every 30 seconds (U.S. Fire Administration) and it is during those precious seconds a household fire can spread, putting lives and even your home at risk. Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray is powerful and effective and easy to use, just point and spray. It works on household fires including those involving paper, fabric, wood, cooking oils, electrical appliances and equipment. If you're looking for a fire safety product that is easier to handle during an emergency, Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray is the fire extinguishing product for you.

Product Description

Easy-to-use First Alert Tundra fire extinguishing spray is more effective than similar-sized traditional fire extinguishers on fires including paper, wood, fabric, cooking oil and electrical fires. Sprays 4X longer than regular fire extinguishers, so you have more time to fight the fire. Aerosol can with spray nozzle is intuitive to use. Pack of two 14-oz. cans. 4-year limited warranty. U.S.A. Common Usage Fast extinguishing of fires, Dimensions D x H in. 2 5/8 x 9 5/8, UL Listed UL subject 711A, effective against grease and cooking oil fires, Comes Pre-Charged Yes, Cylinder Material Steel. Easy-to-use aerosol spray Works on most common household fires Longer discharge time vs. traditional fire extinguishers Easy to handle during an emergency Easy cleanup Won't harm appliances Biodegradable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like you have a good product there........I see the pictographs on it for its use on the front. It meets UL 711, and seems to be much cleaner to sue than the typical household dry chemical. Would I have it in my house??? Yes, I think so. the agent is one of the new compounds developed to take the place of the old stuff us dinosaur smoke-eaters used. One tip, aim the spray at the base of the fire, the flames above are just exhaust........... Thanks for providing a good level of protection to your family and property. Now are your smoke detectors workin' and less than ten years old????????

on downwind, turnin' final

Giz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like you have a good product there........I see the pictographs on it for its use on the front. It meets UL 711, and seems to be much cleaner to sue than the typical household dry chemical. Would I have it in my house??? Yes, I think so. the agent is one of the new compounds developed to take the place of the old stuff us dinosaur smoke-eaters used. One tip, aim the spray at the base of the fire, the flames above are just exhaust........... Thanks for providing a good level of protection to your family and property. Now are your smoke detectors workin' and less than ten years old????????

on downwind, turnin' final

Giz

Change the batteries on our smoke detectors every change of daylight savings time. You never realize how many clocks there are in the house until you have to reset them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...