Almost everyone carries a fire extinguisher in their truck or camper trailer and checks the gauge to make sure it's charged so it should work right?
Well... um.. yes maybe...
if it's in good order and you can get to it in time to have an effect.
The number of times as a Fire tech I would see the customer dig their extinguisher out of the bottom of a pile of gear and still in it's bracket in the sealed box from the back of the vehicle, if you’ve seen a vehicle fire times up and your extinguisher is still in the box, you might as well try beating the flames out with it.
Most have a 1kg dry chemical powder good for about 6 to 8 seconds, this is the time where bigger is better if you can find an easy access point a 4.5kg is going to give you a much better chance of saving your rig, if you can’t get any bigger than a 1kg look for a brand that has a metal head not plastic and a well protected gauge aside from these things they are much of a muchness.
The biggest problem with Dry Powder extinguishers especially in 4x4s is compaction of the powder inside especially driving down corrugated roads, if you go to use it you will get a small puff of powder and a charcoaled Prado... again try beating the flames out with the extinguisher...
The advise we give to customers for their off-road trips is as they crack the first can, pop the cork whatever, grab the extinguisher, turn it upside down and listen to it, you should hear a sound like falling sand, if not still holding it upside down give it a couple of couple of welts with a rubber mallet to loosen the powder. Making this a habit every night makes sure;
A) Your extinguisher is ready to use if the worst happens.
B) You’ve got it close enough at hand to be used effectively.
Well... um.. yes maybe...
if it's in good order and you can get to it in time to have an effect.
The number of times as a Fire tech I would see the customer dig their extinguisher out of the bottom of a pile of gear and still in it's bracket in the sealed box from the back of the vehicle, if you’ve seen a vehicle fire times up and your extinguisher is still in the box, you might as well try beating the flames out with it.
Most have a 1kg dry chemical powder good for about 6 to 8 seconds, this is the time where bigger is better if you can find an easy access point a 4.5kg is going to give you a much better chance of saving your rig, if you can’t get any bigger than a 1kg look for a brand that has a metal head not plastic and a well protected gauge aside from these things they are much of a muchness.
The biggest problem with Dry Powder extinguishers especially in 4x4s is compaction of the powder inside especially driving down corrugated roads, if you go to use it you will get a small puff of powder and a charcoaled Prado... again try beating the flames out with the extinguisher...
The advise we give to customers for their off-road trips is as they crack the first can, pop the cork whatever, grab the extinguisher, turn it upside down and listen to it, you should hear a sound like falling sand, if not still holding it upside down give it a couple of couple of welts with a rubber mallet to loosen the powder. Making this a habit every night makes sure;
A) Your extinguisher is ready to use if the worst happens.
B) You’ve got it close enough at hand to be used effectively.
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