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Thread: Fire extinguisher recommendation

  1. #21
    Drew Wiley
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    Sep 2008
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    SF Bay area, CA
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    18,338

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    I don't know what Fire Marshalls expect where you are, Alan; but we had to flush and have inspected the entire sprinkler system twice a year for three whole city blocks of warehousing and offices, and I know darn well what is involved with extinguishers. Ironically, just after I retired they had an indoor fire, probably caused by an overloaded outlet strip, and nearly all the damage was due to the sprinkler system ruining millions of dollars of inventory. It was really the product packaging that was most damaged, so the insurance company bought all of that inventory and batch sold it to liquidators, and by now the building involved has been beautifully remodeled. But they sure didn't get a bargain replacing us cranky old timers with cheaper help. I would have given em hell over using outlet strips at all. We used to hard wire everything, never had a fire. But nearly two entire adjacent blocks - one on each side - burned down while I was still there - a stoner art colony on one side, and an idiot,oily-rag furniture maker on the other. Then there was the illegal wax candle factory in a warehouse loft a few years before - when that burned it sure was the brightest candle anywhere. It could be seen for 50 miles. But I don't believe something just because it's UL labeled. There's tons of fraud in that racket. I've opened up UL listed outlet strips where the wiring was connected with masking tape. Some of these UL labs put million of dangerous products made in China straight through without even checking them. It's called bribes. Then extremely safe German gear gets put on the backburner, sometimes for years, because they refuse to bribe. I know that game inside out. Fraudulent labeling is also rampant. What can I say in this case? Just don't buy a conspicuously cheap extinguisher, which even looks like a toy.

  2. #22

    Join Date
    May 2015
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    SooooCal/LA USA
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    2,802

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    One type to beware of is halon systems... If someone is in an enclosed space and the gas is let out, it completely removes oxygen to put out a fire, but leaves NO air to breathe for anyone...

    My brother is a tugboat captain, and during fire drills, all hands have to accounted for before releasing halon or they sufficate instantly...

    Steve K

  3. #23
    Muttley
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Minneapolis, Minn
    Posts
    46

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    Quote Originally Posted by gary892 View Post
    I would like to hear your fire extinguisher recommendations for use in a home darkroom.
    I process film and silver gelatin prints. Looking to process platinum & palladium images sometime in the future.

    Is the one that Costco sells acceptable? It is a general purpose fire extinguisher.

    Thanks


    I use these:
    https://consumers.fireade.com/products/

    They don't create a mess after discharge..

    Gary

  4. #24

    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    San Joaquin Valley, California
    Posts
    9,599

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    A real fire extinguisher dealer won't even bother to recharge cheap big box fire extinguishers.
    When I was a janitor in an apartment house we had to have fire extinguishers inspected every year.
    I asked the guy about the little cheapie I kept in my VW Beetle when the gauge went from green to yellow and he just laughed.
    When I was flying, halon was considered the ticket for cockpit fires, but using a halon in an enclosed cockpit will kill you!

    Now I'll only buy an extinguisher I know I can get inspected and if needed, recharged.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  5. #25
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Dec 2011
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    22,386

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    Pros and cons of fire extinguisher types

    https://www.fireproductsdirect.ie/ad...guisher-types/
    Tin Can

  6. #26

    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Netherlands
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    212

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    At least in Europe, aren't halon based systems now illegal, except for enclosed compartments (like engine-bays etc) ??

    Any powder based extinguisher will make optical gear pretty much uncleanable for ever. I have a five litre and a three litre foam extinguisher. They can be used on most sorts of domestic/home-darkroom fires and can be cleaned up (eventually). Of course, it is better to avoid having a fire in the first place, so careful design is wisest.

  7. #27
    Joe O'Hara's Avatar
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    Jul 2007
    Location
    Marlton, NJ
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    777

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    I agree with MartinP. The usual big-box residential-type extinguishers that you have to show you have to get a certificate of occupancy around here are all powder-type.
    They will leave a mess of the kind you don't want to have in a place where film and negatives are being handled.

    If there's a choice, carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguishers would be best for a darkroom. No residue. CO2 is denser than air, so it will settle down to the floor
    when deployed. In the quantities available in a hand-held extinguisher, it's unlikely to pile up high enough to suffocate you. They will be more expensive
    than the powder kind. They work on everything (except for lithium batteries, but nothing else does either).

    If you can possibly arrange it, your darkroom should have two exits. Fire safety 101.
    Where are we going?
    And why are we in this handbasket?


    www.josephoharaphotography.com

  8. #28

    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Minnesota and Massachusetts, USA
    Posts
    593

    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    Quote Originally Posted by Alan Klein View Post
    By the way, my Kidde fire extinguishers were recalled. All the plastic top ones had problems going on for over 25 years. Check yours out with the manufacturer. Kidde replaced mine for free.
    Not all their plastic topped ones were included in the recall (but all the ones in the recall were the plastic topped ones). I had 2 that appeared identical but with different model numbers. One was recalled; the other wasn't.

    Kidde has a website where you can enter the model # of your fire extinguisher and find out if it's included.

  9. #29
    Alan Klein's Avatar
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    Jun 2015
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    New Jersey was NYC
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    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    Quote Originally Posted by HMG View Post
    Not all their plastic topped ones were included in the recall (but all the ones in the recall were the plastic topped ones). I had 2 that appeared identical but with different model numbers. One was recalled; the other wasn't.

    Kidde has a website where you can enter the model # of your fire extinguisher and find out if it's included.
    Thanks for clarifying that.

  10. #30
    Drew Wiley
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    SF Bay area, CA
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    Re: Fire extinguisher recommendation

    If something has to be recalled, 90% of the time it means it was either false labeled or never genuinely inspected to begin with. Made in China pretty much says it all. So does where those kind of cheapo options are typically sold. You don't get something for nothing.

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