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Safety First

04fivefour

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Apr 26, 2013
Messages
221
Location
Perry Township, OH
7698CC58-53CC-4630-B666-22E3B05C90D3_zpsyho3iugn.jpg


Finally got my fire extinguishers serviced. 6 more years until they need serviced again thanks to A-1 Sprinkler in Miamisburg, OH.
 
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Elginz

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Dec 29, 2014
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431
Location
Oconto, WI
Because of our Adult family Home, we have to have ours checked annually. They say to invert them at least annually, also check the nozzle for bugs and such.
 

bgarrett

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Feb 11, 2006
Messages
4,393
everyone puts the mount on the wall at eye level. WRONG! that means you have to lift that heavy thing over your head. Mount it from waist high to tittie high.
 
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04fivefour

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Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
221
Location
Perry Township, OH
everyone puts the mount on the wall at eye level. WRONG! that means you have to lift that heavy thing over your head. Mount it from waist high to tittie high.

I've never seen someone mount it that high? Might be a location thing. Around here in the bottom of the tank is knee level.
 

LS6 Tommy

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Dec 27, 2013
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26,162
Location
Northern NJ
everyone puts the mount on the wall at eye level. WRONG! that means you have to lift that heavy thing over your head. Mount it from waist high to tittie high.

I've never seen someone mount it that high? Might be a location thing. Around here in the bottom of the tank is knee level.

The "Fire Estinguisher" SIGN is supposed to be at eye level, not the extinguisher itself... :thumbup:

Tommy
 

Charles (in GA)

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Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
12,489
Location
50 mi south of Atlanta
Yeah I will still have them inspected, they just don't need serviced for 6 more years.

Due to the mud daubers we have here (spiders too) I have to keep the hoses capped. I use red plastic caps that lightly slip on the hoses and have a streamer of survey ribbon put across the end of the hose before I install the cap. It would blow off if not removed, and I haven't but could tape the streamer to the wall, so it would pull the cap off as the extinguisher were removed from the hook.

Some earlier threads:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=245515

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61428

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57455

Service tip, turn upside down and tap with a rubber hammer a couple of times a year. The fine powder will compact over time.

I had a FX service man tell me to be careful (really don't do this at all) as the plastic dip tubes inside the FX break rather easily when you do this. He suggested just carefully inverting the FX and feeling for the powder to shift, and shaking up and down slightly. Nothing more.

Some 30 years ago, at a previous place of employment, we had a kid from a FX service company come by for the annual inspection. He was in and out in about 5 minutes, and did nothing more than look at gauges and put on new tags. Didn't shake them, or beat on them, or inspect the hoses, nothing. I called the company and told them I thought there was more to do than just retag them. Later kid shows back up, and takes a rubber mallet and beats the living **** out of the bottom of every extinguisher. Dented every one of them. I called again. I think the FX service company fired the kid after that.

Charles
 
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vintage nut

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Mar 17, 2015
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1,272
Location
west coast of canada
I keep 2 in each shop. One dry chemical, and one 10# Co2. Always go for the co2 first because you can use them partially without requiring a recharge, and there's no mess. Always have a co2 handy when using the cutting torch.

you can never have too many tools
 

6768rogues

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Nov 28, 2007
Messages
4,524
Location
Western NY
According to NFPA, which is the reference for most building codes, extinguishers have to be visually checked monthly and the tag initialed on the back. Visual inspection makes sure it is in the proper location, mounted label out, appears to be the correct weight to be charged, the gauge says it is charged, the pin is in place, the inspection is current and the nozzle is not obstructed.
And-they have to be mounted on a bracket or placed on a shelf; sitting on the floor is not acceptable.
 
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04fivefour

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Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
221
Location
Perry Township, OH
I keep 2 in each shop. One dry chemical, and one 10# Co2. Always go for the co2 first because you can use them partially without requiring a recharge, and there's no mess. Always have a co2 handy when using the cutting torch.

you can never have too many tools

Where did you get you Co2 ones at? The ones on ebay are through the roof$$$!!!!
 

vintage nut

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Mar 17, 2015
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Location
west coast of canada
Local fire extinguisher shop. Rebuilt ones. They sell them for the price of a hydro test and refill. Last one I bought, a really nice one with pressure test dates back to the 60s and in perfect shape, cost me $110 canadian.

you can never have too many tools
 

schmelpboy

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Jun 24, 2012
Messages
1,717
Dang. I've got something like 50 extinguishers here at work that are just in a storage shed. A school district building was flooding, so they removed everything from it. Since we do Hazmat, they gave us all of the extinguishers in the entire building. Not to knock the stupidity of any government body, they also had us remove one of those massive yellow fire cabinets....After all, it had spray cans in it at the time of the flood, so they didn't want it back.....
 
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04fivefour

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Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
221
Location
Perry Township, OH
Dang. I've got something like 50 extinguishers here at work that are just in a storage shed. A school district building was flooding, so they removed everything from it. Since we do Hazmat, they gave us all of the extinguishers in the entire building. Not to knock the stupidity of any government body, they also had us remove one of those massive yellow fire cabinets....After all, it had spray cans in it at the time of the flood, so they didn't want it back.....

They wouldn't miss one :)
 
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blackdak8

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Oct 30, 2013
Messages
45
Location
KY
Yeah I keep one on the 1 ft part of the wall between the bay door and the entry door.

This is also where I keep 2 of mine but I also have a 3rd one mounted on the back wall of the 50ft long garage since my overhead and entry are both on front end.
 

AMCguy

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Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
2,022
Location
Sunshine Coast, BC Canada
Great to see fire extinguishers in home shops. Keep up the good work.

Keep a sharp eye out for a pressurized water extinguisher at yard sales or whatever. They are a valuable addition.
 

Firebird 1

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Mar 11, 2015
Messages
624
Location
Maryland
That's a good idea, I always thought that the most important tool in the garage or shop is the fire ex. but no one mentions it.
 

RedRabbit

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Jul 5, 2014
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Location
SoCal
Where did you get them OP? I want some for around the house but I know how bad the Kiddies are.
 
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04fivefour

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Apr 26, 2013
Messages
221
Location
Perry Township, OH
Where did you get them OP? I want some for around the house but I know how bad the Kiddies are.

Our accounting firm had purchased another one adn when we closed its building down i found those in the closets and after reading some threads from the GJ Firefighters I knew that amerex was a good brand and I just loaded them up.

But I have seen the same extinguisher on ebay for about 50 bucks shipped. I also had kidde's and first alerts because they are the only ones that are readily available.
 

vintage nut

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Mar 17, 2015
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1,272
Location
west coast of canada
I'll say again, go to your local fire extinguisher recharge shop, and you can get top brand (amerex, ansul, general, ect) refurbished to new condition for less than new low end ones.
Like a basically new 10# ansul for 35 bucks

you can never have too many tools
 

58Yeoman

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Oct 1, 2010
Messages
8,999
Location
Central IL
Before I retired last year, if we used one our own FE's, we could take it to work, and the company would pay to have it recharged.
 

HoosierMark

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Joined
Jan 31, 2013
Messages
1,442
Location
Southeast IN
Just used the one I carry in my truck yesterday. Trying to start my 88 S-10 from winter issues. Finally got it running but noticed little wiff of smoke from steering column. Interesting. Shut it off and went to look at engine compartment. Flames at bottom below steering column. Oh ****, 50 feet from house, what do I do. Oh yea got that one in my other truck 30 feet away, grab it and problem taken care of. Standing there being thankful and it flairs up again, another shot from the FE and problem solved. Only started carrying a FE in truck a few years ago, glad I did. Needless to say, several more FE will be added around the house and put in the vehicles. Went out about two hours later and engine cranks and started for a second before I shut it off quickly.l Now I will need to fully inspect and see what damage has been done. Since I have not driven it for about 4 months, I guess a little while longer will not matter.
 

WJW

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Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
61
A little story on why a FE is a MUST HAVE SHOP ITEM
Years ago I was working in a gas station with a one bay shop. The shop was small and nothing fancy.
So a VW comes in with a starting problem..... Mech is working on the car and I am now getting a gasoline delivery via a tractor trailer. Well the gas tank vents are only 10 feet off the ground and well it looks like the road on a hot day ... all fumes....
All of a sudden the mech says FIRE... well this is not a good thing..... I get the FE and well the yellow bug was white inside and out but the fire in the bug was out and no Kaboom ..... I get the gas delivery done and at the end of the day the bug went home with its owner and he asked us if it was a new thing to get your car back washed and vacuumed with every repair?

Even before that I was about 13 yrs old and well one of my buddys boat gas tank got a hole in it... So he get the welder out and removes the cap and puts some water in the tank and starts to go at the tank and well KABOOM ...... Fast forward to Monday at school and he looks like a Mummy and has two eye slits and a hole to drink from a straw.. After the Mummy wrap is off not one mark. Acted like a flash burn and took off a lawyer of skin ...... Lucky....
 
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