fire extinguisher for hangar

[prkaye]

I need to get a couple of fire extinguishers for my hangar. Mainly I'm thinking in terms of puttnig out an aircraft (fuel) fire if it ever happened.
Do I need a special type? Will a typical Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher be ok?
What about the codes, like 3A40BC, 10BC, etc?

[Mike S]

Class a is for "normal combustible" -----wood, paper etc.

Class b is for flamible liquids.

Class c is for "electrical" fires. This is usually a class a or b fire, with a live electrical wire involved--------electricity doesnt actually burn.

Class d is for metal fires

A typical extinguisher will be classed for a, b, and c. The numerical rating is a reference to the amount of fire that the extinguisher can put out. Bigger is better.

Extinguishers usually need to be checked annually, by a licensed service.

Stay away from pressurized water extinguishers for your hanger. They will cause a fuel fed fire to spread.

Halon, and CO2 are good in that they dont leave residue, but their effectiveness is reduced when used in the open, they work best when confined indoors.

For my money, the largest abc rated extinguisher you can handle/afford. Buy two, install one on each side of the hangar, that way unless the fire is really big, you can still get to one of the extinguishers. If the fire is that big, dont waste your time trying to put it out, just run........

[Paul K]

Go to Amerex-fire.com and then to their learning center and on to Tech tips. Tech Tip No. 20 will open your eyes as to the dangers of using A-B-C type extinguishers around aircraft. Don't do it!

[Low Pass]

First find out if there's an authority having jurisdiction (city, fire dept, etc.) Understand their requirements.

I've got a couple of dry chemical types to satisfy the city (landlord) and a 20-lb CO2 for actual use on/in my plane.

BTW - if you've never put a fire out with a portable extinguisher, you should at least read about it or pull up a video on YouTube. It usually requires technique and some diligence, depending on the size of the fire.

[prkaye]

The basic component of the extinguishing agent contained in an ABC fire extinguisher is monoammonium phosphate (sometimes referred to as MAP). The agent is very efficient at extinguishing Class A type fires because it ?melts? and forms a crust on the surface of the burning material, creating an oxygen barrier. When used on an aircraft fire the agent can flow into minute structural cracks common in the aircraft?s stressed aluminum surfaces. There it can combine with moisture to form phosphoric acid, a chemical that is highly corrosive to aluminum. The residue is extremely difficult to clean up and failure to completely clean the agent from the aircraft will, over time, result in corrosion that could compromise the integrity of the aircraft. For this reason Buckeye Fire Equipment Company does not recommend the use of ABC fire extinguishers on aircraft.

So it looks like it's teh "A" of ABC that is bad. Perhaps a 10BC extinguisher is the way to go...

[PCHunt]

Originally Posted by Paul K

Go to Amerex-fire.com and then to their learning center and on to Tech tips. Tech Tip No. 20 will open your eyes as to the dangers of using A-B-C type extinguishers around aircraft. Don't do it!

I couldn't get any of the tabs on the Amerex web site to work. Tried two different browsers, Firefox, and IE-8.

[prkaye]

Talked to a guy at a local fire extinguisher dealer. Purple K is the type for aircraft ramp situations, as confirmed by the wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple-K

[Webb]

This previous post will answer your question.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...+extinquishers

[John Clark]

Originally Posted by Mike S

If the fire is that big, dont waste your time trying to put it out, just run........

The best advice ever, and Mike knows of what he speaks!

I like this system for a hangar, just don't "test" it.

http://www.strategypage.com/military...461118114.aspx

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

[Mike S]

Thanks John.

I have that entire test on power point, cant figure out how to put it here.

Totally amazing shots.