Soi Fire Extinguishers

[STEVE G]

.....You are turning into a fire extinguisher sleuth.

I must have walked by that one nearly every day I've spent in Hua Hin for years without noticing it but after this thread, I can't stop seeing them!

[VincentD]

Given what Hua Hin used to be like (lots of wooden structures back in the day) it probably made a lot more sense. I think my first trip driving down from Bangkok must have been late 1992-3, I stayed at the Melia (now known as the Hilton, and the shophouses were mainly wood back then.

[STEVE G]

Given what Hua Hin used to be like (lots of wooden structures back in the day) it probably made a lot more sense. I think my first trip driving down from Bangkok must have been late 1992-3, I stayed at the Melia (now known as the Hilton, and the shophouses were mainly wood back then.

As part of my daily walk, I often wander around the city before heading up the beach and a surprising number of those wooden buildings are still around down the smaller lanes.
I took this photo just last week:

PSX_20240121_061635.jpg (81.59 KiB) Viewed 647 times

[Nereus]

As there appears to be a lot of interest in this subject, the following may be relevant. The manufacture of Halon 1301 was banned, but recycling facilties were set up so that it could still be used, rather than just released into the atmosphere.

An impressive 150 countries worldwide signed up to the Montreal protocol to control the use of ozone-depleting chemicals, and Halon was one of the first substances to be banned, in 1993.

An alternative called 1211 / 1230 or Novec, was introduced, but it now appears that this is also is out of favour. For many years ships used Halon flooding systems consisting of a bank of big fixed storage bottles that could be remotely released into sealed areas, such as the engine room or special cargo areas. Audible and visual alarms were activated prior to release so that personel could vacate the areas.

Despite what is written there, Halon 1301 was contained in red bottles. It is Novec or 1211 / 1230 that is in green bottles.

Whatever Happened To Halon Fire Extinguishers?

Existing Halon fire extinguishing systems could only be recharged using recycled Halon. In 1999, the EU drew up plans to dispose of Halon 1301 (used in fixed systems) and Halon 1211, used in hand-held fire extinguishers. From 31 December 2002, it was illegal to recharge a Halon fixed fire extinguishing system, and all Halon systems and fire extinguishers were to be decommissioned by 31 December 2003.

https://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/ ... nguishers/

CO2 Fire Extinguishers

These extinguishers are ideal for electrical fires, especially switchboards and computer racks. They work better if used in confined spaces not accessible to personel as they exclude the oxogen. They do not contaminate the equipment like dry powder.

https://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/ ... nguishers/

Carbon Dioxide or CO2 fire extinguishers are the only type of fire extinguisher suitable for use on electrical fires. They leave no residue, are non-conducive, and can be used on electrical equipment without causing damage. CO2 fire extinguishers can also be used on Class B fires (flammable liquids).

They are NOT the only type suitable for electrical fires, just the preferred type.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher

The only type of extinguisher for use on a Class F fire, wet chemical extinguishers, work by cooling the fire and spraying out a mist of potassium that reacts with fats and oils to create a layer which smothers the fire, by being a lower pressure extinguisher they also do not risk spreading around the fuel. Care should be taken when using a wet chemical fire extinguisher on a Class F fire in a confined area, as it can cause eye and skin irritations.

https://in2fire.com.au/class-f-fire-cooking-fats-oil/

This type is also sometimes installed as a fixed installation with a release nozzle built into a hood over a cooking range.

The most important thing to remember is to ensure that the correct extinguisher is used on the relevant fire type. That is normally helped by only having the correct type of extinguisher available in the risk area.

The fire triangle: remove any one of the 3 and the fire will extinguish.

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