Community Forums

LETMGROW · 11-15-2015, 01:30 PM

Sitting in my deer blind this morning I was thinking about everything under the sun. Quiet morning as far as the hunting goes. I started to think about my MH stored 10 miles from home in a building all covered and pickled for the next few months. I have a short list of to do's to attack next May when I get my baby out in the daylight and ready it for the new season.
I was imagining the interior and wondering if anything needed attention and somehow I pictured the fire extinguisher next to the front door in it's little hold down bracket. Suddenly I realized I don't know how old the extinguisher is or if it has ever been checked for pressure and fill. Seems as though we take things like this for granted and just ignore them. The problem here is if (God forbid) we ever needed to use a valuable tool like this is it ready for the job?
To the top of the list for checking this when I bring the MH home next spring. Thinking beyond that I think I will add another extinguisher and place it in the bedroom.
To get to the one by the door I would have to pass by the refrigerator with the power panel and invertor under it. Where would the possibility of a fire starting be? Probably near or in the power Panel. Could I safely pass by the panel to get to the extinguisher to put a fire out? Or would I have to bail out a bedroom window and watch my pride and joy go up in flames?
The point I am making is don't let something as important as this go unchecked when a simple solution is so easy.
I will be going back to the woods for night watch shortly. If I come up with a new brainwave I will check back in.
Lynn

CVO · 11-15-2015, 03:04 PM

Day dreaming in the woods, does it get any better? It is a beautiful sunny November day (60's) here in Wisconsin. I went out back and checked the food plots and it was so nice in the woods I wished I wasn't so busy today.

Fire extinguishers are usually ignored. Often when you take them in for a check all they do is invert them, whack them with a rubber mallet to make sure the dry chemical is loose, check the gauge, and charge you a fee. If it is past a certain number of years they often do more including a recharge. I agitate mine every couple of years.

A second one in the bedroom is a good idea. Bigger is better. One in the basement is a good preventive action to take also.

Going over a fire plan with the wife and kids whether it is in the MH or the house is another excellent thing to do and just as important. Do they know how to operate the fire extinguisher? I urge every one to do a fire drill for both situations. I used to do it with the kids. They loved the idea of smashing the window and laying a blanket in the opening to escape. No, we didn't practice that! If your extinguisher is due for a recharge consider a test run for each member of the family. You can ask the dealer if he has one to use for a demonstration.

It is certainly better to daydream in the stand than fall asleep and fall out! Every year a few die in tree stand incidents. Here again, safety first is paramount. A tether saves lives.

One last thing: Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Check them! Good topic to remind all of us. Thanks

jacwjames · 11-15-2015, 04:52 PM

I put a 2nd larger extinguisher in the bedroom soon after we got our coach. It fit nicely next to the ben on my side and I can pull it out with no effort at all. I also installed a small automatic fire extinguisher behind the refrigerator hoping that it will at least slow a fire if not stop it. On an annual basis I will check the extinguishers to make sure they still show a charge and like the previous poster will turn upside down to make sure the powder is not packed tight.

I worked in the mining industry and fire's were always one of our main concerns. Underground there aren't too many escape routes. Knowing what to do in emergency I know saved several lives. Fire drills were practiced annually and discussed in safety meetings on a regular basis. Fire extinguishing equipment was checked monthly. Any engine with a turbo on it had an automatic fire suppression system on it since in most cases the operators would bail and run. I also personally fought several fires, not a fun time but necessary.

**NLOVNIT** · 11-15-2015, 05:28 PM

At about the 6 year mark, the extinguisher next to the door was in the red & inverting/whacking it did nothing to change the gauge, so out it went. Replaced it with a non-hazardous foam one the same size from Mac the Fire Guy, as well as got 3 more smaller ones - 1 for the propane bay, 1 for the cockpit & 1 for the bedroom. Then got a Halon fire extinguisher for the outside fridge compartment. Got 3 new smoke detectors - put 1 in the cockpit, replaced the one near the stove/fridge & 1 for the bedroom. Last got a new CO detector because I heard the 10yo one we've got is probably no good anymore.

Although the propane detector hasn't started chirping yet, it will probably need replaced soon. The original one gave out around the 6 year mark as well.

Lori-

DD788Snipe · 11-16-2015, 07:23 PM

Fire extinguishers are cheap. Go to Lowes or Home Depot and purchase a new one every 2 years. Also if you have an engine fire those little ones are worthless. I change out the one by the door every two years and carry 5 pound in a compartment right behind the right rear wheel just in case I have an engine fire. I also replace it every 2 years.

mojoracing · 11-17-2015, 04:55 AM

Unless you are near a fire and awake when it happens such as a cooktop fire or you notice a fire as it starts, your efforts to extinguish the fire would most likely be useless. I would think that a fire that gets going for even a minute or two in an RV would cause enough physical and smoke damage to be considered a total loss in the minds of most insurance companies.

Bruce C · 11-17-2015, 05:15 AM

Sometimes as you mentioned important things get missed. Thanks for posting that. I have been wanting to upgrade and have a few extras, just haven't done it. It'll get done today. Thanks for day dreaming. Good luck on your hunting season. We feed just don't hunt, but good luck.

777 Driver · 11-17-2015, 05:21 AM

Not an endorsement, but, many have recommended "Mac the Fire Guy" My Business - Home for helpful info regarding fire prevention, extinguishers, etc.

Take care,

Stu

Bigd9 · 11-17-2015, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojoracing

Unless you are near a fire and awake when it happens such as a cooktop fire or you notice a fire as it starts, your efforts to extinguish the fire would most likely be useless. I would think that a fire that gets going for even a minute or two in an RV would cause enough physical and smoke damage to be considered a total loss in the minds of most insurance companies.

I want to second what mojoracing said. Be very careful "fighting" a fire. These homes on wheels are a tinder box and will not give you much time to escape. Spend your valuable time getting everyone out and safe. Here is a picture of my coach just 10 minutes after we heard the smoke alarm and noticed smoke! Fire department showed up at the 13 minute mark to exploding tires and the 40 gallon propane tank venting like a flame thrower with flame that scorched a 30 foot strip of grass.

Hit_the_Rhod · 11-18-2015, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigd9

I want to second what mojoracing said. Be very careful "fighting" a fire. These homes on wheels are a tinder box and will not give you much time to escape. Spend your valuable time getting everyone out and safe. Here is a picture of my coach just 10 minutes after we heard the smoke alarm and noticed smoke! Fire department showed up at the 13 minute mark to exploding tires and the 40 gallon propane tank venting like a flame thrower with flame that scorched a 30 foot strip of grass.

Just out of curiosity, was the cause of the fire ever determined?

CWJK55 · 11-18-2015, 05:38 AM

Why do they put aa $20 fire extinguisher in a $200,000 motorhome?

Because they couldn't find one for $10.

Bigd9 · 11-18-2015, 06:06 AM

One thing I learned was this is real life and not a show on TV. When the fire marshal came out to investigate all that was left was a pile of debris and the frame. He kicked the pile of what was once my loved coach and asked me if I had any ideas! I showed him the first picture I had that I took while calling 911 and told him that in that area was the Dometic refrigerator and below it was the electrical control/fuse/breaker area. He mentioned the lightning storm we had during the night and wrote down the cause was "electrical". He couldn't do any testing for accelerants because the coach was full accelerants in the form of diesel, propane, oils, grease, hydraulic fluids, fiberglass, Styrofoam etc.

I want to reiterate what I said before. These things go up FAST! But more scary fact is they fill up with thick black smoke almost instantly! Do not delay....get out!

CVO · 11-18-2015, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigd9

But more scary fact is they fill up with thick black smoke almost instantly! Do not delay....get out!

Good advise.

Do a fire drill. You are in the bedroom, the front of the coach is filling with black smoke and flame. How are you going to get out?

The coach is filling with smoke, your grandchild is is sleeping in the bedroom. What will you do?

Whether at home or on the road, thinking through these scenarios and having a fire plan is important.

Big Bear Local · 11-18-2015, 08:21 AM

I agree with all that has been said. I go one step further. I put an extinguisher just outside the entrance door of my RV so if someone outside sees a fire start they can help.
I run a campground and the last two RV fires we have had started in the fridge area and people outside alerted the occupants as well as started putting water on the fire.