Confused about all this fridge talk...

[Smitty77]

I've posted for input on other sites too, but would appreciate input on if my thinking is sound?

1200 unit
ss30 installed
smoke alarm installed (behind fridge)
Pancake fans added

I've read on other postings, that if the new cut out switch does trip for any reason, that Norcold will not sell replacement cut out's, they want you to then swap out the cooling unit for their refab or new units. (not validated, just something I've read on a few other posts)

My thoughts are to keep all of the above in place. Buy the improved solid/thicker tubing cooling unit from the Amish, and not add the extra cut out switch. This switch, as others has pointed out, is a CYA from suits vs fixing root cause - bad manufactured cooling units.

Propane is important to us, so the residential units others are doing is not an option. I also see the total cost to be about $1K from the purchase and DIY install of the new Amish cooling units, much less then residential.

Thoughts appreciated. Especially if no down side to doing the recall cut out (just did not like the idea of another 'after thought' item added into the total chain).

TIA,
Smitty
04 Allure

[SCVJeff]

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

With regards to Halon, they aren't making any more. However, the supply of the existing stuff is enormous. WRT its use within the small area of the outside frig compartment, it's purpose is to remove oxygen from the fire, thereby snuffing out the fire. In the typical 1 liter Halon tank, there is enough to put out 20 fires or more as you only need about 5%-10% of the tank to snuff out any fire. It will never be enough to saturate the area inside the coach thereby remove the oxygen for humans to breathe. Again, it is NOT toxic, it simply replaces the oxygen with Halon.

SCVJeff, have you checked to make sure that mounting the tank vertically with the nozzle pointed horizontally is correct with Mac The Fire Guy or Ralph from Fire-Fight or from wherever you purchased your tank? I think I was told that the nozzle had to be vertical and pointing upwards, I may be wrong and confusing it with my 3 liter AFFF tank and remote nozzle I have in my engine compartment. Doesn't hurt to double check.

Also, when I purchased my system, I purchased an additional package from Mac that included three small portable extinguishers, Fireaide 2000's and one medium Cold Fire which is next to the front door. I believe all of these are AFFF type. I put one small one in the kitchen, one next to my side of the bed, and one in my Toad. I put the old chemical extinguishers that came with the coach in my cargo trailer for possible BBQ fires or anything else that may need to be extinguished.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

Makes absolutly no difference the orentation of the sprinkler either on the Halon or the AFFF. The only thing you cannot do with the AFFF bottle is tip it any further forward that flat horizontal as there is a bottom draw tube in there than will get uncovered and do nothing but blow air.

Sounds like you have pretty much the same complement as me, and less than a mile from where it's stored too.

[captpar]

Where did you purchase the system used in the refrigerator compartment?
I looked at Mac the fire guy site and the only one listed was for the engine compartment.

[deaton]

I attended a seminar last weekend at Escapee's Rainbow's End park in Livingston, Texas. Mac the fire guy was there and gave the presentation on RV fire safety. He has plenty of pics and videos to illustrate what fire can due to your trailer or coach.

He passed around samples of the refridgerator igniter tubes that are fracturing and serving as one of the major causes of these refridgerator fires and, as he put it, those of us with Dometics who think we have less of a problem are kidding ourselves. The technology is the same and they all can and do fail in the same way. Once that hydrogen leaks and goes off, it burns through your propane feed and then it's off to the races.

So, in the end, I went with the halon system and it fits fine in my refridgerator compartment. If it never goes off, I'll still sleep better at night knowing it's there to provide one more level of protection.

I'm thinking about adding a foam fire suppression system for the engine compartment. Once you've see Mac's vido of a brand new Patriot Thunder getting totaled from a ruptured high pressure diesel fuel line, you can appreciate that diesel can burn as well or better than gas when sprayed under pressure.

[SCVJeff]

Originally Posted by captpar

Where did you purchase the system used in the refrigerator compartment?
I looked at Mac the fire guy site and the only one listed was for the engine compartment.

The Official Firefight1 Website. (sorry, I'm on an iPhone and making a hyperlink is a pain).

I'm pretty sure this is where Mac buys his stuff from too.

[deaton]

Captpar -

Confirming what Jeff said, Mac McCoy's stuff comes from that Firefight1 outfit - he appears to be a distributor - and the unit he recommends for the refridgerator compartment is at this link -

Firefight1 Products

It's the SS-30 in the horizontal configuration. Vertical is ok too, whatever fits best.