stored pressure water extinguishers

[Skojo]

I tried searching the forums for related threads, but didn't have any luck. If anyone can find this previously asked question, please let me know where the thread is.


How many of you carry stored pressure water extinguishers on your trucks?

Once used, can you service them yourself (i.e. fill them back up and re-charged them) or do you need to take them to a specialized shop to have this done?

Can they be re-charged with just air? Someone recently told me it was nitrogen, which I kinda doubt.

Anyone ever build or purchase a kit to re-charge a can off of a SCBA bottle?

Can you simply put AFFF or another foam agent in the can to have a simple CAFS, or is there more to it than this?


Thanks for your thoughts.

Skojo

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

The answers to your questions..
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.

[VinnieB]

We use them everyday in about 400 companies. We charge them our selves with air from the rig, we have fill ports on both engines and trucks. For Foam we add a quarter of a soda can worth of foam to the water. 2.5 gal PW can is 2 gals of water to half of air.

[Bones42]

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
No. Never used a SCBA bottle for this.
Yes/No. Can simply add foam to it, but nowhere near the same thing as CAFS.

[fire49]

They are simple to do

But highly suggest someone train you on how to do it, what to look for, and what tests are required

[johnsb]

As has been said before YES!

Every piece of apparatus on our dept. carries them, even the medics. (medics also have SCBA and fire gear)

You can get foam nozzles to replace the straight tips if you want as well, and if need be, you can substitute dishwashing soap for foam concentrate. Just use clear soap at about the same rate or less of foam.

You should be able to pipe in an air chuck to you trucks air system, that way you can recharge cans on the street.

[CdnFD24]

Nitrogen propellant would be useful in atmospheres where temps can fluctuate but it's not something that is as readily available as compressed air so may not be the best option.

We serviced our own after use. Fill water to the line, add a spoon of foam and pressurize until needle is in the green.

We also had nozzles that allowed some air through before clearing the tip. Helped a little in foam production but nothing to be too excited about.

[LaFireEducator]

Combo department, no. Volunteer department, yes.

We carry 2 per engine and 1-2 for service and command vehicles.

The other questions ahev already been answered.

[tree68]

We do our own. Biggest challenge was getting a wrench to fit.

We add two ounces of Class A foam.

We can do them on the engine, but with the foam, it's better to do them at the station, where we can rinse the foam out and start from scratch.

[Skojo]

Thanks for the feedback! I figured as much, but wanted someone to confirm my thoughts. We're looking to put a few into service. I did find that BullEx sells an accessory to their fire extinguisher training system that allows you to recharge their stored pressure water extinguisher trainer from an SCBA tank (2200 or 4500 PSI). Looks pretty simple - high pressure regulator, air hose, air chuck. But it's not cheap (more than $300). See attached file (details.png) If anyone has seen something similar for sale, lemme know. Thanks again.

Skojo

[LVFD301]

We made our rig to fill the can with an old SCBA regulator and hoses. Couple of fittings from the hardware store, total cost around 10 bucks.


For anyone in Missouri, Conservation in Lebanon has some brand new water cans for issue. Still in the box.

[FyredUp]

If you have an air bag system or an air chisel use the regulator from them and make the proper adapter for a hose line to fill the can with. Frankly though, I can't imagine that there are so many unltra busy fire companies out there that it couldn't wait until you got back to quarters.

[johnsb]

Thanks for the feedback! I figured as much, but wanted someone to confirm my thoughts. We're looking to put a few into service. I did find that BullEx sells an accessory to their fire extinguisher training system that allows you to recharge their stored pressure water extinguisher trainer from an SCBA tank (2200 or 4500 PSI). Looks pretty simple - high pressure regulator, air hose, air chuck. But it's not cheap (more than $300). See attached file (details.png) If anyone has seen something similar for sale, lemme know. Thanks again.


Skojo

Attachment 22621

If your trucks have air brakes you don't need that gadget. Especially if they have an air shore line.

[snowball]

We do our own. Biggest challenge was getting a wrench to fit.

Splain pleeze... Wrench for what? Never had to use a wrench refilling our water cans.

Edit; Nevermind, I looked at some other brands. The upshot is that my world just got a little bigger!

[FWDbuff]

But it's not cheap (more than $300).

Another gimmick by another manufacturer to draw money out of a volunteer fire department. Please, for the love of god, please dont tell me you are actually considering WASTING 300 bucks for a device for pressuring water cans? Tell you what.....I'll make you a deal- You send me $100 bucks- saving you 200 bucks, and I'll send you my own device for pressurizing water cans. I'll even throw in shipping for free. Here is a link to my extremely high-tech device:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200487283_200487283?cm _mmc=Google-pla-_-Air%20Tools-_-Air%20Chucks%20%2B%20Gauges-_-21580&ci_sku=21580&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}&gclid=CKOLyr-ch7QCFYZM4AodWV0Arg

If you are hell bent on spending that much money, send it back to me every 6 months and I will calibrate it for you for a minimum fee of $73.50 but you will have to pay the shipping costs round-trip, I think 16.75 should about cover that.

[FiremanLyman]

Use a PW can anytime we can, beats taking up hose for a oven or trash can fire.

Anyways, if we are on scene for a while, we'll refill on scene using tank water or the customer's own garden hose. Use our air compressor on the rig to pressurize it.

You need no special connection, most any quick disconnect will fit the nozzle of a PW can.

[GTRider245]

Splain pleeze... Wrench for what? Never had to use a wrench refilling our water cans.

Edit; Nevermind, I looked at some other brands. The upshot is that my world just got a little bigger!

Post what you found. Ours all have a nut on the top that hold the handle and pickup, but we only ever put them on hand tight. Never used a wrench here either.

[tree68]

Maybe ours are just old - I can never get the nut tight enough by hand. The price was right.

The problem is that the nut is not the strongest thing ever built and using anything but an open end wrench raises the possibility of damaging said nut.

Guess I'll have to check the gaskets.

[Skojo]

Morning fellas,

I guess let me clarify. I know it's probably easy to make your own gimmick, tool, device (you pick a name) to recharge off of a SCBA cylinder. Doing this is beyond my skills and that's why I'm asking here for some advice. Thanks LVFD301 and FyredUp for the tips - I'll share these with one of engineers. But I'm also looking for a tool that's already been manufactured, similar to what BullEx is selling, but for less money.

FWD - Can't beat your logic. I'd like to lock into a 3-year contract with you if possible!


SKOJO EDIT: Found a related post on water cans:
http://www.firehouse.com/forums/t61961/ (Water Can extinguisher Use?)

[DeputyMarshal]

But I'm also looking for a tool that's already been manufactured, similar to what BullEx is selling, but for less money.

If you have a compressor at the fire house and air brakes on the engine, you don't need SCBA to charge a PW. For the small volume of air involved, a decent bicycle pump is all that you need anywhere you don't have one of those things handy. Seriously.