Fire extinguisher safety

[Rossluck]

Just recently I bought a few good fire extinguishers. They are the white powder type.

Can anyone tell me if it's OK to set one of these units up in my work vehicle. I know it sounds a stupid question, but my work truck is a heavily sprung, bouncy, rough little Isuzu, and I have this image of the fire extinquisher going off prematurely because of the bouncing. Are they tough enough to handle a fair bit of shaking?

[Felder]

Should be fine.

My fire truck is a heavily sprung, bouncy, not so rough BIG Isuzu that spends a fair amount of time traversing rough fire trails in the Blue Mountains, and we carry a few on there. Just get the proper mounting brackets so it doesn't clang around the inside of your truck.

[Ashore]

Rossluck just make sure you remove it , turn up side down and shake regularly, the powder will pack down hard with the bouncing and vibration and the extinguisher wont work if it packs hard enough . Its a procedure we had to follow at sea as they use to pack down , once a month should be plenty . Other wise no worries as you will proberly find there is a pin to remove before you can set it off anyway


Rgds

[Rossluck]

Thanks Ashore. I hadn't thought of that.

Thanks Brendon. I spent a bit of time in a nasty fire in the Blue Mountains (Bullaburra) a long time ago. Your email brought back memories.

I'll make up a bracket and attach it.

[soundman]

I've carried a dry powder extinguisher in my vehicles for many years without problems.
An extinguisher is compulsory in all rally cars (The ride in those is prety rough) In years of hanging round motorsport I never heard of an extinguisher going off in its bracket or with ist safety pin in place.

One thing I would recommend is make sure the bracket is good & strong.

One common trick is to beef up the mounting by cutting down a second bracket so you have two straps holding the canister.

imagine clip holding kneck of extinguisher with strap a bit higher than the centre. you cut the top half off the second bracket and screw it up so the second strap comes near the bottom of the canister.
This isn't approprite for all brackets but you get the idea.

also mount it where you can get at it quickly.

cheers