Suitable fire extinguisher

[mrcharly]

If I have to weld or grind steel that is adjacent to wood, what fire extinguisher is suitable?

Common sense says CO2, but what about powder? Fire service says powder if it is a wood fire.

I have access to water, powder or CO2

 

[the snooper]

think i would use water on wood and save powder and co2 for more difficult fires

 

[rtbcomp]

Water should be OK as long as there is no chance of squirting anything electric.

 

[mrcharly]

Ah - well I have a powder that is out of date but functional (tested this arvo). As it's powder, to get it certified costs more than it's worth - so I'll keep it to hand for use when welding or grinding.

I'm used to coping with fires - a childhood in the Australian bush does that - it's just to make other people comfortable.

 

[the snooper]

i keep an old water extinguisher handy its the type you can just fill up and re-charge with your compressor

 

[brightspark]

just dont use water under presure on dust or sawdust it flares up like a gudun when disturbed

 

[mrcharly]

lol - I bet

I've seen a fire smolder through a big heap of sawdust - it took weeks to put out.

 

[wyn]

Ah - well I have a powder that is out of date but functional (tested this arvo).

If you've tested it by giving it a quick go, it might not work when you really need it.

 

[the snooper]

If you've tested it by giving it a quick go, it might not work when you really need it.

as above some extinguishers once operated discharge the full gas cylinder into the extinguisher body and although they have an operating valve for you to use they are not designed to keep stored pressure for any legnth of time so beware

 

[Hitch]

If im on a job welding near dry timber work, especially old dusy stuff, i tend to wet it down afirst with a garden type pressure sprayer.

A water extinguisher will be what you require.
As Wyn said, if youve discharged a bit from it, good chance it may lose pressure now, and not work very well.

 

[mrcharly]

ok, point taken

I'll be working on a boat that is in the water, so a bucket-onna-rope is always accessible.

 

[Robotstar5]

so a bucket-onna-rope is always accessible.

Just make sure the bucket's painted red

 

[Gee Tee]

Sounds like you need someone fire spotting for you. I've seen a few near misses like this working solo. When your wrapped in a mask it's easy to miss that somethings burning nearby. Is heat transfer to wood the issue or spatter etc..? Even disc cutters in a confined space are a fire risk for the same reason.