1kg Fire Extinguishers at Lidl £7.99

Carrot Cruncher · Post by **Carrot Cruncher** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:08 pm

As the subject has been much in the news lately with the riots

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl ... _23451.htm

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 2:46 pm

If you use one of these indoors you will wish that you had not. The mess left behind is phenomenal and they are really too small for a house fire unless you catch it really small and then a saucepan of water would do the job. Not too bad for a fire under the bonnet of a car but that is about that, inside a car you will be cleaning up powder until you sell the car.

I would strongly suggest that you light a good fire in the garden about the size of an easy chair on fire (indeed why not set fire to an easy chair) and then try one of them. Good training for the family on how to use an extinguisher but I suspect that you will then change your mind on their effectiveness.

Carrot Cruncher · Post by **Carrot Cruncher** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:59 pm

Probably not a good idea to throw your saucepan of water on electric or oil fires though eh ?

If you know how to use a fire extinguisher and what type to use then even ones this small could be very useful

Post by **pseudonym** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 6:44 pm

Carrot Cruncher wrote:Probably not a good idea to throw your saucepan of water on electric or oil fires though eh ?

If you know how to use a fire extinguisher and what type to use then even ones this small could be very useful

Great for an emergency..... when your only way out is through the flames something like this could abate the advance giving you vital seconds to escape.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:25 pm

But you are preppers so you have the house protected by RCD's in your consumer unit of course so no shock hazard possible, and blasting an oil fire with a pressurised powder extinguisher will blow the burning oil all over the place (seen that) so it would be no good for that, it is just the equivalent of a saucepan of water. Those 1kg powders are really only good for under-bonnet car fires and even then probably won't be enough in most cases (and do you know how to fight such a fire without loosing your eyebrows?)

Those "vital seconds to escape" are wasted finding and grabbing, then using an extinguisher and if you really need an extinguisher to escape that one is far, far too small.

If you have a fire just get out, fast.

By all means have a decent (say 13A) extinguisher near your exit so it is between the fire and the exit but get everyone out first before trying to use it.

Carrot Cruncher · Post by **Carrot Cruncher** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:43 pm

Personally I would prefer to fight a small fire if (it was safe to do so) rather than let it turn into a big fire. No one is saying that a 1kg fire extinguisher is the answer to all your fire safety needs, just that they could well be very useful, and not just in the house. YMMV

I guess we will have to agree to disagree

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:06 am

I really don't think we disagree, any extinguisher is better than none, but I do believe that people rely too much on small cheap extinguishers being adequate replacement for larger more expensive types and also that an extinguisher is a 'magic bullet' which will kill any fire, which is far from the truth, they are really not that good in any size you can carry.

Post by **jansman** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:22 pm

I have 2kg nitrogen propelled ABC rated extinguishers.The same we use at work. Proper ones.50 quid a go and regular servicing.I have done this for18 years.I lived next door to a pyromaniac,it makes you think...

Post by **jansman** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:27 pm

BTW a fire plan is better-and LOTS OF SMOKE ALARMS! with batteries that work.

The-Great-Nothing · Post by **The-Great-Nothing** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 5:04 pm

Hi. Starting to light up the wood burner on chillier nights - so starting to think about adding to fire kit.

Currently got just a 1kg in the lounge (wood burner room) and 2 working alarms.

I have found it hard to get info on having a good size extinguisher for a certain size room. But this is my plan...

Smoke alarm on each level
6kg powder in garage
3kg powder in 4m x 8m lounge/diner
1kg powder in 3m x 3m kitchen
3kg powder on landing (2 double bedrooms an bathroom upstairs)
1kg powder in bedroom

About £100 from eBay. But they are refillable & have 10year guarantees - so not too bad over that time.

Thoughts? Mostly on sizes.

Would I need a fire blanket in the kitchen?

Cheers

Matt

uk-preppers.co.uk