Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Fire and related issues
| Fire and related issues [message #186228] |
Tue, 02 October 2012 14:47  |
stick miller
Messages: 1036
Registered: March 2010
Location: Americus, Georgia
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This is a scary post from the Bluebird site. Makes you kinda want to dump that propane frig.
Sorry for the short google thing http://goo.gl/nzYkb
Stick Miller
'78 Royale - "White Trash" - she left me for another man
'76 Eleganza - "Cousin Eddie" Sold
'84 Bluebird Wanderlodge - "Past Tents"
Americus, GA
[Updated on: Tue, 02 October 2012 14:48] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Fire and related issues [message #186229 is a reply to message #186228] |
Tue, 02 October 2012 15:36  |
GeorgeRud
Messages: 1380
Registered: February 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
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I think this sort of thing is why JimB keeps preaching about the automatic fire suppression systems. Besides an easily accessible handheld extinguisher, every coach should have the automatically deployed foam (or halon) systems in the engine compartment, generator compartment, and behind the propane fired fridge.
As well as having these mounted in my coach, I also have an escape hammer in the back for worst case scenarios. Fire is nothing to play with.
George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues [message #186234 is a reply to message #186229] |
Tue, 02 October 2012 17:10 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
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I wouldn't do halon in the engine room, it's too open and the stuff will fall to the ground. Foam would be the move. Perhaps in the propane compartment. When the coach is running- or the genset running, the halon will be blown about and blown away. It works best in enclosed spaces. Foam sticks and smothers, and although it is messly, it will supress a fire in the engine room while you're getting the coach off the road and stopped.
Halon >is< interesting to watch in a demo though. Fire simply doesn't work in the stuff. And, for those who like to 'toot' helium from a baloon for a squeaky voice, Halon is the opposite. It will put cojones on a milquetoast voice.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
From: George Rudawsky <GeorgeRud@aol.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 4:36 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues
I think this sort of thing is why JimB keeps preaching about the automatic fire suppression systems. Besides an easily accessible handheld extinguisher, every coach should have the automatically deployed foam (or halon) systems in the engine compartment, generator compartment, and behind the propane fired fridge.
As well as having these mounted in my coach, I also have an escape hammer in the back for worst case scenarios. Fire is nothing to play with.
--
George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Fire and related issues [message #186238 is a reply to message #186228] |
Tue, 02 October 2012 17:46 |
GeorgeRud
Messages: 1380
Registered: February 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
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Also, the EPA isn't very keen on Halon these days due to ozone depletion concerns (real or not), so the foam is probably the best choice we have as halon becomes harder to source. I agree that it works best in enclosed spaces, while the foam has a smothering and cooling effect on a fire.
George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues [message #186245 is a reply to message #186238] |
Tue, 02 October 2012 18:42 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
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We did one set of studios in Halon, to preclude having to put sprinklers in. I'm not u for dumping water in $200K (1984 dollars) or equipment. The fire company used spheres and bolted them to building structure. And yes, one of the jockettes managed to set one studio off. Other than scaring hell out of her and costing us $1800 for a recharge, no harm done.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
From: George Rudawsky <GeorgeRud@aol.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues
Also, the EPA isn't very keen on Halon these days due to ozone depletion concerns (real or not), so the foam is probably the best choice we have as halon becomes harder to source. I agree that it works best in enclosed spaces, while the foam has a smothering and cooling effect on a fire.
--
George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues [message #186247 is a reply to message #186241] |
Tue, 02 October 2012 18:48 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Halon will put it out, but not keep it out if there's a fuel leak and the engine is still hot enough for ignition. It doesn't have any cooling or staying power. I suspect a CO2 system would do about as well, and recharging would fer sure be less expensive. Halon's major feature is it's harmless save to the ozone. If memory serves, a 4% concentration is sufficient to keep fire from working. The folks who set up ours normally shoot for a 6% concentration in the facility. And you got to have strobes and a whooper si-reen and all when it discharges in a facility. For a motorhome, I'll use foam.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
From: James Hupy <jamesh1296@gmail.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues
AAAF Foam is a good agent. It will freeze in cold conditions, but when it
thaws it is apparently unharmed. Halon works in all positions and
conditions. It is the only thing to use at high altitude in jet engines.
Halon definitely will work in an engine compartment in a GMC Motorhome. It
has put out several. Jim Bounds sells both as does Jim K.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC Royale 403 ( I have Halon in my engine compartment)
On Oct 2, 2012 3:46 PM, "George Rudawsky" <GeorgeRud@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> Also, the EPA isn't very keen on Halon these days due to ozone depletion
> concerns (real or not), so the foam is probably the best choice we have as
> halon becomes harder to source. I agree that it works best in enclosed
> spaces, while the foam has a smothering and cooling effect on a fire.
> --
> George Rudawsky
> Chicago, IL
> 75 Palm Beach
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues [message #186293 is a reply to message #186290] |
Wed, 03 October 2012 10:33 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
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Some of y'all need to learn to visit the bathroom more often during the
night -- I heard of frozen water hoses after 3 of our nights at Amana.
Ours never froze -- my periodic (frequent) uses of water must have helped.
:-)
Ken H.
On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 11:24 AM, Matt Colie wrote:
> ... (Amana was not the first frozen hose for us.)
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues [message #186329 is a reply to message #186264] |
Wed, 03 October 2012 18:17 |
stick miller
Messages: 1036
Registered: March 2010
Location: Americus, Georgia
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| Robert Mueller wrote on Wed, 03 October 2012 00:00 |
Stick,
Frankly it doesn't worry me one bit.
I skimmed the responses and noted that everybody blamed the fridge.
NO ONE questioned the maintenance practices of the owner.
Regards,
Rob M.
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I'm not sure we will know the cause until after the insurance company has had their say. Slim is well-known in the Bluebird world as having one of the most immaculately maintained coaches in that circle. He's a veteran owner and is, I suspect, most attuned to fanatical maintenance of what was an exceptional coach.
You wouldn't have known that, but it doesn't surprise me that those questions were not brought up on the Bluebird site.
Stick Miller
'78 Royale - "White Trash" - she left me for another man
'76 Eleganza - "Cousin Eddie" Sold
'84 Bluebird Wanderlodge - "Past Tents"
Americus, GA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues [message #186399 is a reply to message #186381] |
Thu, 04 October 2012 12:43 |
GMC_LES
Messages: 569
Registered: October 2009
Location: Montreal
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I have to agree with what Rob says. Proper inspections and maintenance go a
long way towards preventing these mishaps.
I wonder if windy weather conditions might have a play in these events? If
enough wind were applied to the fridge intake and/or exhaust vents, I could
imagine odd things happening to the flame and gas flow. On a friend's tent
trailer that I use, the fridge is a bugger to light up, especially on windy
days. Once lit, I could see the flame dancing around with each gust of
wind. On that fridge, it wasn't a problem as the flame was so small that it
would extinguish before it could exit the "firebox"area and become a
problem. On larger propane fridges, the flame is necessarily bigger,
so with the right gust of wind blowing into the exhaust port of the fridge,
I think that it might be possible for the flame to be momentarily forced
backwards and out of the "firebox". if anything flamable is nearby, the
risk of fire is elevated. Under "normal" conditions, the fridge is quite
safe, but how often are we operating under "normal" or "perfect" conditions
these days? As is often seen, people use the space behind the fridge vent
panel for strorage of all sorts of stuff. The PO of my coach stored rags,
tire irons and a couple quarts of oil in there!! An accident in hiding!!
I have thought of lining the fridge area with a fire resistant panel such
as gypsum board or cement board. I intend on doing the recommended
"ducting" mods to the area behind and above the fridge, and that would be a
good time to add some fire resistant panelling. I figure that it would
retard the progression of the fire and even possibly contain it within that
enclosed area, improving chances of successful evacuation as well as
possibly saving the coach. The addition of a good fire detection and
extinguishing system is also planned.
Thanks,
Les Burt
Montreal
'75 Eleganza II 26ft
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Les Burt
Montreal
1975 Eleganza 26ft
A work in Progress
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| Re: Fire and related issues [message #186442 is a reply to message #186435] |
Fri, 05 October 2012 06:18 |
stick miller
Messages: 1036
Registered: March 2010
Location: Americus, Georgia
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This is Stick - Slim is the owner of the coach that burned. I have not heard anything conclusive but will let this group know if I learn. Slim and his dog were asleep and escaped with nothing.
Stick Miller
'78 Royale - "White Trash" - she left me for another man
'76 Eleganza - "Cousin Eddie" Sold
'84 Bluebird Wanderlodge - "Past Tents"
Americus, GA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues [message #186520 is a reply to message #186500] |
Sat, 06 October 2012 08:49 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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Pictures for those of us who got caught 'on call' and couldn't get away?
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
From: Jim Galbavy <j.galbavy@att.net>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Friday, October 5, 2012 9:35 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Fire and related issues
Sorry 'bout that mixup. Too many days and hours in the driver's seat. Resting a few days with the Dixielanders then only 5 or six hours on the road Sunday. .... and I'm home.
jim galbavy
'73 x-CL ANNIE
Lake Mary, Fl
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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