Class AC Water Mist fire extinguishers

[HotelSecurity]

I know that there are a few on this forum whos duties involve use of & maintaining fire equipment. Here's a question about the AC Water Mist extinguishers. I am adding them to the laundries of my hotels. They can be used on the class A fires that we get but also can be used in & around the electrical machines. I have dealt with 2 serious fires in one of the laundries & found that CO2, dry chimmical & even regular water extinguishers blow the buring lint around & spread the fire. Water Mist type extinguishers work extremely well on these type of fires. In order not to conduct electricity they are filled with distilled water. In the past I have heard of fire extinguisher companies saving money by putting class BC powder in a class ABC extinguisher. So my question after this long winded intro: Is there any way to test the water in the extinguisher to make sure it is actually distilled & not just tap water?

[Mr. Security]

Yes. If it is distilled, it will not boil at the temperature that spring water does. However, testing it this way can be hazardous because the water will boil violently if it contacts any impurities such as minerals, etc. So be careful!! :eek:

[HotelSecurity]

Yes. If it is distilled, it will not boil at the temperature that spring water does. However, testing it this way can be hazardous because the water will boil violently if it contacts any impurities such as minerals, etc. So be careful!! :eek:

It boils at a higher or lower temperature?

[Mr. Security]

I don't believe it boils at all (not an expert) if it is truly distilled. However, if ANY contaminate (including an unclean container) comes into contact with the water -- look out!.

Any temperature over 212 dgrees F at sea level should cause boiling in spring or tap water.

[HotelSecurity]

I don't believe it boils at all (not an expert) if it is truly distilled. However, if ANY contaminate (including an unclean container) comes into contact with the water -- look out!.

Any temperature over 212 dgrees F at sea level should cause boiling in spring or tap water.

That's 100 degrees C here :D

[Mr. Security]

That's 100 degrees C here :D

I never did grasp the metric system even though it was emphasized for my generation (USA was supposed to adopt - never happened).

[HotelSecurity]

I never did grasp the metric system even though it was emphasized for my generation (USA was supposed to adopt - never happened).

It sure is simplier. 0 & 100 instead of 32 & 212. It was adopted in Canada many years ago. Personally I have made the switch for temperature & speed & volume (liters intead of gallons) but like a lot of people my age we still use the old system for height & weight.

[sec-guy]

This would be one way to test the water::)

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_pH_of_distilled_water

Distilled water seems to be an acceptable way to attack electrical fires (although it doesn't
sit right with me).
My thought would be even though the extinguisher starts out with distilled water (pH 7) would it not be possible for that value to change over time and then make it dangerous for the user at a future date?

[HotelSecurity]

This would be one way to test the water::)

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_pH_of_distilled_water

Distilled water seems to be an acceptable way to attack electrical fires (although it doesn't
sit right with me).
My thought would be even though the extinguisher starts out with distilled water (pH 7) would it not be possible for that value to change over time and then make it dangerous for the user at a future date?

How? A fire extinguisher is a sealed vessel.

[integrator97]

How? A fire extinguisher is a sealed vessel.

Agreed. I would imagine a fire extinguisher made for this has a lining that would not leach anything into the water.

Distilled water has all of the impurities, gases and minerals removed. So you wouldn't be testing for distilled water, but the presence of any of these other things.

Just because it's Ph is 7, doesn't mean it is without any of those impurities, minerals or gases. My swimming pool often has a Ph of 7 when it's low (7.2 is the target).

There are a number of water test kits you can get, that check for things like hardness, alkilinity, chlorine, and a number of other things that would be in non-distilled water to some degree. If it's a concern, I would call a private water testing facility, tell them what you are doing, and ask what you should look for in a test kit. They are the experts, and can tell you what is likely to present in almost all non-distilled water that is easy to test for.

[gixxer32404]

No way I would use water on a class c fire, or near electrical sources.

class A ordinary like rag,paper, cloth,wood
class B grease, oil, gas
class c (current) electrical
class D metals like magnesium.

@ first I thought he was talking about those fire extinguishers u take apart put water then hook a air compressor to it to the like valve stem piece on a tire.

[gixxer32404]

No way I would use water on a class c fire, or near electrical sources.

class A ordinary like rag,paper, cloth,wood
class B grease, oil, gas
class c (current) electrical
class D metals like magnesium.

@ first I thought he was talking about those fire extinguishers u take apart put water then hook a air compressor to it to the like valve stem piece on a tire.

[HotelSecurity]

No way I would use water on a class c fire, or near electrical sources.

class A ordinary like rag,paper, cloth,wood
class B grease, oil, gas
class c (current) electrical
class D metals like magnesium.

@ first I thought he was talking about those fire extinguishers u take apart put water then hook a air compressor to it to the like valve stem piece on a tire.

Do a Google search of Water Mist fire extinguishers. You will see that they are rated for Class A & C. BTW you forgot Class K Cooking oil fires. Which is also a contradiction to the old ways. It uses a liquid on a grease fire.

[gixxer32404]

LOL in firefighting school they taught liquid (water) spreads grease fires.

[sec-guy]

How? A fire extinguisher is a sealed vessel.

oops.....I wasn't thinking sealed container.

[sec-guy]

LOL in firefighting school they taught liquid (water) spreads grease fires.

Thats what I always thought up to now having read more about extinguisher agents.

[HotelSecurity]

LOL in firefighting school they taught liquid (water) spreads grease fires.

Yea but when there is a chemical added it turns the burning grease to soap & smothers the fire.

[integrator97]

LOL in firefighting school they taught liquid (water) spreads grease fires.

Originaly posted by HotelSecurity;81006
Yea but when there is a chemical added it turns the burning grease to soap & smothers the fire.

That's why you use a mist or fog. Other wise the stream of water would spread the grease and fire.

[Mr. Chaple]

I have a dumb question. Once you use the mist extinguisher, what keeps the water from absorbing the impurities already present in the environment and becoming electro-conductive?

[sec-guy]

I have a dumb question. Once you use the mist extinguisher, what keeps the water from absorbing the impurities already present in the environment and becoming electro-conductive?

That was my concern also.

[integrator97]

I have a dumb question. Once you use the mist extinguisher, what keeps the water from absorbing the impurities already present in the environment and becoming electro-conductive?

It takes quite a while, not minutes or hours. You can't set a pan of distilled water out and check it the next day and it be different. It would have to leach from the physical "hard" environment, in this case a pan, which would take days to months. Or you would have to have a dissovable substance, like a powder or tablet, for example chlorine. Or you would have to add a liquid or have extremely high humidity, which humidity wouldn't be that fast.

The reason my pool changes Ph, etc, is the sun burning off the chlorine, evaporation, and rain. Only the rain makes a fast change.