Propane Stove: "For Outdoor Use Only." Why?

[tx2sturgis]

Most chemical fire extinguishers need to be properly disposed of, or recycled, not tossed in the nearest dumpster or trash can.

They contain chemicals, and some are considered hazardous waste, and should not end up in a landfill.  A cheap (but still pressurized) extinguisher could pose a risk to a worker, if the plastic valve gets damaged or broken during the process of transportation and handling in the waste disposal process, or at the landfill. 

'Proper disposal' (or recycling) varies by city, county, or state.

 

[highdesertranger]

my whole point is to NOT use the throw away ones. but that is a good point about just tossing them in the trash. ah, the throw away society. highdesertranger

 

[Qxxx]

just wanted to bring to everyone's attention since all the links are for throw away stuff.

In my case, I just bought a unit and have never had to use it. If it creates a gooey mess on use, I guess that's better than watching your rig burn to the ground.

Home Depot seems to mainly sell the Kidde units. The least expensive ones are probably not ideal, vis-a-vis HDR's warning, but for a few dollars more, you can buy a rechargeable unit with metal trigger, which is what my First Alert is.

One thing I am NOT happy about. I keep the unit in its original box, and after this winter's trip, I looked at it and found that the plastic tear away band keeping the safety pin in place had broke, so the pin could have fallen out and armed the unit. So I replaced the tear away band with a sturdy twist wrap.

 

[Qxxx]

 So I ordered this Kidde 4 lb ABC model, which I'll mount just inside the side door, where I should be able to grab it pretty quickly from anywhere.  It's Amazon's Choice as well.

That looks like a good unit that should meet HDR's requirement, says rechargeable, so probably has a metal trigger too.

 

[highdesertranger]

it's not my requirement. if somebody wants throw away junk then that's on them. highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

OK, I misspoke   Mine are Amerex 2.5 lb ABC fire extinguishers.  They are red so I thought they were Kidde.



This is the one mounted to my passenger seat base by the side door.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

If you have a chemical fire extinguisher in a mobile environment you should shake it up at least once a month; the chemical tends to settle and cake, and vibration accelerates the problem.  The method I use is to invert and hit the bottom with a rubber mallet a few times, then shake.  if you feel a large mass sliding around while shaking try hitting a few more times.  If you cannot break up the caked chemical the fire extinguisher is basically useless, regardless of what the gage says.

P.S. - it is instructive to take an unusable fire extinguisher apart to see how it works.  But be careful because the powder is very fine (like talcum powder) and will make a mess .

 

[B and C]

^^^ Correct and rarely done until it is time to use it wasting precious seconds When I remember, I lightly bang it on the bottom edges while rotating and then the sides.

 

[Qxxx]

The method I use is to invert and hit the bottom with a rubber mallet a few times, 

LOL, I like your rubber mallet method. Like hitting a grenade with a hammer (jk).

But several posts here got me to thinking. Might be worthwhile taking my several years old unit to some appropriate spot and then discharging its contents (while wearing my morotorcycle helmet and safety goggles of course). Partially to see if it still works ok after several years in reserve storage, and also as a way to discharge the contents so I can then toss the empty unit into the dumpster (in lieu of discarding a charged unit). Given the tradeoff between spending a few dollars to buy a new unit every couple of years, and the cost of losing my van, this seems like a viable route.

 

[B and C]

OK, all this talk about fire extinguishers made me start looking as mine are old but still have pressure.  I found these First Alert extinguishers that are refillable and cheap (~$20).  They are the 2.5 lb ones; 1A-10BC rated.

 

[VanFan]

I carry one in the back so I can fight my way out if I have to in the middle of the night.  You do have a smoke alarm don't you?  I would rather the mess than getting burned alive!

Absolutely!  I have one at the head of my bed near partially blocked back doors, and one at the foot by the side doors.  They are there to help us get out if the alarm goes off.  Realistically, if the foam mattress ignites--we'd better be fast.

That reminds me: does anyone have/know anything about a fire blanket?

 

[B and C]

My latex foam mattress has a flash point of over 400 degrees fahrenheit and is covered in a woven surround cotton cover. I don't smoke in bed or have anything in contact or near it that would generate that kind of heat. Smoke alarm, propane detector and CO detectors are your friend as well as a well placed fire extinguisher.

I would worry more about the center of the van where my batteries, propane cooktop, heater and hot water heater are. My back window is an escape hatch but the bottom of it is over 5 feet off the ground with a sharpish edge. This is my exit of last resort. Shoot, I sleep right over my external propane tank.

 

[winterwanderer]

I prefer the canister top propane stoves with the burner shield, you can set them on the passenger's seat and cook from the driver's seat. Of course, never leave the stove cooking unattended. CO emissions are more dangerous when propane appliances are used during sleeping hours; when awake, you ought to be able to notice the effects well before they become life-threatening. Assuming you have healthy lung function, the body can easily tolerate a low level of CO with no damage done. I've never felt it necessary to have a CO detector in my rig. However, I always cook near an open window.

The tip about fire extinguishers caking up is a good one. I've had a cheapo unit in my truck for upwards of eight years; it's due for a replacement.

 

[nature lover]

Oh my I respectfully disagree. The Propane stove That sitS on top of the unit is almost always unstable particularly when I imagine sitting on a cloth or even a vinyl seat. I’ve never seen a seat that is flat and even Then you have the back of the seat the danger of fire is amazing. And as for the propane and the fumes you need to have a detector in the vehicle if you’re going to use propane in a vehicle you’re also need to adequately Ventilate. Another thing that I disagree with is “it’s easy enough to detect when you’re coming under the influence of Carbon monoxide” everything I’ve read is the complete opposite. I would never take the chance without ventilation and a detector in the vehicle and of course never go to sleep with A propane appliance burning.