T@B 400 Replacement Fire Extinguisher from Recall

sunshine

Just received our replacement in the mail yesterday. The good: It appears to be of better quality, nicer handle and has a gauge. The bad (possibly): As mentioned by Kidde during the replacement process, it is not the same size (shorter and larger diameter) and does not fit in the door holder. I have not confirmed but it does "feel" heavier. Question: Where to install and will the door material hold the larger and possibly heavier extinguisher? You guys are the best and probably have come up with a great solution already. As always THANKS!!

Mark_and_Sue

We had the same concerns about the weight on the door. We ended up buying a smaller extinguisher and putting it under the sink. Secured it to the post. We will put the replacement in the car. 

atlasb

We got the replacement and it is close but will fit where the other did.  I did use 3 screws to secure the mounting bracket and seems to be ok.  Not enough weight difference to be a problem.  Some of the weight can be helped by what else is carried in the other pockets for storage in the door. 

Haloo

If you think about how much time you would have to act, the small space, the attachment of the extinguisher to the door, the operation of the extinguisher, well....

My wife and I talked about the issue again this morning after reading this discussion.  Before we use our camper again we will practice getting out of the 400 in the dark — e.g. working the door latch to get out.  We will start unlatching the rear window except for one or two latches when we sleep.  (Can you imagine trying to unlatch all of the latches on that window if there is a fire?). Then we will practice opening that window in the dark.

And...we will figure out a place for the fire extinguisher outside of the camper — perhaps in the TV?  It makes sense to try to save ourselves before we try to save our camper.

Here is an article from the WA Post regarding what to do in a home fire.  It’s pretty sobering and thought provoking with regard to home fires.  Given the small size of our campers and materials with which they are constructed, it was a wakeup call.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/house-fires-burn-much-faster-than-they-used-to-heres-how-to-survive/2017/11/20/1c1eb7f8-c890-11e7-aa96-54417592cf72_story.html?utm_term=.073d17d9cd5d

Michigan_Mike

These are good, thought provoking discussions and some good tips and information too.  I plan to leave my extinguisher inside the trailer as although our cooking is limited indoors I think the biggest concern or immediate threat is the propane stove and any open flame.  I do think about propane leaks or the potential for something happening with anything propane related but am pretty vigilante in ensuring that the tank is shut off when not in use and during travel.   I've seen photos of RV units that exploded and believe that you can never underestimate safety, safety preparedness, etc.

Thanks for sharing your tips and thoughts as it makes good sense to practice and having a plan and discussing these types of situations absolutely can save lives.