Anyone seen this before

J.C.A._3

Used to see them placed over old boilers and furnaces all the time.. dyed red...for some reason.Sometimes, there were also "wound up" bell alarms that used the same melt out lead "trigger".

The Dead Men didn't have the electronic conveniences that we do....but they still TRIED to make things safe. Chris

Glenn Sossin_2

Anyone seen this before

I was out on a renovation job this morning. Saw this on the wall outside the door post. Didn't know what it was till the homeowner told us. We think the house was built around 1910. Someones estate for sure - around 8500 sqft on about 2 acres or more. This was the last one left in this 3 story house with 7 fireplaces.

Clue - it was used before there was electricity readily available. Always learning something everyday.

Mark_7

?

It's an old fire suppressor, the end is lead and would melt from the heat and the liquid would spray out from the pressure build up.

jp_2

look here

just found a whole lot of em:

http://myfirecollection.com/index.html

Tony_23

Still have some around here

I have customers with them over their furnaces and boilers.

The ones I see have a strap holding them that has a lead link. I assume the lead melts, the bulb drops and breaks, spreading the suppressant.

tim smith

Hazardous, aha Carbon Tetrachloride

The liquid in most of the old bulbs was very toxic if memory serves me right. Can't remember the name but not sooooo good. Found the name!

Glenn Sossin_2

Take Bulb out and throw it??

The customer thought/thinks you take the glass bulb out of the bracket and throw it onto the fire - breaking open and spilling out what ever the fluid inside was to put it out. I guess if some knocked over a candle and moved quickly enough, that thing may have worked. There were lots of them originally in the house outside all the rooms.

I was curious if it was actually filled with just water or some other flame retardant type substance.

Glenn Sossin_2

a whole new world

JP

I checked out that link. Amazing. Very interesting. I will forward this to the customer.

Thanks

Glnen

Chris Bunting

directions say pick up and throw, or bracket melts away in fire...doesnt seem too effective, but hey its old... ok now I'm on ebay trying to pick up one for my vintage house

scrook_2

it's likely...

Carbon tetrachloride or "carbon tet"

[Deleted User]

Bad news...

https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/90116.htm

ME

Dave Ruten

CARBON TETRACHLORIDE CAS: 56-23-5

AKA: Perchloromethane, Methane tetrachloride, R10 refrigerant, Freon 10 and Halon 104 and many others.

Used for propellants, refrigerants, solvents, dry cleaning and fire extinguishing agents. A great solvent and breaking those glass containers would extinguish a fire by disrupting the chemical chain reaction occurring during the fire, BUT:

EPA Maximum Contaminant Level has been set at 5 parts per billion(ppb)in drinking water. A very small amount.

Short-term health effects: Carbon tet can potentially cause liver, kidney and lung damage.

Long-term health effects: Carbon tet has the potential to cause cancer and damage most functions of the human body.

Ranked as one of the most hazardous compounds (worst 10%) to ecosystems and human health. It is also on 8 Federal Regulatory Lists.

Do not expose yourself to this chemical and advise your customers to dispose of it properly. Including those old antique glass fire extinguishers.

chris_95

ok let me rephrase that: I am going to buy an EMPTY one off ebay... sheesh!

Paul Fredricks_3

If memory serves

Many, many years ago Carbon Tet was used a shampoo. But then again so was gasoline.

[Deleted User]

Dry CLeaning agent...

I had a friend of my dad who was a fire chief. He said it made a GREAT dry cleaning agent for removing spots, oil, grease, liver...

This stuff is HIHGLY toxic and should be treated accordingly. YOu may have to pay someone to get rid of it to protect the environment.

ME

Glenn Sossin_2

Thanks for the input

While the customer was apparently correct about the method and application, I don't think he is aware of the danger. I am going to pass this thread on to him.

fatty_2

i have a bunch of them in my attic... not such a nice lead strap though