Need to replace trailer jack

[ponytug]

I would consider adding an inductor port on the fill side. Something like "Drench" that wets water dramatically increases the fire effectiveness. You could also use it to put down some amount of retardant, if you ever had enough warning.

I have a fire pump that doesn't hit the tops of the trees here. I would check the Davey model to get enough pressure for what you want to do.

I am sure that the complete package will sell for more than what you paid into it, especially in your area.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I got tired not only of the heavy and bulky jack, but also of the very heavy fenders, springs, and wheels.

Had a basic trailer jack, cut down a 7K trailer axle I had, bought some normal trailer springs and hangers, then bolted on leftover Ram DRW tires and wheels.

Always liked the water buffalo, but like it much more after the modifications. A pump etc. is in the works, for the same basic usage.

 

[ning]

The Davey pump will do over 150psi at above 20gpm so I'm looking forward to seeing how far away from a fire I can drench it.

Foam/wetting should probably be added after the pump as far as I know. Some foam setups are very expensive but I'll look into wetting agents.

 

[ponytug]

I would not use most foams, unless you are sure that they are 100% biodegradable. You do not PFAS and related chemicals on your land, in your water, and your animals. There are some protein based foams, but the foam lifetime is pretty short, so unless you plan on being prepared to fight petroleum fires, not much use in my view.

I mentioned wetting agents (they are basically detergent), and the phosphate based retardants that are basically phosphate fertilizer and iron oxide for color (e.g. Phos-check), because they can be added to the tank, and both are readily degradable so they aren't a hazard later. The phosphate on biomaterial, grass wood, etc., cause the material to char rather than burn. It is used in fire resistant coatings as well, though wood is usually treated with boron to make wood fire resistant. (All that pink plywood going up in Paradise is almost certainly boron treated.)

All the best,

Peter

 

[WM75Guy]

We added a gallon bottle of dish detergent to the 500 gallon tank on our brush trucks when we refilled. Cheaper than Class A foam. A local company that manufactured cleaning products supplied us with their rejects off the line for free.

 

[ning]

We added a gallon bottle of dish detergent to the 500 gallon tank on our brush trucks when we refilled. Cheaper than Class A foam. A local company that manufactured cleaning products supplied us with their rejects off the line for free.

I was reading a forum for FD type guys and many mentioned tossing in a "glug" of Dawn into a skid tank. Seems like about the right thing, it's not super sudsy so it won't literally foam but as you mentioned we're not trying to put out an oil slick on fire here and it'll allow the water to actually wet stuff and not just bounce off. There was a note that a pump could "chug" a bit if foaming happened in the tank and the pump pickup sucked some foam in but with a bottom-tank pickup and a decent amount of water in the tank that really shouldn't be happening.

Phos-Check is about $220/5 gallons shipped. Application rates state 0.3-0.5% "direct attack", 1% "exposure protection"/"brush pretreatment".
Assuming a 1% rate, a 400 gallon tank needs 4 gallons.
Kinda pricey; maybe someday buy some and have it on hand in case a real fire shows up and then chuck it in the tank... use Dawn in the meantime.

 

[ponytug]

I was reading a forum for FD type guys and many mentioned tossing in a "glug" of Dawn into a skid tank. Seems like about the right thing, it's not super sudsy so it won't literally foam but as you mentioned we're not trying to put out an oil slick on fire here and it'll allow the water to actually wet stuff and not just bounce off. There was a note that a pump could "chug" a bit if foaming happened in the tank and the pump pickup sucked some foam in but with a bottom-tank pickup and a decent amount of water in the tank that really shouldn't be happening.

Phos-Check is about $220/5 gallons shipped. Application rates state 0.3-0.5% "direct attack", 1% "exposure protection"/"brush pretreatment".
Assuming a 1% rate, a 400 gallon tank needs 4 gallons.
Kinda pricey; maybe someday buy some and have it on hand in case a real fire shows up and then chuck it in the tank... use Dawn in the meantime.

Yes, Phos-check LC95A itself is pricey. If you look around online, you can find the proportions.... Essentially, it is ammonium polyphosphate adjusted not to be too basic, with some "performance additives".

https://www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/programs/wfcs/retardants/current/ret/phos/lc-95a_r.htm

https://www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/programs/wfcs/retardants/current/msds/phos/lc95a.pdf

As far as I can tell the composition has evolved slightly since 1962, but the essential piece seems to be ammonium (poly)phosphate. There are a ton of publications on tweaks to improve efficacy, but the mix seems to me to be pretty much the same ammonium polyphosphate, a sticking agent (clay or something like guar gum), rust, and your favorite detergent (e.g. Dawn). Adding things like clay help it stick to vegetation, and rust helps crews see where it has been applied.

The Forest Service was an early customer to require retardant material to be biodegradable, e.g. no PFAS.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ning]

Yes, Phos-check LC95A itself is pricey. If you look around online, you can find the proportions.... Essentially, it is ammonium polyphosphate adjusted not to be too basic, with some "performance additives".

https://www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/programs/wfcs/retardants/current/ret/phos/lc-95a_r.htm

https://www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/programs/wfcs/retardants/current/msds/phos/lc95a.pdf

As far as I can tell the composition has evolved slightly since 1962, but the essential piece seems to be ammonium (poly)phosphate. There are a ton of publications on tweaks to improve efficacy, but the mix seems to me to be pretty much the same ammonium polyphosphate, a sticking agent (clay or something like guar gum), rust, and your favorite detergent (e.g. Dawn). Adding things like clay help it stick to vegetation, and rust helps crews see where it has been applied.

The Forest Service was an early customer to require retardant material to be biodegradable, e.g. no PFAS.

All the best,

Peter

There's also a corrosion inhibitor, that's kind of key. It's probably in the trade secrets part.

 

[ponytug]

There's also a corrosion inhibitor, that's kind of key. It's probably in the trade secrets part.

Not that I know what is in Phos-Check, but I would point out that ammonium phosphate itself is a known corrosion inhibitor. Phos-check is pH 5-6.5 per the above MSDS document. Would a corrosion inhibitor help? Probably. Maybe. For a home user who mixes a batch sprays it and rinses the system out an hour or two later? I doubt it would have much effect.
As an example, Carus sells a water corrosion inhibitor to utilities that is pH 5-6.5 sodium phosphate.

https://www.carusllc.com/wp-content/uploads/DW-AQUA-MAG-Data-Sheet.pdf

IIRC, their patent(s) read pretty much like the MSDS, though at the moment, I can't recall if a detergent was called out. Regardless, one would want a detergent to help the agent wet the material and get the phosphate into the dry matter.

The makers of Phos-check deal mostly with agencies, and I would bet that their past performance (great performance, IMO) gets them lots of repeat sales. (We owe our house to Phos-check LC95) That said, their marketing literature reads long on fluff to me.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ning]

Not that I know what is in Phos-Check, but I would point out that ammonium phosphate itself is a known corrosion inhibitor. Phos-check is pH 5-6.5 per the above MSDS document. Would a corrosion inhibitor help? Probably. Maybe. For a home user who mixes a batch sprays it and rinses the system out an hour or two later? I doubt it would have much effect.
As an example, Carus sells a water corrosion inhibitor to utilities that is pH 5-6.5 sodium phosphate.

https://www.carusllc.com/wp-content/uploads/DW-AQUA-MAG-Data-Sheet.pdf

IIRC, their patent(s) read pretty much like the MSDS, though at the moment, I can't recall if a detergent was called out. Regardless, one would want a detergent to help the agent wet the material and get the phosphate into the dry matter.

The makers of Phos-check deal mostly with agencies, and I would bet that their past performance (great performance, IMO) gets them lots of repeat sales. (We owe our house to Phos-check LC95) That said, their marketing literature reads long on fluff to me.

All the best,

Peter

I'm not sure about mixing a batch spray; I suppose you could keep the phos-check on hand and only toss it into the tank if a big fire comes (possibly spray the house down lol). I expect I'll keep the 400 gallon tank full most of the time, fire or no.

I wonder if the phos-check would mind being in water with detergent?