PSA – Daylight Savings: Check Detector Batteries & Extinguishers

[Eddy CurrParticipant @eddycurr38053]

Whether or not your region experienced a Daylight Savings time change this past weekend, consider servicing the smoke & carbon monoxide detection sensors you have on site, along with the extinguishing equipment located around the premises.

Take a moment to use a voltmeter to check smoke detector batteries. Also to upend fire extinguishers to rap them on the bottom several times with a rubber mallet or something similar to shake loose settled retardent as well as to review when the extinguishers are next due for service/inspection/replacement.

[Eddy CurrParticipant @eddycurr38053]

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Excellent advice Eddy, thank you.

As for our change over to winter time (or should that be standard time) in a few hours, that is not something I am looking forward to, especially as there is no way of getting the dog to understand that her stomach has got the time wrong so she will need to wait an extra hour for breakfast.
There no longer seems to be any rational need for a time change, it should remain constant throughout the year. Here on the West Coast of North America, I would prefer summer time all year long.

Clive

 

Edited By clivel on 05/11/2017 07:24:56

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

The further South you are, the less relevant. but go North a little and it is important.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Why do we use altered time in the summer, when daylight is abundant, and not the winter when it is in short supply?

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

How about a design in MEW for a tool to save it in the summer for use in the winter?

[peak4Participant @peak4]

If you're on dry powder extinguishers, the best way to check for compacted powder is to upend it and place your ear against the cylinder. You will hear the powder falling; just make sure you don't knock the safety pin out when you're testing, as it gets messy very quickly.

Bill

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

I am all for keeping the time here to GMT, we have 5 cats and when the time changes they can be very persistent in their efforts to wake you up in the mornings as they are convinced we have overslept. Takes them a while to adjust to the new times but then six months later we do it again just to confuse them.

Dave

[Ian HewsonParticipant @ianhewson99641]

Best advice is to change the batteries every year, not just check the voltage.

Try living further north than Watford and then you will see why the clocks are changed, I remember them trying it in the 80s, didn’t get light till well past 9,00 on a good day.

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

The amount of daylight available each day , the time between sunrise and sunset, is known well in advance. With the technology available to have clocks in your home controlled by radio signals why not have clocks and watches changed every night such that mid day always falls in the centre of the time between sunrise and sunset ?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

.Posted by Nige on 05/11/2017 19:58:24:

The amount of daylight available each day , the time between sunrise and sunset, is known well in advance. With the technology available to have clocks in your home controlled by radio signals why not have clocks and watches changed every night such that mid day always falls in the centre of the time between sunrise and sunset ?

.

For the same reason that they 'standardised' time in the first place.

e.g. The natural time in Bristol differs by about four minutes from that in London.

… Railway Timetables only became a realistic proposition with the adoption of Time Zones.

MichaelG.

.

Oops … my memory must be failing me … this reckons about ten minutes 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/2080844004

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/11/2017 20:43:22

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Just bloody well get up earlier in the mornings when it's light. it works very well, ask any farmer.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Mark Rand on 05/11/2017 22:29:36:

Just bloody well get up earlier in the mornings when it's light. it works very well, ask any farmer.

.

Well said, Mark

I never could see how playing with the clocks gave any 'Daylight Saving' … It's just a con, played on the gullible.

MichaelG.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Well I'm all for GMT / BST changes – adds a little variety and excitement into an otherwise dull schedule………..

Norman

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

This reminds me……. my main powder extinguisher's lost pressure.

Where (assuming you do) do you take these extinguishers to get checked and filled. It's a modern, good quality extinguisher with refill port etc, not a cheap jobbie

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 05/11/2017 22:50:41:

Posted by Mark Rand on 05/11/2017 22:29:36:

Just bloody well get up earlier in the mornings when it's light. it works very well, ask any farmer.

.

Well said, Mark

I never could see how playing with the clocks gave any 'Daylight Saving' … It's just a con, played on the gullible.

MichaelG.

 

 

I seem to recall that some time ago we had a year when we did not make the adjustment as a national experiment.

There was a nationwide complaint & one objection was on the grounds of safety concerning children traveling to school in the dark. By putting the clocks back they could travel in better light which was considered safer.

 

The following year it returned to daylight saving as it was considered a general consensus, even though it was not put to a vote. So perhaps your comment may be considered without foundation

Sam Longley

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 06/11/2017 08:00:24

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Sam Longley 1 on 06/11/2017 07:55:06:

I seem to recall that some time ago we had a year when we did not make the adjustment as a national experiment.

There was a nationwide complaint & one objection was on the grounds of safety concerning children traveling to school in the dark. By putting the clocks back they could travel in better light which was considered safer.

 

The following year it returned to daylight saving as it was considered a general consensus, even though it was not put to a vote. So perhaps your comment may be considered without foundation

Sam Longley

.

Sam,

I tried [by specifically referencing 'Daylight Saving'] to be clear … but evidently I failed.

All that is required to let children travel in daylight is for them to travel at an appropriate time of day.

The indication on the clock is totally irrelevant; and the gullibility I commented upon refers to the very nonsense that you have just mentioned. … How can people believe that changing the indicated time makes any real difference ?

MichaelG.

.

P.S. The Military, and Aviation worldwide, seem to manage perfectly well without changing the clock:

https://greenwichmeantime.com/info/zulu/

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 06/11/2017 08:47:08

[Mick HenshallParticipant @mickhenshall99321]

As a qualified fire equipment service engineer in a previous life my personal preference is for Co2 and AFFF ( acquiesant film forming foam) they will cover any fire you are likely to have in the home or workshop, never liked powder myself,if let off accidently or on a small fire it reduces visibilty, is not good for the lungs and will get into and ruin computers etc, this is my own opinion

Regards Mick

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

When I worked 12 hour shifts from 6am-6pm in a large factory, if I didn't go outside in the day I wouldn't see daylight for 4 days no matter what the clock said.

Mike

[Mick HenshallParticipant @mickhenshall99321]

If you only go out at nights and have no reflection there could be a problem

😎

Mick

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

I hate the clock changes, no need at all for it. And if you think you have problems feeding cats at the wrong hour try feeding pigs, they go mad 10 mins out of time.

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Russ B, you need to make contact with a local fire protection fire company that caries out servicing, they will be able to recharge your powder extinguisher, they will however check that the pressure vessel is in date regarding pressure test, if it isn't then it will need to be pressure tested, not a problem they should have the necessary facilities. But don't be surprised if they condemn it if it is an ancient extinguisher. I used to sell fire protection equipment and my preference is for a dry powder extinguisher, your confidence in the product is boosted when you walk thro a blazing pool of petrol with only a dry powder extinguisher to protect you. That was one of our training excercises, I am sure Health and Safety certainly wouldn't allow such training nowadays.

Dave

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

GordonW, cats are enough thanks although did used to have to feed pigs when I lived on a farm, and milk cows by hand, farmer too tight to buy a milking machine.

Dave

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Sam,

I tried [by specifically referencing 'Daylight Saving'] to be clear … but evidently I failed.

All that is required to let children travel in daylight is for them to travel at an appropriate time of day.

The indication on the clock is totally irrelevant; and the gullibility I commented upon refers to the very nonsense that you have just mentioned. … How can people believe that changing the indicated time makes any real difference ?

MichaelG.

Michael. With due respect

It clearly does, so I would suggest that it may be you that is wrong

The experiment the government undertook received no majority support for change ; further supporting the case

Sam L

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 06/11/2017 21:00:38

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Fine, Sam … Let's just agree to differ.

MichaelG.

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