More reviews of the new fire equipment

[playmofire]

So here's the fan alll assembled and then being demonstrated by one of the new fire crew.  However, notice that the cable has now come adrift!   The close-up of the rear of the fan certainly suggests that the cable is meant to fit in, so maybe I did something wrong; I will experiment further.  However, with a bit of reshaping work the motor unit from  the new rescue gear/paint sprayer set can be fitted to the fan to give a petrol-powered version.

[playmofire]

Finally, tests show that the fan unit will fit in  both the 3880 side compartment and in the 3182 turntable ladder open storage spaces.  I plan to buy the generator unit and see if that can also be fitted to the 3182 in the spare open storage space on the operator's side of the turntable.

The last photo shows the new turntable ladder with the generator identified on it.

There is just the new suction hose to review now and I'll do that tomorrow, Sunday.

[playmofire]

One thing I forgot to mention was the cost of each item.

30 05 1680 - 15p

30 20 2632 - 30p

30 20 2622 - 15p

30 20 2612 - 25p

[Bill Blackhurst]

Now you've gone, & done it Gordon, more got to haves  ! Your excellent reviews are a great selling tool for PM's DS department! They should offer these items to you free of charge to sell them as demonstration tools  !

[FireChief]

Wow! Great reviews, Gordon. I really like the realism of the new tools. The fans are great and are definitely on the "things to get" list. Thanks for the review. What motor have you placed on the back of the fan?


  - Ben

[Bill Blackhurst]

I like it, Bill, it adds a little bit extra realism when the firefighters aren't fighting fires etc.  It always looked a bit strange to see them, say, taking a break and apparently wearing gloves, even when the cuffs were taken off.

I understand what you mean Gordon, but the gloves that are used, are much too large, & look like a hockey goalies gloves, which would interfere in regular job duties in my opinion !

[Martin Milner]

Now to the PPV (positive pressure ventilation) fan, used for clearing buildings of smoke and fumes. 

I was suprised to se this, my first thought was that such a device might increase the risk by putting fresh oxygen into a burning building.

So I googled this: http://www.firetactics.com/PPV.htm         Interesting stuff!

Regarding the beaters, the ones I've seen (now you say it, leather makes more sense than rubber for the flapper) were for public use, normally standing in racks at campsites and picnic areas, in the Lake District and Peak District.

[playmofire]

Wow! Great reviews, Gordon. I really like the realism of the new tools. The fans are great and are definitely on the "things to get" list. Thanks for the review. What motor have you placed on the back of the fan?


  - Ben

It's the motor from the new rescue gear, which also seems to be the same one as was used with the paint sprayer.  Certainly, they are interchangeable.

[playmofire]

I was suprised to se this, my first thought was that such a device might increase the risk by putting fresh oxygen into a burning building.

So I googled this: http://www.firetactics.com/PPV.htm         Interesting stuff!

Regarding the beaters, the ones I've seen (now you say it, leather makes more sense than rubber for the flapper) were for public use, normally standing in racks at campsites and picnic areas, in the Lake District and Peak District.

Thanks for that link, Martin.  I shall follow that up for some close study, not just on the PPV.

The beaters used by the fire brigades are just like those set out for the public in the National Parks.  Rubber is used for them as well as leather, but it has the disadvantage that with a lot of use at a fire it can soften and thus become less effective.

[playmofire]

The last equipment to be reviewed here is the new suction hose.  This is very exactly measured on the German pattern of suction hose, as you'd expect with Playmobil being a German firm.  Suction hose is specially reinforced hose used when pumping water from, for example, a pond or lake.  Sucking the water through a hose puts pressure on the hose walls causing them to be drawn in and if the pressure is enough the hose can collapse, reducing the flow of water.  The reinforcement in the walls of the suction hose prevents this happening.  Suction hose is really only needed when pumping from a still water source or a stream or river because it's in these cases that the highest pumping pressures are needed.  When drawing water from a hydrant the normal water pressure reduces the pumping pressure needed and so in this case normal, soft hose can be used.

First, the parts that make up the hoses.  Each hose consists of three parts, the hose body and two connectors.  In addition, there is a suction basket with a filter which are used to filter out leaves and debris to prevent this clogging the pump.  Unfortunately, I missed the filter on my list when ordering so from that point of view this review is incomplete.  The costs of the parts are as follows:

30 81 5872 - 10p

30 20 1422 - 15p - I ordered 8 of these and received one small sealed bag containing 8.  I imagine that this is how they are packed for the 4821 pump, 6 plus 2 spares.

30 20 1432 - 20p

A connector slots into each end of a length of hose.  The strainer basket has the connector moulded into it.  The complete set is three lengths of hose and one strainer basket with filter, the filter being the piece not shown as I missed ordering it.  I'll post a photo of the complete strainer basket from the web in a later post.  The connectors for the hose lengths are beautiful scaled down working versions of the real thing.