Electric Appliances

[Becile]

Apparently we are going to be looking at evaluating this vehicle. (Concept fire truck) CFT, we've invested quite a few ££ with the company over the last couple of years, (aerials and AT appliances coming) looks set to continue.

Don't know anymore details, so don't ask !!

[Jet]

I was all for it until the knight rider-esque lightbar on the front appeared! 

[HoldFast]

Wow. Bit of a glimpse into the future that. Makes me wonder how much the job is going to change over the course of my career.

[Jet]

I wouldn’t get too excited James. You look at the equipment and technology that’s actually on offer now and you would think we are already in the future. But they are trying to sell to mostly public and municipal services that don’t have two coins to rub together. So in 30 years time you will still be throwing lines out of buildings and I’ll still be using the trusty AWG branch we still carry in our pump locker 

[HoldFast]

You have a good point there mate...haha

Now you mention it, I’m pretty sure we still carry gear on the pumps that’s as old as I am 

[Jet]

I'm almost certain that whatever brigade you are in, there will be gear that pre-dates WW2 

[Noddy]

Transformers, robots in disguise.

[Luminoki]

10 hours ago, Jamiejet said:

I'm almost certain that whatever brigade you are in, there will be gear that pre-dates WW2 

And will the retirement goaline being pushed further away, you’ll have firefighters that pre-date the first gulf war

[Steve]

13 hours ago, Jamiejet said:

I wouldn’t get too excited James. You look at the equipment and technology that’s actually on offer now and you would think we are already in the future. But they are trying to sell to mostly public and municipal services that don’t have two coins to rub together. So in 30 years time you will still be throwing lines out of buildings and I’ll still be using the trusty AWG branch we still carry in our pump locker 

Exactamente!!!!

Lets concentrate on providing the service we are there to provide properly first.... more cuts, fewer Firefighters, longer attendance times, increase in fire deaths. 'Johnny Cabs' for Fire Engines is a disgrace, pandering to a green agenda when we cant get the basic right nor pay our people properly.

FFS!!!!

[HoldFast]

Johnny cabs  when we have to wait for the second pump to come from mars

[Jet]

The 'fur coat, no knickers' approach Steve! 

[Messyshaw]

I attended a lecture yesterday about advances in battery technology. It really is quite exciting, but the lecturer ( who is very much qualified to be in the know) suggested LGVs are a few years away at this time. 

There are electric buses in London, but the ones I know about are only on a v short route.

I had a ride in a Tesla the other week and I was impressed until the owner said how disappointed he was in the winter battery life when.heaters and lights are in use regularly.

Solr powered battery and fuel cell use in houses will be a common as airing cupboards within a generation, with trucks after that.

It seems to me the UKF&RS should plan to meet these needs rather and protect their staff  than muck about trying to protect the planet by using dubious technology 

I asked this question before and was shocked by what I learned. How many FRS have sound procedures for UPS fires. These uninterrupted power supplies are everywhere and often are huge battery stacks that cannot be isolated in a fire. A huge risk for FFs which can and have caused FF injuries.

As Steve said, look after now first and tomorrow later 

[Keith]

Seems things have moved beyond the concept stage now, with Emergency One launching the World’s First All-Electric BS EN1846 Pumping Appliance… the Emergency One EV0 – Electric firefighting Vehicle.

E1 EVO

Coming to a brigade near you??

[Matt]

I know technology is improving all the time and there is a need to cut emissions etc, the chassis is a Volvo and truck wise they are well built, Emergency One are the UK builder of choice and not wanting to go the hybrid route have come up with a good option lots of boxes ticked so far and they are not going to launch something that won't have had some testing to prove its worth.

So information on this is a little vague at the moment but what happens if your out all day job to job or spate conditions, back on station and then out within the hour is it going to have enough juice to perform and especially if you are pumping its going to zap the power or is that powered differently?  

Concept wise great to see a full size Type B but what cost to the job let alone value of vehicle is this going to come at?  Replacement batteries I know for cars they can be pricey what about the monsters that are going to be on here?  Not against it in the slightest but as an emergency service you need to be good to go what ever and you cannot be waiting to charge up before you go out again.  I know there are some big connections you can get for them but how will the local infrastructure in the middle of no where cope as that has been one thing raised as more cars start zapping power can local infrastructure deal with it.

Glad to see full size rather than something small I just not sure if things are quite at the level to go live with this, similar with Ambulances, yes they don't draw as much but they are on the go 24/7 with barely any downtime.

[JonnyHolbs]

Correct me if I’m wrong (I’m sure you will anyway! 😂), but the electric trucks I’ve heard about have diesel generators on board. Different to a hybrid as it’s not part of the drivetrain, but will cut in to generate power for the electric motor if it’s getting a bit low on juice.

[Becile]

The one we looked was pure electric, no diesel.  Agree with others though, there’s some way to go, with recharge etc, and the cost of course.

[BurtMacklin]

perhaps the future will see the introduction of “electrical hydrants” in large cities, where you would augment the battery supply by plugging in. a possible “special” could be an enormous generator which can supply multiple pumps. 

[Messyshaw]

@BurtMacklinThey already have those electrical hydrants in my road.... lampposts- so not that far fetched or difficult to imagine 

(as long as the fire is extinguished before sunrise 🤔🤣)

[Becile]

Not having that Messy....you know you still have gas lights and steam, you’ll be telling us next the earths not flat

[Keith]

I'm going to take a punt here and assuming that it has sufficient battery capacity and a rapid recharge facility when on station, say this could work for an inner city / urban station. If you think of it, the travel distances won't be that long so range shouldn't be a problem and even for most working jobs how long is the pump actually running?

The back end of the appliance looks very much standard Emergency One, with well proven components the only difference will be the pump is driven by an electric motor rather than the PTO. I'm sure they'll have built something in that if the pump hasn't been running for a set period it will switch to standby or low power use. 

Having said that, if it hasn't a built in generator that @JonnyHolbs suggests, you can guarantee there'll be on in the pocket. On station you would obviously have to keep it plugged in, can you imagine being the driver having to tell the boss you'd forgotten.🤣

[Br9mp81]

By all accounts the pump run test was quite robust but had only used 30% of battery, good few hours at warp speed i was told

[Rory-495]

Resurrecting this post. The latest shout magazine in LFB told us we have acquired an electric appliance from Emergency One. Will be on the run next year for trials at Hammersmith with a view to finish reviewing it in 2023

[BurtMacklin]

Rumour of course, but I heard the mayor was all set to do a press call at Hammersmith with the new truck but it broke down on its way there, delaying it until next year. Another rumour is that it will need a conventional appliance to shadow it on incidents, don’t know why but probably to avoid negative press about the project if the machine should fail at an incident. 

[Steve]

@BurtMacklin I'm long gone, so can't confirm, but that would make sense as Hammersmith in a lively inner city station still has a pair, so they could put in a control fix which turns them out as a pair for everything. It has a diverse ground which takes onto Kensington & N/Kensington, deemed as 'Central' stations but also takes W & SW to some more suburban areas such as Chiswick & Richmond as well as heavy industry to the North at Park Royal, I think I'd also choose that as an ideal testing ground for it's diversity. 

[Jet]

So the Stn/O is really going to love going out to two pump bin fires then 🤣