Interior Exterior
Q:
I tried a search on the subject, but didn't find anything. Randy. I think this might help us novices as a topic in the safety thread.
On such an item that I hopefully will never ever have to use, but if I do I want to have the confidence that I have the right equipment.
I checked on Ebay this morning for a fire extinguishers. And the selection is vast. The prices are all over the place. From $15 - $360. Sizes from what I see are 1 lb, 2 lbs, 2.5 lbs to the big fat one that is plumbed. Are there any types to stay away from? Some have different handles for instance.
Can someone please give me some direction.
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Just go over to sector111.com They have the best fire extinguisher setup bar none. They also sell the very much needed and equally important bracket for it
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Just go down to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot and buy an ABC fire bottle ... 2-2.5 is fine.
there are threads on a simple setup to mount the bottle to the passenger seat.
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At one hell of a price it must be said...
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I highly recommend getting a Halon extinguisher rather than a general purpose one that you'll find at Home Depot. Halon will provide a much easier cleanup (especially compared with dry powder type extinguishers).
Downside is that it may not be enough for a big fire.
OG Racing sells the Halon extinguishers - the 2.5lb one is the one you want for an in-car bracket.
ed
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At one hell of a price it must be said...
A lot of that is because it's a Halon fire extinguisher. Halon is great for putting out firs without causing damage, but it's very expensive - even more so since the manufacture of Halon has been banned. Still, it's expensive...
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What has Halon been banned from?
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Just go down to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot and buy an ABC fire bottle ... 2-2.5 is fine.
So are the 1lb extinguishers a waste of time?
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So are the 1lb extinguishers a waste of time?
whatever will fit, i suppose. i have a 2.5lb (iirc) in mine, and it's great. doesn't get in the way, and it's better than not having one that's too small.
I've never had "cleanup" a concern, because if you recall, fire is a little destructive as well. some yellow powder isnt' going to rain on my parade if my engine bay is roasting.
click for a pic of mine
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What has Halon been banned from?
It destroys the ozone layer if deployed. All my computer rooms had to find other solutions.
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From what I understand about Halon, it is one of the best fire extinguishers out there. Something like a 7% concentration will prevent combustion. It is still widely used in critical applications where size and weight are big issues and safety is paramount (commercial and military aircraft are big users). The major downside is that if you had to use it inside the "cockpit" so to speak... it would displace all the oxygen, making it difficult to breath. And a very small whole in the ozone would appear above your head.
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From what I understand about Halon, it is one of the best fire extinguishers out there. Something like a 7% concentration will prevent combustion. It is still widely used in critical applications where size and weight are big issues and safety is paramount (commercial and military aircraft are big users). The major downside is that if you had to use it inside the "cockpit" so to speak... it would displace all the oxygen, making it difficult to breath. And a very small whole in the ozone would appear above your head.
Yep. Halon absorbs the oxygen and "starves" the fire. Since it's a gas, it does not leave residue of cause chemical damage. But since it's a gas, it's not as effective on fires in open spaces - you often find it in "plumbed-in" systems in race cars where you pull a handle and it sprays under the hood to put out the fire in the contained area.
The stuff was always expensive, but since the manufacture of it has been banned, what's left is even more expensive. It is still in use in existing critical applications, computer rooms, etc. but most new installations have to use something different - you don't have to get rid of what you have, but you can't get any more...
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In my opinion, a fire bottle is very close to useless if you have a serious accident. Imagine yourself trying to reach for the bottle as fire is getting out of control.
I personally prefer to install a fire system with a fire suppression button in the dash. A few nozzle are directed on driver / passenger, a few more are used for the engine and gas tank. Some systems are mechanical and some are electronic. Mechanical systems are usually harder to install but don't need a battery.
AW
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whatever will fit, i suppose. i have a 2.5lb (iirc) in mine, and it's great. doesn't get in the way, and it's better than not having one that's too small.
I've never had "cleanup" a concern, because if you recall, fire is a little destructive as well. some yellow powder isnt' going to rain on my parade if my engine bay is roasting.
You've obviously never had to clean up after a dry powder extinguisher. It's more than just messy, it is very gritty and corrosive - and if it's in your engine bay, it's in your engine.
It's more than worth the few dollars in price.
ed
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In my opinion, a fire bottle is very close to useless if you have a serious accident. Imagine yourself trying to reach for the bottle as fire is getting out of control.
That is true, however, fiberglass cars tend to burn pretty quickly. If a fuel line or something breaks, you may be able to put out the very small fire (with an extinguisher if you have one) before it gets out of control. (Early Lotus - like the Elan and the Europa - have a reputation for burning from leaking fuel lines above the distributor/coil)
That said, I don't have an extinguisher in my car, and I really can't see me installing one, even knowing it's a good thing and I should...
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IMO....for me, the purpose of the bottle is not for a major accident. If that happens, I am injured and not using the bottle to save myself since I probably will not be able to operate it, or the car is in pretty bad shape and should burn to the ground and we can forgo those pesky insurance company discussions about 'if they should total it'.
The main purpose for me, is when you are driving along and see a small bit of smoke or smell some smoke. A teeny fire has started in the electrical. You stop the car and hop out. Now the flames are started to grow into a nice little fire one could toast a marshmallow on. What to do? You frantically consider using your hands to smother it, but you come to your senses. No water laying around? And you don't have to pee. What will you do. The flames grow a little bigger. Argh... That sense of frustration, knowing you could have done something if you only had a small extinguisher.... along with the idea of helping out someone else, are the reasons I carry an extinguisher in the car.
P.S. I paid around $100 for a new Halon model with bracket. It might lack some bling but I could afford that much.
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No water laying around? And you don't have to pee. What will you do.
That paints an interesting picture. I now know what those stickers of Calvin on back windows of various car and pickups mean...
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No water laying around? And you don't have to pee. What will you do. The flames grow a little bigger.
Always wonder why my mother always said to drink lots of water.
I paid around $100 for a new Halon model with bracket. It might lack some bling but I could afford that much.
Randy, what size did you get and where?
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Are there any concerns or issues with having a fire extinguisher inside the car when its parked on a really really hot sunny day?
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You've obviously never had to clean up after a dry powder extinguisher. It's more than just messy, it is very gritty and corrosive - and if it's in your engine bay, it's in your engine.
It's more than worth the few dollars in price.
ed
I'm not saying it's not a horribly dirty job, because it is. A fire at my office 4 years ago & a fire at my parents house many years ago were both put out by dry extinguishers. the powder gets EVERYWHERE.
I'm saying, if there's a fire, there is going to be quite a bit more to worry about than just the powder going everywhere. I don't expect it to save my car, nor do i much care. I want it to save myself.