Fire extinguishers

[KOPBET]

Has anybody actually had experience with a vehicle fire using Halon? Typically, Halon requires a closed environment to be effective. So I have to wonder how effective Halon extinguishers would be outdoors, especially if there is any kind of breeze blowing.

So, if

Water is out,
CO2 is out,
Halon is questionable (to me),

that basically leaves dry chemical or possibly this one below.
http://www.fireadesource.com/fire-extinguishers.html

Who has first hand experience?

 

[paul67]

Dons97,
Yes, the mount bracket attaches into the seat mount bolts. So no movement is possible on the passenger side in my case.

 

[IH2LOSE]

There is a guy at carlilse every year selling the halon fire exstigushers, If your next food court with your back to it look to the left in that isle and he is about 3/4 of the way down as it start to go down the hill alittle. Allthough what he says about the way they work sound like the best way to go I have never been able to over come the price and the concern that if it was windy it would not work.I had fealt if I had even the tinest fire I would be redoing alot of the area any ways and would not be so concerned removing the dry chemical stuff.

I am no expert but the guy at Carlilse seemd to be one I would check in with him when you see him.

As every one else has re-afermed every car should have one.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Here is a post I found at the bottom of the page


http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59338

Just to let you guys know I am a saftey nut and I have exstigushers all thru out my home.They are all in the same spots.every and any closet in side the door to the right on the floor. in all cabinets bathroom and kitchen also in to the right on the bottom of the cabinets. I check them all with the time change to make sure they are still in the green.My entire family know where they are and not to block them ever and they should run from a fire,and it would be my job or the fire departments job to try and put it out.

 

[ctjackster]

Not to sure I'd want to mount that 5 Lb sucker up high on the Jack Board....

That 5lb Bottle can become an 80lb bottle in a front impact ripping the Velcro and or launching it into the Passenger compartment with or with out the Jack board attatched.

Better to mount it low to the floor and on a nice steel bracket..

Fair point, but - actually, the extinguisher ends up nesting along the lower edge of the jack board, pretty much against the 2-inch high "sill" [I am sure it has a well known name, but such escapes me right now] so even it it was just laying there it would not likely become a projectile, and if it was unattached and it did clear the sill and become a projectile it would at best whack into the center dash rather than take a mid-flight u-turn and bonk me in my seat; and as it is SECURED it ain't going anywhere, even in the event of a major head on. I have been in head on accidents (my back is acting up as we speak, a friendly reminder of one) and while I would not keep a loose pair of skis lined up behind my seat ready to impale me, it's not like the entire interior of the car comes unglued and takes aimless flight (I WILL admit to having seen a rear view mirror - the type glued to the windshield - take off backwards in a severe rear ender).

Of course, to each their own, I just didn't care to clutter up the passenger foot well area.

 

[magicv8]

What is the best way to mount a fire extinguisher in a C1? Pat G.

In my C2, stick-on velcro pads hold my Halon extinguisher securely to the carpet on the storage area cover and the carpeted bulkhead behind the passenger seat - right where I can reach it - and where it doesn't detract from the already limited (smaller than driver side) passenger footwell. The pads are inexpensive and effective. They were suggested by a local fire department chief who found me the Halon extinguisher supplier. He uses the same mounting in his Miata.

 

[JohnZ]

Has anybody actually had experience with a vehicle fire using Halon? Typically, Halon requires a closed environment to be effective. So I have to wonder how effective Halon extinguishers would be outdoors, especially if there is any kind of breeze blowing.

So, if

Water is out,
CO2 is out,
Halon is questionable (to me),

that basically leaves dry chemical or possibly this one below.
http://www.fireadesource.com/fire-extinguishers.html

Who has first hand experience?

I do - I put out a carb fire in a buddy's car on a road trip about five years ago with a Halon extinguisher, which doesn't need a closed environment at all. If you've ever seen the extent of damage a dry-chemical extinguisher residue does to the finish of everything in the entire area of a minor fire, you'd understand why Halon is a much better choice. I have them in all my cars, three more in the garage, and one in the kitchen.

http://www.amerex-fire.com

 

[KOPBET]

I do - I put out a carb fire in a buddy's car on a road trip about five years ago with a Halon extinguisher, which doesn't need a closed environment at all. If you've ever seen the extent of damage a dry-chemical extinguisher residue does to the finish of everything in the entire area of a minor fire, you'd understand why Halon is a much better choice. I have them in all my cars, three more in the garage, and one in the kitchen.

http://www.amerex-fire.com

Indeed Halon is a better choice cleanliness wise, I never implied otherwise.

However, since Halon is a gas, it WILL dissipate in a breeze. Halon must be able to dissipate the oxygen in the air surrounding the fire and it cannot do that if that air is continually being replaced by the wind. This is why computer rooms that use Halon or FM200 must have the doors shut prior to or immediately after a discharge. If you don't believe me, you can read up on the nature of Halon. Because of that issue I'm not sure I would want to trust a small 2.5lb jug of halon under all circumstances, that's all.

Yes, dry chem is BAD. But watching your fully engulfed car burn to the ground because your halon is blowing down the interstate isn't good either.

All I'm saying here is that if you choose Halon or one of its substitutes, be aware of its limitations and prepare.

 

[paul67]

Now I'm throughly confused. I have the Amerex dry chem unit as shown in the pic above. That fire extinguishing chemical goes back many years and is basically calcium carbonate or baking soda. What is the problem with this? It is water soluble after use.

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

I do - I put out a carb fire in a buddy's car on a road trip about five years ago with a Halon extinguisher, which doesn't need a closed environment at all. If you've ever seen the extent of damage a dry-chemical extinguisher residue does to the finish of everything in the entire area of a minor fire, you'd understand why Halon is a much better choice. I have them in all my cars, three more in the garage, and one in the kitchen.

http://www.amerex-fire.com

I too.will add my story here with John Z. Many years ago I was at a gas station fueling my 86. A freind of mine from out of town was with me in his Chevy Impala also getting gas. I had at the time a small 1.5 lb Halon unit in my car....lucky I did.

Fuel was leaking somewhere on top of the motor after he shut down it had ignited...we both saw the smoke at the same time. I went for the fire puter outer and shot it up under the grill and into the engine compartment with the hood still closed. You don't want to open the hood to look...you'll only cause the fire to get more air and flare up.

10 seconds later the fire was out. We then opened the hood and checked the damage. After replacing a short piece of fuel line we were on our way.

So...Halon will migrate to the fire in a small area. Now what we need here is a Halon expert to explain more about Halon. Of course it's no longer made and the replacement...is listed below.

Halotron 1 is a new clean fire extinguishing agent and a perfect replacement to BCF (Halon 1211). The gas is an HCFC base agent blended with two others gases, which make it an effective and environment-friendly fire extinguishing gas.
Halotron 1 is discharged as a precisely dispersed and rapid evaporating liquid. The primary extinguishing mechanism of Halotron 1 is the absorption and removal of heat from combustion zone to some extent.

 

[ctjackster]

or you can simply take my advice and follow the link I posted above, you get "Made with 100% recycled Halon 1211" if you are really after that formulation . . . . .

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

or you can simply take my advice and follow the link I posted above, you get "Made with 100% recycled Halon 1211" if you are really after that formulation . . . . .

Spoke to Dan Yesterday and Ordered a Chrome 1211 with a bracket....