Fire Extinguishers, Got one in your car? Options

[anthony]

I found this:

http://www.h3r.com/products/halotron_standard.htm

[ArtechnikA]

Who has the best prices on the halon fire extinguishers? Can you buy one at home depot?

probably no home stores, Halon has a fairly low rating for the kinds of stuff that burn in houses and lots more total capacity - the one near my kitchen is a 2A:10BC and it's of the size typically issued to turn marshalls at a weekend autocross. too expensive for your average home use.

i got mine during a Rennlist special from OG Racing (FL ?) and was $60 delivered with a nice bracket.

if you're lucky enough to have a garage, be sure to have 2 of the best you can afford - mounted on opposite sides of the garage. you do not want to have to walk through the fire to get to the extinguisher ...

[Elliot_Cannon]

where would you put one in the cockpit, where it wouldnt get in your way?

hey elliot, where in orange county you live?

Lake Forest flymach86@yahoo.com

[tryan]

i think halon was banned for a while for ozone depletion properties. after further testing, someone figured out that the halon was consumed if shot into the flames. i carry two incase one does not work or is out of reach.

[anthony]

How big of a fire extinguisher does one need for a car? I see that Pelican sells 1.25, 2.5, and 3.5 pound models. There's no guidance on which size is appropriate.

[seanery]

Halotron

[ArtechnikA]

How big of a fire extinguisher does one need for a car? I see that Pelican sells 1.25, 2.5, and 3.5 pound models. There's no guidance on which size is appropriate.

just big enough to put out your fire :-) ...
in practice, it boils down to how much room you've got, and how much you want to spend.
most competition rules that require extinguishers on board specify a capacity. SCCA SOLO-II does not require onboard, Zone 8 PCA DE/TT did when i was doing it, i have no idea nowadays. i recall (fuzzily) that the requirement was 2A:5BC which was met by a 5-lb dry checmical or Purple K unit or a rather smaller Halon one (which was quite new, then...). yes, i know, dry chemical is bad news but most of us carried one anyway because it was the best ofthe available options then...

so: read your rules, find the A:B:C rating required, get one at least that size. remember that a 5-lb extinguisher will weigh 200 lbs in a 40-g crash and make your mounts accordingly...

[Curvie Roadlover]

remember that a 5-lb extinguisher will weigh 200 lbs in a 40-g crash and make your mounts accordingly...

Good point, Rich

[Dave_Darling]

I believe that you need a larger Halon extinguisher to get the same rating as the smaller dry-chem.

I still have unanswered questions about "Halotron". Namely, is it corrosive to aluminum alloys, and does it eat the insulation off of wiring? Dry-chem does, which makes it an unhappy thing to use. (Even more unhappy is needing to use it and not having it around.) It's a b**ch to clean up thoroughly enough to stop the above-mentioned side effects, too...

--DD

[StratPlayer]

If my car was on fire I wouldn't care what kind of exting. I had as long as it put the fire out, worry about the rest later.

[gocubs914]

have needed the bottle twice and have driven away away both times. have a 9.95 home depot special in everything i own. yes, they are very messy but worth every nickel.

[seanery]

Here is the pdf with tech info about halotron.
The guys at the 356 Registry turned me onto it.
Haven't used it on anything.

Halotron PDF

[GWN7]

Extinguishers are rated based on several factors.

For class A the ratings are based on the amount of extinguishing agent (water) and the duration and range of the discharge. 1-A = 1 1/4 gallons of water, 2A = 2 1/2 gallons or twice the 1A capacity

Class B: the rating is based on the approximate square foot area of a flammable liquid fire that a nonexpert operator can extinguish. IE 1 square foot for each numerical rating

Class C: No rating for extinguishment except that the extinguishing agent will not conduct electricity.

Class D: Varys on the type of combustible metal being tested.

Multiple Markings IE: 4A20BC extinguisher will extinguish a Class A fire that is 4 times larger than a 1A fire, extinguish app: 20 times as much Class B fire as a 1B extinguisher and extinguish a deep layer flammable liquid fire of 20 square foot area.

A 2A10BC extinguisher will be good enough for most car fires. Biggers better tho.

Best advise is to read the instructions before you have to use one.

Pull the pin

Aim Low: aim at the base of the flames

Squeeze: lever or button

Sweep: from side to side. moving carefuly toward the base of the fire.

Extinguishers with a gauge (refillable) should be inspected every year. The powder can pack down and when you go to use them only the propellent comes out. Check your operators manual for instructions.

[pfierb]

Just got this months copy of Excellence and there is an article about older Porsches.... 914 included....fuel lines being a time bomb waiting to explode unless you replace them......that article will make you want to carry a fire extinguisher.

[redshift]

I burned a 1.7 to the ground, ala Herb Meeder's avatar.

Ok, this is embarassing. I think I told Bruce, and maybe Aaron.

About a year ago, I had done some work, and had to take my bottle out of the floor.. well, it was rolling around a few days later..

I came out of the bank, and I look down to see that the safety pin had worked it's way out, and was sitting in the floor... too far away to reach, I was in a hurry..

Anyone have a clue where this is going?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

So, out of bank, to the redlight, blinker on, look left, nothing coming too fast... turn, and FOOOOOOOOOOOOF!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/pinch.gif)

i can't breathe


M

[szuccaro]

Yes.... got 2.. probably should upgrade though. Steve

[redshift]

Some people suck... you suck lots...

DAMN THAT IS A NICE INTERIOR!


M

[Series9]

In between the seats:

[sk8kat1]

do I smell a group buy?!