Fire Extinguishers and your MG

[rick_ingram]

I just had a brief fire safety class here at the Clinic.

I specifically asked the Chief about the powder-type extinguisher that I keep in each of my cars and concerns about it caking upon sitting and being somewhat ineffective.

He advised that:

1: Monitor the guage on a regular basis to be certain that it is pressurized

2: Shake the extinguisher at least TWO times per YEAR (spring and late fall) to decrease any caking/compacting that may occur.

He felt that if the above two procedures are fulfilled, there *should* be no reason to be concerned about the extinguisher.

I'm gonna "go shake mine" today!

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[aeronca65t]

Absolutely correct. A lot of fire inspector people have told me to shake the old extinquisher on a regular basis.

If you have any in your house, they are good for about 10 years if you do this.

A friend brought a spare extinquisher from his kitchen went we went to Lime Rock a few years ago. It was about 7 years old and the gauge read "full". As luck would have it, a car crashed near the pits and began to burn. I ran out with the kitchen extinquisher to put the fire out, but the valve was stuck and it did nothing.
Others (with good extinquishers) put the small fire out.

 

[RickB]

I've had a medium size extinguisher mounted by my back door for about a decade.
Last thanksgiving we had an oil spill on a hot stove and a pretty significant flame up.
I grabbed the extinguisher & applied it to the situation and it went out right quick.
I have taken it down and given it a shake from time to time but not on anything like a regular basis. Nice that it worked for us, with a new kitchen and all at stake.
I know some here have put a lot of money into your cars, but if you've remodeled a kitchen then you really know something about spending money!

 

[Trevor Jessie]

The shaking that occurs during driving is not sufficient?

 

[jlaird]

No not at all, it needs to go from end to end to fluf it up. The shaking in operation just makes it pack down.


Now, that said I think I would like a chrome fire extinguisher for Miss Agatha. Anyone seen one like that that I could mount?

 

[rick_ingram]

Now, that said I think I would like a chrome fire extinguisher for Miss Agatha. Anyone seen one like that that I could mount?

Take a look in the Moss cataloge...Summit Racing may also stock purdy ones.

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[Steve_S]

Halon extinguishers don't need to be shaken and don't destroy the car when used. If you use a dry chemical extinguisher in your engine bay, you're rebuilding everything from the nuts and bolts.

That said, I'm sure dry chemical is better at certain types of fires than halon, and they are also cheaper.

 

[jlaird]

Now that's a preaty extinguisher but a bit expensive, think I will find a nice red one a one of the local stores like K mart or such.

 

[David_DuBois]

Steve is absolutely correct, a Halon extinguisher is a much better investment in that the Halon doesn't cske up (it is a liquid). While it is not quite as effective on any fire as the dry chemical, it is 10,000 times as effective as a dry chimical extinguisher than has caked up (I know from experience after having been handed a dry chemical extinguisher by a forest ranger to extinguish a gas pump fire, only to have it go pfffit and have othing come out). The big problem with Halon fire extinguishers is that the halon is a destroyer of the ozone layer of our atmosphere. That said, like so many other hazardous items, the pest way to get rid of them is to use up existing stocks and that is what is being done with Halon. It is being recycled into extinguishers until the supply is completely gone. I got a 2.5 pound extinguisher (red Jack) on e-bay for about $65. It has been certified and the certification is good for 6 years, after which it can be checked by a company that certifies fire extinguishers in one's local area and recertified for another 6 years. This can be repeated as long as the extinguisher has Halon in it and the valve works. Even if the fvalve fails, it can be replaced. I consider it a good investment.
Cheers,

 

[Dave Russell]

Halon extinguishers don't need to be shaken and don't destroy the car when used. If you use a dry chemical extinguisher in your engine bay, you're rebuilding everything from the nuts and bolts.

That said, I'm sure dry chemical is better at certain types of fires than halon, and they are also cheaper.

Steve,
I totally agree. I can attest to dry chemical extinguishers ruining everything that they touch. Very corrosive AND abrasive. There is a reason why computer & other electronics rooms use Halon rather than water, powder, or some other chemical.

For cars, the $100 to $200 cost of a Halon extinguisher is minor compared to the cost of restoring/cleaning a car that has had a dry chemical extinguisher used on it.
D

 

[Steve_S]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]The big problem with Halon fire extinguishers is that the halon is a destroyer of the ozone layer of our atmosphere.[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure it's any worse than the substances released from a car burning to the ground.

 

[vping]

Just last week I went through OSHA training at my office for fire saftey. The Halon FE's are being replaced with Halotron which are not as damaging on the Ozone.

All of our FE's and the ones I have at home/car are ABC. We have one FE here that is Halotron and it is in a cabinet outside our server room.

Here is a good website to learn about types and uses.

https://www.hanford.gov/fire/safety/extingrs.htm

 

[rick_ingram]

Thanks for the link!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jlaird]

Safety First.

 

[vping]

Safety First.

... and Safety Fast.

 

[PAUL161]

Rick,

Thanks a lot for the input on dry chem. extinguishers. I have two in the house, one in the garage and two in the shop. None of which have ever been shook up.

I always check the pressure, but that's as far as it goes. They'll get a good shaking regularly from now on. PJ

 

[Keoke]

Hi Paul and others. Go here and read; "CBC Market Place Fire Extinguishers" the comments and tests regarding automobile fires makes a lot of sense.--Fwiw--Keoke

 

[Guest]

Here is how I mounted my Halotron fire extinguisher. The rollbar mount came from Pegasus Racing Products. It is easily and quickly accessible.

Oh, and pardon the epithet.

 

[leecreek]

I guess its time to replace this one.

 

[PAUL161]

Oh, and pardon the epithet.

And on the "MG" forum at that!