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Fire extinguishers

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I'm with Tony on this one.

1)I've never heard of an operational MGB spontaneously catching fire locally. (seen a couple of stolen dumped and burnt ones and at least 1 MGA under restoration that stray sparks torched the interior.*

2)Some years ago I did fire training with the mining company that I was with at the time, including a practical demonstration. Trust me once a oil/fuel fire takes hold a dinky 1kg extinguisher is not going to stop squat (another movie fallacy)and by the time it is noticed your average car fire is well advanced.

One point I have been reliably informed on though is if you have an ammeter mounted in your car get rid of it, unlike voltmeters these have wiring that is under high resistance and is always live, even when the car is switched off and have been prime culprits in several car fires.

*caveat: One of my cars did have a fryup of some of it's secondary wiring harness once (line out of the tacho was incorrectly wired) but by the time I could have done something about it it was far too late and the car was still drivable (albeit with no dash lights or indicators.

These things when they happen happen fast!!!

regards
 
I fully agree, they aren't likely to go up. I'm just saying that if you see smoke, it's worth trying to prevent it from becomming a car-b-que.
 
I keep an extinguisher in all my cars, passenger footwell, someplace close to the middle. Never had occasion to need 'em, but First Wife once (inna early '70's) pulled one to quell a school bus fire in the engine bay... Two alert drivers: bus and me ex. Fire hadn't time to involve much, school district gave her another bottle and an "AttaGirl!".
 
Consider a racing, pull cable type. I know they are expensive and take a whole day to install. However, you can locate them remotely (out of sight) and not have to remove, prepare & direct the thing in the event of a fire. Simply pull the red toggle (every second counts against you).

I would have a master switch (ground interrupted) as priority one. Most Brit. car fires are electrical in nature. And often happen when the car is unattended.( In the garage) (With other cars) (Perhaps attached to the house). Great anti-theft device also.

Every time you turn a British car on its like pulling the pin on a giant spark grenade.
 
Yup, considered a "bottle" system on the Loti. Haven't yet ruled it out, basically due to the reason you've so eloquently stated, Dave.

How to make an English car bark: START IT! -- WOOF!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I fully agree, they aren't likely to go up. I'm just saying that if you see smoke, it's worth trying to prevent it from becomming a car-b-que.

[/ QUOTE ]
I probably shouldn't contaminate the MG board so ignore this if I'm out of bounds.

Couple of comments on car fires:
The majority of fires are engine compartment related.
Any engine without air filters on the carbs is subject to an intake spit back blowing flaming fuel all over the engine compartment. Filters act as flame arresters, which pretty much prevent this problem, as any inboard engined boat owner knows.

Good maintenance to prevent electrical "leaks" or fuel leaks can go far to prevent fire problems.

In the event of a fire, quick action can often save "most" of a car. Sometimes all of it.

Dry chemical fire extinguishers cover everything with a white powder which is very difficult to remove, & becomes corrosive when mixed with water.

Halon fire extinguishers are effective, leave no mess to clean up, & are more expensive. Well worth the extra cost if you ever have to use it.

Though "some" cars are plentiful & easy to replace if they burn up, others are not. I guess it's a matter of attitude & preference.
D
 
Agreed: If a car's in good nick, fire is not likely. BUT: also not impossible, so the Boy Scout Motto is certainly not the worst thing one could use as credo. HalonII in a bottle system is what my First Choice would be for the glass fibre cars now, wallet be damned. We'll see. The steel cars have more conventional (read: hand held) fire defense.
 
Even with the key out you have at least 3 charged circuits under the dash (behind the mouse nest).

#1) Lighting to the switch (big #12 wire not fused on some, that you could probably weld with).
#2) Hooters, (2nd most high amperage wire after headlights). And often the one which runs the most convoluted path to ground.
#3) Ignition switch, That is probably so loose by now, some of you consider it "convenient theft proofing"

Newer cars like the MGB would also have several more "always hot circuits" Like 4 way flashers, courtesy lights, clock?, accessory to ign. and amp gage.

Age, vibration/abrasion, corrosion & heat are the primary causes for the failure of circuits so I guess we LBC owners are covered. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif
 
Well, we've certainly beat this one around the block & back!
 
I agree with what's that noise and Dave, namely most LBC fires seem to be electrical, isolator switches are a good plan and if you are going to have an extinguisher do not use a dry powder type.

I am surprised by one comment from Dave though, are Halon extinguishers still legal in the US? they have been banned in Australia for at least 12 years now, reasons?

1) in enclosed spaces Halon displaces oxygen so fast that anyone in a compartment with a Halon system has little or no chance to get out before all the air does.

2) In extreme temperatures Halon breaks down into Fozgene(sp?)which is a nerve gas.

3) Halon is an agressive ozone depleater.

In industrial applications we have to use CO2 in preference to Halon, less compact but also much safer in enclosed spaces. Over here most people go for CO2 or Foam extinguishers for cars.

regards
 
Santa just brought me an AFFF extinguisher.(Aqueous Film Forming Fluid) You mix a chemical in with about 2 liters of water. This seems to be all the rage over/up here now days.
Yes Halon is still legal. Very effective but potentially deadly. I believe the chemistry term for its action is kelating agent. (effectively takes oxygen out of the air/your lungs) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/pukeface.gif
 
This is a bottle system for the Pinto, Dave?
 
Yes....But.... Its more for me than the car. ( I would rather not burn to death in a Pinto) That's why AFFF because it is pointing right at me. (Non-toxic)

So far as the Elva goes...Its Halon II all the way. 2 nozzles on the engine, 1 on the fuel cell & 0 on me. I would drive that thing into a lake if necessary.
 
Gotit. I've the same thought with regard to the "frozen snot" cars I own.... Fire BAAAD, Halon II GOOOOD.

THX.
 
The DeLorean is a nice "date car" but if it burned down I wouldn't get too choked up about it.

Never dated anyone who likes riding in the Elva.

So far as the pinto goes, usually have my helmet on so I don't have to make eye contact w/ anyone.
 
[ QUOTE ]
...Never dated anyone who likes riding in the Elva...

[/ QUOTE ]

You need to find THAT one!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I agree with what's that noise and Dave, namely most LBC fires seem to be electrical, isolator switches are a good plan and if you are going to have an extinguisher do not use a dry powder type.

I am surprised by one comment from Dave though, are Halon extinguishers still legal in the US? they have been banned in Australia for at least 12 years now, reasons?

1) in enclosed spaces Halon displaces oxygen so fast that anyone in a compartment with a Halon system has little or no chance to get out before all the air does.

2) In extreme temperatures Halon breaks down into Fozgene(sp?)which is a nerve gas.

3) Halon is an agressive ozone depleater.

In industrial applications we have to use CO2 in preference to Halon, less compact but also much safer in enclosed spaces. Over here most people go for CO2 or Foam extinguishers for cars.
regards

[/ QUOTE ]
Hi Tom,
Yes, Halon is still legal in the USA. So far, the benefits are believed to outweigh the disadvantages.

Computer & electronic equipment rooms are the most frequent users of Halon systems. It prevents serious corrosion & contamination problems in the equipment, systems are more compact than CO2. Both are combined with interlock/alarm systems to prevent gassing of workers in the room.

Yes, in a closed space it will rapidly deplete oxygen & could form phosgene. CO2 also displaces oxygen & can break down into carbon monoxide. Thus the interlock/safety precautions for closed spaces.

Since the systems are rarely called upon to operate, ozone depletion is minimal in the big picture.

For a street driven car, I use a 4.5 pound portable Halon unit that is rated at 1-A, 5-BC. Slightly more effective than the usual 5-BC dry powder & far less damaging to what's left.

I once used dry powder on a engine fire & the entire engine had to be disassembled to get the grit & corrosive chemical residue out. On another engine fire, the fire department used a very large CO2 extinguisher. No after mess, but the extinguisher would have been hard to carry in a car.

Saturated Fluorocarbons are coming into use, supposedly with the benefits of CO2 & Halon, but without the ozone depletion problem.
D
 
The new Halon extinguishers are Halonette (sp?) and are less damaging to the atmosphere. The real Halon extinguishers are very expensive if you can find them. All of ours were replaced at work for Magnesium and Lithium fires.
 
In one car, I mounted the fire extinguisher to the driver's seat, along the front edge. It was under my legs while sitting in the driver's seat. In my MG, I have it mounted behind the passenger seat. Use to let it sit loose behind the passenger seat until the day I needed it. The fire extinguisher had moved and got jammed partly under the passenger seat. Was not able to access it quickly.
 
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