I need to get a couple fire extinguishers for my (street-driven) cars. What do GRM'ers recommend?
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June 17, 2009 3:48 p.m. procainestart Dork
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June 17, 2009 3:52 p.m. Per Schroeder Technical Editor/Advertising Director
For a street car, I'd go w/ a 5BC...preferably something not drychem, but I'd rather clean drychem crud than a crispy critter.
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June 17, 2009 3:52 p.m. Rusty_Rabbit84 Reader
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June 17, 2009 4:55 p.m. Keith UberDork
Any reason not to go with the easily-source Kidde stuff? You can pick them up anywhere. Get one of the 5 lb "garage" ones and they're rated 3-A:40-B:C - or, get a white kitchen one (10-B:C) which uses sodium bicarbonate instead of monoammonium phosphate. The BC might be a better choice for a stripped out race car due to the non-corrosive agent, but cars with carpets and luxury stuff like that might appreciate the ability to put that out as well - thus the ABC rating.
Pick up a steel retaining strap from Home Depot along with the extinguisher to secure it.
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June 17, 2009 4:59 p.m. Per Schroeder Technical Editor/Advertising Director
that looks like a plastic nozzle and valve....
Oh, and I looked at my extinguishers in the Saab...they're both 10BC, not 5BC...same size as what Keith shows.
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June 17, 2009 5:26 p.m. procainestart Dork
OK, so it sounds like a 10BC unit (sodium bicarbonate) is the way to go because it's less corrosive than an ABC unit (monoammonium phosphate).
Thanks...
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June 17, 2009 5:44 p.m. Keith UberDork
Yes, plastic nozzle and valve. They have a "professional series" that uses metal. Concerns with the plastic are...?
BC extinguishers aren't intended to deal with class A fires (duh). Class A includes cloth and carpet, for example. Not a problem underhood, but it may be an issue if there's a fire in the interior.
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June 17, 2009 5:50 p.m. Per Schroeder Technical Editor/Advertising Director
IIRC, plastic nozzles and valves are typically not legal for racing/rally use.
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June 17, 2009 5:54 p.m. Woody SuperDork
I have an Amerex 2.5 ABC (all metal), which should be enough to get me out and hold things at bay until the corner workers get there with the big units.
FYI, I believe SCCA mandates a dual band bracket if it's going to be inside the car. Not a bad idea. I don't remember where I bought the bracket.
I keep a foam extinguisher in one corner of the garage, plus three other dry chems in the other corners. You don't want to run any farther than you have to.
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June 17, 2009 7:12 p.m. 44Dwarf Reader
F it get out and save your self.. let it burn.
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June 17, 2009 7:41 p.m. Keith UberDork
Per Schroeder wrote:
IIRC, plastic nozzles and valves are typically not legal for racing/rally use.
Huh. Well, they're legal for the Targa Newfoundland :) For a street-driven car, I'm not sure they're a problem. If they're good enough for my house...
The only time I've used a fire extinguisher on a car was another Locost. He had a bad seal around the fuel tank filler and there were flames licking up from the top of the tank. A 1 second shot from my extinguisher and it was out.
I'm not sure the owner of that car would have been quite so happy with a "let it burn" philosophy. He carries an extinguisher now.
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June 17, 2009 7:45 p.m. wherethefmi HalfDork
I loved hauling our company's fire extinguishers in my DD van, that's 24+ 10lb units in my car, love cleaning the purpleish/pink crap out of everything in the car after you find out not all the pins are in
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June 17, 2009 7:46 p.m. ignorant PowerDork
Please purchase Kidde Fire extinguishers...
Purchase many of them...
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June 17, 2009 8:12 p.m. Woody SuperDork
ignorant wrote:
Please purchase Kidde Fire extinguishers...
Purchase many of them...
I think my foam extinguisher is a Kidde.
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June 17, 2009 8:19 p.m. ignorant PowerDork
Woody wrote:
I think my foam extinguisher is a Kidde.
Since you are from CT, thank you for buying local. Kidde is headquartered out of Farmington...........
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June 17, 2009 8:23 p.m. Woody SuperDork
ignorant wrote:
Woody wrote:
I think my foam extinguisher is a Kidde.
Since you are from CT, thank you for buying local. Kidde is headquartered out of Farmington...........
I didn't know that. I just knew that it had foam inside.
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June 17, 2009 8:27 p.m. ignorant PowerDork
Woody wrote:
I didn't know that. I just knew that it had foam inside.
French company, but purchased by UTC and now run from UTC Fire and Safety.
Kidde has a large manufacturing site near Rocky Mount, NC.
yes i drank the coolaid..
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June 17, 2009 8:50 p.m. mistanfo Dork
For my cars, halon. For home, generally Kiddie ABCs.
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June 17, 2009 9:37 p.m. procainestart Dork
ignorant wrote:
Please purchase Kidde Fire extinguishers...
Purchase many of them...
I bought two 10BC Kidde's for 18-19 bucks. On top of that, I once lived in Farmington (well, Unionville, really, but pretty darned close).
You're welcome.
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June 18, 2009 7:13 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork
I prefer an ABC type extinguisher because invariably other things catch fire and burn. Yes, powder is a mess. It's a god awful mess. But then usually the fire is as well.
Nothing like watching the fire burn while your tiny little extinguisher quickly goes "pfft..." My advice would be to get the biggest extinguisher you can carry and handle.
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June 18, 2009 7:21 a.m. RossD Reader
A fire extinguisher was the first thing I bought after I bought my first project car (and first carb). Just eariler this year...
Should have had one prior, but I have one now.
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June 18, 2009 7:22 a.m. Jensenman MegaDork
I got the one for the Abomination from a bud who runs a small online racing parts store. I think it's a Kidde, it has a metal bracket and nozzle and uses Purple K, whatever that is. Maybe it's a local thing, but the Lowes and Home Depots around here don't have metal extinguisher brackets.
When I was a kid, we had a house burn down (we weren't there when it happened, thankfully) and when I was a teenager we had a kitchen grease fire which we put out by dropping a lid on the pan and then putting out the burning cabinet door with wet towels. So now there are 2 extinguishers in the kitchen, there's 1 in the house garage and 2 in the Garage Majal. Overkill? Maybe, but I'd rather be accused of overkill than watch everything burn to the ground.
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June 18, 2009 7:39 a.m. RossD Reader
Suddenly I think I should buy more fire extinguishers...
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June 18, 2009 8:47 a.m. nasaregistrar Dork
Fire Extinguishers are like firearms... Sometimes it is the only thing that will do the job.
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June 18, 2009 9:35 a.m. 44Dwarf Reader
As someone who's been on fire three times in my life i was realy just kidding. 1st time : Checking top loading wood stove. Lifted lid and it back drafted at the same time PUFF up came a fire ball.
2nd time: Neiborhood kid cut gass line on my dirt bike. I got down the powerlines and felt heat on my leg looked down to see ball of flame i was riding. tossed it in the dirt and sand.
3rd time was in a car on a lift the mechanic had placed a gas can on the roof with a line to the carb and had me turn over the motor..it backfired shook the car over whent the gas can and wa-bang the place went up. Boss said i passed him like Lenard Skinard "give me three steps Mr."
I've got Kidde's in every door way in the house and two CO2 filter half masks in the bedroom.
http://www.shop.safe-t-proof.com/product.sc?categoryId=5&productId=74&gcli...
Kiddes are cheap to own. I also have a "cool fire" unit in the garage it uses a gell goo that not thrremaly cooling so it say it will not crack items from thremal shock. Never used it.
Dwarf has a kiddie but I'd bail before i reached for it. cheap light weight zip tei to hold the pin in.
