Fire extinguishers

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
opinions on 2.5 vs 1 lb unit? I'd lean towards bigger but harder to find space for.
Also, prob going w/ Halotron, less mess? way spendy but not cleaning corrosive material seems worth it.
 
1lb isn't much good for anything except for putting out a cigarette. go at least one, 2.5lb. That should be the minimum, IMO.
 
Don't recall what size the one in my CJ is, but it's about 8" diameter and about 18" tall.

I took a couple of old Quick release Dog collars and strapped it to the down bar of the roll cage right behind the driver seat. Secure and quick to get to. Only needed once so far, so it's well paid for itself. If I didn't have it, the CJ would've burned to the ground.

as for Halon, I'd check on that, I thought they were not made anymore due to Environmental issues with them. Also If I'm not mistaken, they are not too compatible with people that might be in the fire area. Seems the Halon sucks the Oxygen out of the air.. and lungs, but I haven't found anything to substantiate that last part.
 
So yes, Halon is no longer in production, although "word on the street" from a local fire prevention place is that you can get reclaimed/used ones still until it is all gone, kind of like R12.
Now it is "halotron" which sound likw a Decepticon :lol: to me
It is EPA-friendly.
Yes, it works by "sucking up" the oxygen, must be a covalent bonding thing, but I haven't foudn any obvious safety warnings about it - claimed as stuff of choice for electronics and cars etc where ABC is too corosive.
Also prob not very effective outside on a windy day, but i'd think 95% of vehicle fires would be relatively contained, either in the cabin or under hood?

FYI I found a great deal on one here:
http://www.efireandsafety.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_25&products_id=244

seems most are well over $100

I always carry 1-2 gallons of water so I'm thinking that'd be a decent substitute for classic brush fire?
Also wondered - I'll also have a 10lb CO2 w/ full variable regulator. If you wide-opened it w/ a nozzle, couldn't you pretty much "blow out" a brush fire too? Too bad you can't get the liquid out of a reg CO2 tank.
 
halon is still used on aircraft and in the humvees. I'd really want to stay away from halon as it sucks up the oxygen. However, if your in an open top vehicle, that wouldn't make much difference
 
Halon and Halotron don't suck up oxygen. Halon and Halotron stops the fuel, the ignition, and the oxygen from working together by chemically reacting with them, thereby breaking the chain reaction.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of foam fire extinguishers. Not only does it extinguish the fire but it covers the fuel spill preventing reignition. It'll also spread across the fuel spill and extinguish it. It's a great degreaser so if you use it in the engine compartment you can degrease your engine block.
 
tlucier said:
Halon and Halotron don't suck up oxygen. Halon and Halotron stops the fuel, the ignition, and the oxygen from working together by chemically reacting with them, thereby breaking the chain reaction.
Personally, I'm a huge fan of foam fire extinguishers. Not only does it extinguish the fire but it covers the fuel spill preventing reignition. It'll also spread across the fuel spill and extinguish it. It's a great degreaser so if you use it in the engine compartment you can degrease your engine block.
Click to expand...
^^^^^ True True True Halon doesn't remove oxygen. The Army discovered one of the problems with halon...in a rapid or "singe" type fire ie: shell going off inside an M1 tank the flash fire would cause the Halon to "burn" and become toxic....hell if a shell goes off inside a tank I dont think toxic fumes would be your problem...lol Ditto on foam types for fuel.
 
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