Fire Extinguisher
18 May 2012, 02:07 PM
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Fire Extinguisher
Hi all,
As my car is now extensively modified & I plan on doing a few trackdays Iv decided a fire extinguisher is a good idea, especially after recently reading the post about the lovely Mexico which was unfortunately burnt out.
I'm after advice on which one to buy & where from & where to mount, pictures would be useful.
Thanks Richard.
As my car is now extensively modified & I plan on doing a few trackdays Iv decided a fire extinguisher is a good idea, especially after recently reading the post about the lovely Mexico which was unfortunately burnt out.
I'm after advice on which one to buy & where from & where to mount, pictures would be useful.
Thanks Richard.
18 May 2012, 02:13 PM
#2
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Hi all,
As my car is now extensively modified & I plan on doing a few trackdays Iv decided a fire extinguisher is a good idea, especially after recently reading the post about the lovely Mexico which was unfortunately burnt out.
I'm after advice on which one to buy & where from & where to mount, pictures would be useful.
Thanks Richard.
As my car is now extensively modified & I plan on doing a few trackdays Iv decided a fire extinguisher is a good idea, especially after recently reading the post about the lovely Mexico which was unfortunately burnt out.
I'm after advice on which one to buy & where from & where to mount, pictures would be useful.
Thanks Richard.
I have a 2kg extinguisher in the boot ie as far away from the engine bay as possible, my car is a classic and behind the boot trims are a few captive nuts that can be used to mount the bracket I think it was about £15.
I had to listen to a customer crying down the phone a few years ago while he stood at the side of the M1 watching his pride and joy burn to a crisp, the worst part was the people openly laughing at him through their windows as they went past! (Tossers!)
I bought mine the same day, any fighting chance has got be better than none!
18 May 2012, 05:00 PM
#3
A fire extinguisher is an excellent idea, I have a 2ltr one bolted into the passengers footwell. Anything less than 2ltr and I doubt it would stop a fire if it managed to get hold. I have had to use the extinguishers on numerous occassions and if I didn't have one I wouldn't have the car.
18 May 2012, 05:05 PM
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you can get a plumbed in system from jjc for about a ton, that gives you lines,and pull cord, plus mounting brackets, on in my rally car is mounted behind the seat and hand held one mounted to the tunnel.
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18 May 2012, 06:48 PM
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all extinguishers foam, FFFP?
its not something i know about, but ive seen films where dry powder is used, but imo alone its not the best media to use
its not something i know about, but ive seen films where dry powder is used, but imo alone its not the best media to use
18 May 2012, 06:53 PM
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I like the sound of a plumbed in system, but it sounds a bit OTT for track days & the odd sprint. Would a hand held one suffice & what's the difference between foam & powder as JJC sell both.
18 May 2012, 07:07 PM
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I have 2 handeld in passenger footwell and plumbed in one in drivers footwell ordered from jjc race and rally good entry level extinguisher's for a little under a ton .
18 May 2012, 07:33 PM
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You don't need one for track days, that's what the marshals are for lol. My mate did half s lap at spa, on fire, to find a marshal just so he didn't have to deploy his own 50 quid extinguisher
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19 May 2012, 06:04 PM
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Thanks for all the replies guys, i think I'm going to buy 2 hand held ones for now 1 in passenger footwell 1 in the back. I may go plumbed in at a later date though. Is foam better than powder does anyone know.
MattyB like that set up & as I'm considering a cage soon may do something similar later. Do you still have original STI seats with harnesses. I'm considering this option instead of bucket seats, how do you find them & can you also use the standard belt aswell?
MattyB like that set up & as I'm considering a cage soon may do something similar later. Do you still have original STI seats with harnesses. I'm considering this option instead of bucket seats, how do you find them & can you also use the standard belt aswell?
19 May 2012, 10:26 PM
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If you can find an old one somewhere, get a halon. All these modern extinguishers that are FFFP are useless. Seen too many rally cars burn because the new extinguishers can't cope.
19 May 2012, 10:34 PM
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imo dry powder alone offers great knockback proterties, but zero burnback control
for hydrocarbon fuel fires, dry powder is not sufficient - due to likely fire situations with running feul fires, combined with underbonnet temps
anyone done some good research into this?
what makes you choose one media over another, or do most run a combination?
for hydrocarbon fuel fires, dry powder is not sufficient - due to likely fire situations with running feul fires, combined with underbonnet temps
anyone done some good research into this?
what makes you choose one media over another, or do most run a combination?
19 May 2012, 11:04 PM
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It's seems apparent that halon was discontinued because of its expulsion of air thus removing one side of the fire triangle but in appropriate if you are still in the car as obviously stated.
Dry powder was also an obvious choice but after extensive research came AFFF which as we know is nothing more than washing up liquid and in my opinion would be useless to put out a fire where fuel ie petrol is involved.
Dry powder was also an obvious choice but after extensive research came AFFF which as we know is nothing more than washing up liquid and in my opinion would be useless to put out a fire where fuel ie petrol is involved.
19 May 2012, 11:15 PM
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It's seems apparent that halon was discontinued because of its expulsion of air thus removing one side of the fire triangle but in appropriate if you are still in the car as obviously stated.
Dry powder was also an obvious choice but after extensive research came AFFF which as we know is nothing more than washing up liquid and in my opinion would be useless to put out a fire where fuel ie petrol is involved.
Dry powder was also an obvious choice but after extensive research came AFFF which as we know is nothing more than washing up liquid and in my opinion would be useless to put out a fire where fuel ie petrol is involved.
what would you consider the optimum approach?
ive extensive experience and research in fire fighting media and its effects, but doesnt mean im not willing to listen to personal experience.
imo dual application of dry powder and a foam based media would be best.
and relying on dry powder alone is quite dangerous in this scenario - plus its abrasive to engine components - although it has extremley effective flame knockdown properties
19 May 2012, 11:20 PM
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21 May 2012, 03:37 PM
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My car burnt at Spa last year!
I had a 1.5litre powder jobby and honestly, for all the good it did, i might as well have just been using harsh language!
Id say theres a few fire prevention measures that are of greater importance than an extinguisher! But saying that, id never build a fast road car without one (or two! :-) ever again!
I had a 1.5litre powder jobby and honestly, for all the good it did, i might as well have just been using harsh language!
Id say theres a few fire prevention measures that are of greater importance than an extinguisher! But saying that, id never build a fast road car without one (or two! :-) ever again!
21 May 2012, 03:53 PM
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foam based media is a bit more than washing up liquid,
its has the advantage of having cooling properties, which id consider essential in an underbonnet fire scenario, its also designed to cover the feul and prevent the flammable gasses escaping, although almost impossible in an engine bay - it also has the property of being somewhat resistant to contamination from fuel/oils.
but alone its knockdown properties are poor imo, the size of normal extinguishers is not sufficient, and may lure some into a false sense of security.
having dry powder offers great control and knockdowns flames quickly, but offers no burnback control, so the fire can easily re-ignite.
imo a combination of the two would be best - powder first to knockdown the flames then foam to cool the area as much as possible.
by the time you notice a fire, stop, get out, pop the bonnet, and get the fire extinguishers ready the chances are the fire if fuel related will be reasonably well established. so chances are it wont just be a smallflame in the corner.
effective halons are no longer commonly used due to enviromental impact - i wouldnt consider co2 to be particularly effectivea altho BCF was, but may be best used without opening the bonnet and smother the fire - but again no burnabck protection.
if you have have a chance of dispensing the media effectivley and safely will defo increase the chances of saving some bits.
its has the advantage of having cooling properties, which id consider essential in an underbonnet fire scenario, its also designed to cover the feul and prevent the flammable gasses escaping, although almost impossible in an engine bay - it also has the property of being somewhat resistant to contamination from fuel/oils.
but alone its knockdown properties are poor imo, the size of normal extinguishers is not sufficient, and may lure some into a false sense of security.
having dry powder offers great control and knockdowns flames quickly, but offers no burnback control, so the fire can easily re-ignite.
imo a combination of the two would be best - powder first to knockdown the flames then foam to cool the area as much as possible.
by the time you notice a fire, stop, get out, pop the bonnet, and get the fire extinguishers ready the chances are the fire if fuel related will be reasonably well established. so chances are it wont just be a smallflame in the corner.
effective halons are no longer commonly used due to enviromental impact - i wouldnt consider co2 to be particularly effectivea altho BCF was, but may be best used without opening the bonnet and smother the fire - but again no burnabck protection.
if you have have a chance of dispensing the media effectivley and safely will defo increase the chances of saving some bits.