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Mar 18, 2008 13:30:13 GMT
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just doing my fir marhsall course at the moment my impression is that powder is the "safest" and best all rounder, but as its very messy is ruins alot of equipment, mainly electricals. I dot really know about corrosive... its basically just baking powder, the only adverse side effect if you breathe it in (apart from asphyxiation if you stand in a cloud of it) is a bad case of gas the synthetic foam is handy but it should be used for putting out flamable liquids in a contained area, wouldnt work very well with burning oil on an engine i don't think? and they're made from beef not pig so I'm told anyway, usually smells like roast beef when you put out fires with it. c02 is ok, i know its damn loud and gives you a wicked freeze/burn if you hold the nozzle when you discharge it. *cant wait to go put out some fires on training*
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Mar 18, 2008 13:34:59 GMT
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Halon is/was the best by far but needed a tandem oxygen cylinder for the driver if you ran it plumbed in as it really does remove all the oxygen from the surrounding area, so you would suffocate rather than Burn to death
With Plumbed in stuff - 2.5kg will let you get out of the car, but its unlikely to save the car - its a fire suppression system rather than extinguisher.... it will surpress it enough for you to get out
If you want to save the car, then 4Kg is a better bet or a second 2.5KG Handheld for when you get out
In the Kadett I have a 4kg plumbed in AFF and a 2kg handheld AFF...... i do not want to be doing it again should the worst happen
Peter Lloyd Rallying are doing some great deals on Lifeline stuff at the moment - check out their website
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misteralz
Posted a lot
I may drive a Volkswagen, but I'm scene tax exempt!
Posts: 2,432
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Mar 18, 2008 15:28:31 GMT
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Halon is/was the best by far but needed a tandem oxygen cylinder for the driver if you ran it plumbed in as it really does remove all the oxygen from the surrounding area, so you would suffocate rather than Burn to death Yep. I heard of someone a few years back set off a halon extinguisher in his face when he was properly trapped in a burning car. I imagine I'd have done the same, to be honest.
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Tim
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,340
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Mar 18, 2008 16:33:36 GMT
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Halon is/was the best by far but needed a tandem oxygen cylinder for the driver if you ran it plumbed in as it really does remove all the oxygen from the surrounding area, so you would suffocate rather than Burn to death Yep. I heard of someone a few years back set off a halon extinguisher in his face when he was properly trapped in a burning car. I imagine I'd have done the same, to be honest. thats really horrible :-(
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Mar 18, 2008 16:47:02 GMT
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Time to drag this one out again.... (apologies to those who have seen it already)
It was a leaky oil return from the turbo, stupidly I kept on driving to get where I was going and ignored the smoke.
The extinguisher was from an emergency travel pack thing.
I now know not to lift the bonnet in an engine fire, (or to rely on a toy extinguisher)
The fire was extinguished using buckets of ice water for beer at a BBQ.
I scrapped the car after stripping it of all the goodies.
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1985 Bedford CF2 camper 1991 Volvo 240 Turbo
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Fire extinguishersBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Mar 18, 2008 17:29:58 GMT
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Some great advice and scary stories! Time to get me a big dry powder extinguisher!
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misteralz
Posted a lot
I may drive a Volkswagen, but I'm scene tax exempt!
Posts: 2,432
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Mar 18, 2008 21:18:36 GMT
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I got a couple from Costco - they're about 4kg, possibly more, and cost me about 15 quid each.
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Mar 18, 2008 21:56:33 GMT
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whats wrong with halon then? i have a halon one that came in the van, and a normal camping/caravanners small powder one. Am i right in thinking should the worst happen in the van i'd be best using the halon extibuisher to save powder damage? but for other peoples cars use the powder one and save the halon?
apart from not inhaling it and my own little contribution to global warming is there anythin else i should be aware of about halon?
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Mar 18, 2008 23:07:03 GMT
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its not global warming with halons, its the ozone layer... (very 90's lol) don't worry, I aint about to go int the chemistry of it.
I have a water extinguisher that i fitted a tyre valve to, so I can recharge from the airline. Useful for small started by welding fires, but I wouldnt like to put out a blazing car with it.
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in
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Fire extinguishersBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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I have a water extinguisher that I fitted a tyre valve to, so I can recharge from the airline. Useful for small started by welding fires, but I wouldnt like to put out a blazing car with it. I know what you mean! Oil + Fire + Water = Biiiiiiiiig fire! I have to rely on my lungs to put out welding fires...
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I know what you mean! Oil + Fire + Water = Biiiiiiiiig fire! I have to rely on my lungs to put out welding fires... A wet rag is handy for this.
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1985 Bedford CF2 camper 1991 Volvo 240 Turbo
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You've been telling me you were a genius since you were seventeen ... in all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean !
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Mar 19, 2008 10:54:48 GMT
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FWIW the MSA (or may have been FIA) decreed all motor sports should ditch halon and dry powder for in-car systems. The majority now use AFFF, with some using Lifeline 2000 (which might be an AFFF varient) and Lifeline 6000 fills.
When I mentioned this to my local friendly fireman (I used to work at Boscombe Down a military airfield), after he'd finally stopped rolling around on the floor with laugher about the move to AFFF he strongly recommended carrying a dry powder as well.
The sizes most people carry (1kg / 1l) are next to useless. We have a 2.5l AFFF and the same dry powder - both hand helds - but ultimately they're to make sure the Nav and I can get out alive rather than any serious consideration that we would actually be able to save the car. I think you've got to be looking at a 4kg plumbed in system to have a realistic chance of doing that.
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Fire extinguishersBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Mar 19, 2008 11:41:42 GMT
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I suppose I must have been lucky with my fire - I had a pretty major oil fire under the bonnet of my Mk3 Escort as the oil breathers had dumped a load of fresh GTX all over the exhaust manifold. After 100 miles I pulled into the service station for a break and *whoof* smoke everywhere! Luckily I kept my wits about me and only lifted the bonnet an inch or so to see flames licking the bonnet.
I only had a 1kg powder extinguisher. I wedged it under the bonnet and just blasted it until it was spent.
Still ended up ditching the car and getting the train, but at least I didn't have a massive bill from Moto for a clean-up ;D
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misteralz
Posted a lot
I may drive a Volkswagen, but I'm scene tax exempt!
Posts: 2,432
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Mar 19, 2008 11:48:17 GMT
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That's why I hate CVHs; my old Onion Ghia did that more than once - and it was a 'healthy' engine. The last time it did it I knew it was on fire and was affecting the leads. Pulled over, discharged a dry powder extinguisher over it, got back in and drove off. Never had a problem with underbonnet fires after that.
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