Hey guys, what is a good type of fire extinguisher that is portable and works well? I know there are several types of fire extinguishers and we obviously wouldn't want to use a chemical one in the engine bay (God forbid) because that would just creat a mess. I know there are fire extinguishers specifically designed for vehicle use in that the retardant is another non-flammable gas which suffocates the fire by removing all the surrounding oxygen. I know there are experts among us who must know all about this stuff. I am looking into get one just for safety reasons and want to know what type is recommended, how much, and where to find type of information. Peace out.

 

Hi 2.2L_S2000,

As much as I loath the idea, and you even comment on it in your post, your best bet will be a dry chemical (powder) type extinguisher with an ABC designation or at the least, a BC designation. You can get them in various sizes from just about anywhere and they're relatively cheap.

The extinguishers you mention that use a gas to displace oxygen in the area of the fire, usually a CO2 extinguisher, won't work well in a car fire. The engine compartment is too well ventilated to hold the CO2 where it's needed. Fresh air would simply push the CO2 out of the way and the fire would keep right on going. A CO2 might help in the passenger compartment assuming it's intact and can be completely closed off. I wouldn't count on that with any significant fire in a convertible! If the top or any windows are compromised, the passenger compartment will ventilate and you'll be right back where you started.

In my 21 years in the fire service, I've found that a small portable dry chem extinguisher will slow things down but unless you get to it early, you'll probably not put the fire out. There's just too much to burn in the way of carpeting, upholstry, wiring insulation, plastics, fuel, etc.

Carrying an extinguisher in the car is a good idea though!

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

I would lt my car burn so the insurance would get me a new My05'

 

Thanks for the info Steve and Back-cracker, I guess that's another way to look at it but I tend to get attached after I own the car for a while. Sure, I would give it up now in a fire for a brand new '05 but let's say this happens in a couple of years and yet another God forbid they stopped making S by then. Then you would lose a collector's item or at least a then very rare car.

P.S. Steve, there is a weird unexplainable attraction involving firefighters and S2000's. When I was at the Honda dealership picking up my Rio S the salesman said that a firefighting gal had picked up an Red '04 a couple days ago and then her guy firefighting partner came in the very next day to also pick one up. Maybe you can provide some insight into this mystery.

 

Once concern I would have is if the car is parked in the sun for a while what would happen to a pressurized container baking at 140+ degrees F. My guess is it would not be pretty.

 

You will be suprised at just how little good a small fire extinguisher in your car will do. I carried one for a long time and one day on my way home for work I passed a guy in an older beater on the side of the road with some sort of problem. As I passed him and I looked in the rearview mirror and I could see flames shooting out from underneath his hood. He had an old blanket or something and was trying to beat it out. Needless to say that wasn't working and I quickly pulled over, grabbed the extinguisher out of my trunk and ran back to assist. I gave it a few shots and it went out for a few seconds, but unfortunately he had a fuel leak from his carburator that was leaking down his exhaust manifold. There was a girl standing out in front of her house watching and I yelled for her to call the fire department. I spent the last of my extinguisher on the area hoping it'd soak up the gasoline and it luckily worked well enough to hold the fire off abit until the fire department got there. It was still burning though. After they got there they used a few large extinguishers on it which put it out for good. Anyhow, it was kinda scary being out of chemical and still seeing flames. Not much you can do than to just get away.

Kris

 

Hi 2.2L_S2000,

Your Welcome!


[QUOTE]P.S.

 

[QUOTE=PilotKD,Jul 9 2004, 06:57 PM] You will be suprised at just how little good a small fire extinguisher in your car will do.