Don't let your car BURN !!!

[bhambulldog]

Don't let your car Burn !!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zTdHmZ-FC4s?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Booreatta]

That is really good advise. I also disconnect all my batteries in my cars when stored. Old wires burn easily. Chances are you wont be in the garage when a fire starts.

[NTX5467]

Don't forget to check for deteriorated exterior ball "seals" of some carburetor drilled passages. Where a drilled channel is sealed with a small ball bearing and solder, as many older carburetors tended to have. With time and age, the solder will dry out on its own, many times "helped" by ethanol'd gasoline. End result is a direct channel to the float bowl that can suddenly empty onto a hot intake manifold. NOT to forget that the accelerator pump diaphragm on many Holley carburetors (2300 2-bbl, 4150/4160/4175 style 4bbls) are located on the bottom of the primary (and secondary float bowl on certain models, also) float bowl . . . which is another "direct leak onto a hot intake manifold", from the float bowl.

On more modern vehicles, although the various fuel system O-rings are very reliable, leaks can develop from those areas and also from the fuel pressure regulator mechanism. As these systems operate at 50psi+, it can become more than just "a drop".

Just some thoughts . . .

NTX5467

[GLong]

Forget CO2. Halon is the only way to go. CO2 must displace all the Air [with Oxygen] in the area surrouding the fire in order to starve the fire. If the fire is in a contained area, then CO2 might do the job. But outdoors, with even a slight breeze, the CO2 will likely NOT displace all the air surrounding the fire. And only a wisp of O2 will keep the fire alive.

Halon attaches itself to the O2 in air, and is drawn to the fire. Halon is much more effective than CO2. A short shot of Halon upwind of a fire, and the fire is out. Or if you have a gasoline fire on top of your engine, just a squirt under the front bumper, or under the side of the car near a front tire, and the fire is out.

Aircraft are certified ONLY with Halon, and this is because it is the only effective way to fight a fire, especially from a safe distance. And when a fire is hidden behind panels or bulkheads or compartment doors you don't want to open because this feeds more O2 to the fire. With Halon, just poke the nose of the extinguisher into a gap in a door, or lid, or joint in a panel, and spray, The Halon travels through the air to the fire.

The concentration of CO2 that is effective at putting out a fire is roughly 125% of the level that is Lethal to humans. The effective concentration of Halon that is effective at putting out a fire is roughly 30% of the of the level that is lethal to humans.. So if you are in a closed space, with a CO2 extinguisher, you are in danger of passing out from an effective fire-extinguishing concentration of CO2. But with Halon, the fire is out way before you reach a concentration level of Halon that is dangerous to you.

CO2 also conducts electricity, If you spray it on a running engine, you will likely get a zap or two from the spark plug wires.. don't ask why I know this. :-). The CO2 makes snow from the humidity in the air, and electricity is conducted back to the extinguisher, in your hands.

I've done a lot of training with fire extinguishers. As a result of this training and seeing what works, I have at least a 2 1/4 Pound Halon extinguisher in every single one of my cars, and on tractors too. Put a big 5#, 9# or even 13# Halon extinguisher next to every door in your shop, and house. When you are leaving the building because of a fire, the last thing you see will be the fire extinguisher. If the fire is still small, you might save your shop, car or home with a Halon extinguisher.

In the video, the guest said get your passengers out first.. not a bad idea, but then he said call 911.. Hand your cell to a passenger, or have them use their cell phone to call, and YOU fight the fire. Most small fires can be put out in seconds with a small Halon. Don't let the small fire become a big fire. A fire is constantly using it's heat to create more fuel for itself, getting larger at astonishing rates.

GLong

[Larry Schramm]

Generally speaking, a fire doubles in size every 20 seconds without intervention depending on the environment.

[bhambulldog]

Forget CO2. Halon is the only way to go. CO2 must displace all the Air [with Oxygen] in the area surrouding the fire in order to starve the fire. If the fire is in a contained area, then CO2 might do the job. But outdoors, with even a slight breeze, the CO2 will likely NOT displace all the air surrounding the fire. And only a wisp of O2 will keep the fire alive.

Halon attaches itself to the O2 in air, and is drawn to the fire. Halon is much more effective than CO2. A short shot of Halon upwind of a fire, and the fire is out. Or if you have a gasoline fire on top of your engine, just a squirt under the front bumper, or under the side of the car near a front tire, and the fire is out.

Aircraft are certified ONLY with Halon, and this is because it is the only effective way to fight a fire, especially from a safe distance. And when a fire is hidden behind panels or bulkheads or compartment doors you don't want to open because this feeds more O2 to the fire. With Halon, just poke the nose of the extinguisher into a gap in a door, or lid, or joint in a panel, and spray, The Halon travels through the air to the fire.

The concentration of CO2 that is effective at putting out a fire is roughly 125% of the level that is Lethal to humans. The effective concentration of Halon that is effective at putting out a fire is roughly 30% of the of the level that is lethal to humans.. So if you are in a closed space, with a CO2 extinguisher, you are in danger of passing out from an effective fire-extinguishing concentration of CO2. But with Halon, the fire is out way before you reach a concentration level of Halon that is dangerous to you.

CO2 also conducts electricity, If you spray it on a running engine, you will likely get a zap or two from the spark plug wires.. don't ask why I know this. :-). The CO2 makes snow from the humidity in the air, and electricity is conducted back to the extinguisher, in your hands.

I've done a lot of training with fire extinguishers. As a result of this training and seeing what works, I have at least a 2 1/4 Pound Halon extinguisher in every single one of my cars, and on tractors too. Put a big 5#, 9# or even 13# Halon extinguisher next to every door in your shop, and house. When you are leaving the building because of a fire, the last thing you see will be the fire extinguisher. If the fire is still small, you might save your shop, car or home with a Halon extinguisher.

In the video, the guest said get your passengers out first.. not a bad idea, but then he said call 911.. Hand your cell to a passenger, or have them use their cell phone to call, and YOU fight the fire. Most small fires can be put out in seconds with a small Halon. Don't let the small fire become a big fire. A fire is constantly using it's heat to create more fuel for itself, getting larger at astonishing rates.

GLong

good points Glong !

[bhambulldog]

Generally speaking, a fire doubles in size every 20 seconds without intervention depending on the environment.

\

Quick action is essential for sure.

[NTX5467]

Halon IS a very effective fire extinguisher, for sure, for the noted reasons. ONLY thing is that it can also put any oxygen-breathing creature (including humans) "on the ground" if they happen to be downwind of the halon deployment location. CO2, by comparison, is not that way, to the same extent.

The municipality where my storage building is requires a fire extinguisher at the main entry door (in my case, the only entry door). Their "spec" is a CO2 item which is normally readily-available at WalMart and other places. I expect THEY know how to use a CO2 item. This is supposed to be the "first line of defense" when they might enter the space, until they figure out what else might be needed.

As mentioned, though, Halon can smother living beings just as it smothers the fire. Just who/what might be downwind could be secondary to getting the fire out, though.

Regards,

NTX5467

[GLong]

Halon IS a very effective fire extinguisher, for sure, for the noted reasons. ONLY thing is that it can also put any oxygen-breathing creature (including humans) "on the ground" if they happen to be downwind of the halon deployment location. CO2, by comparison, is not that way, to the same extent.

The municipality where my storage building is requires a fire extinguisher at the main entry door (in my case, the only entry door). Their "spec" is a CO2 item which is normally readily-available at WalMart and other places. I expect THEY know how to use a CO2 item. This is supposed to be the "first line of defense" when they might enter the space, until they figure out what else might be needed.

As mentioned, though, Halon can smother living beings just as it smothers the fire. Just who/what might be downwind could be secondary to getting the fire out, though.

Regards,

NTX5467

Sorry, re-read my post. This 'fact' about Halon being deadly to living creatures is not true.

For CO2 to be effective against a fire, it must displace all the Oxygen-bearing air around the fire. The concentration to be effective is about 125% of the lethal level to humans and pets.

Halon is effective against a fire at roughly 30% of the lethal concentration for humans or pets.

So, to put out a fire with CO2 in an enclosed space, will in all likelyhood cause you to pass out for lack of Oxygen.

To put out a fire with Halon in a closes space, you would have to keep spraying Halon for 3 times as long as it took to put the fire out.. So if the fire goes out in 30 seconds, you'd have to keep spraying for a total of 90-100 seconds to reach a dangerous concentration.

CO2's only advantage over Halon is that it creates snow, which cools the fire area. This helps with burning wood. But both Halon and CO2 need to be followed with a good soaking with water when putting out a class A fire, that's wood, paper, etc.

Halon is the ONLY way to go. All of the above statements are from FAA Pilot training, and Fire Fighting training.

GLong.

[Guest my3buicks]

Generally speaking, a fire doubles in size every 20 seconds without intervention depending on the environment.

Generally true, the fire that destroyed my 2 cars was called a "slow burn" it burnt for hours stayed contained in the garage and other than some black smoke marks on the outside of the garage you would never have know of the devastation inside. It was almost completely out when I found it - firemen told me had I found it 1/2 hour later it would have been out.

[Larry Schramm]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]289510[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]289511[/ATTACH]

Generally true, the fire that destroyed my 2 cars was called a "slow burn" it burnt for hours stayed contained in the garage and other than some black smoke marks on the outside of the garage you would never have know of the devastation inside. It was almost completely out when I found it - firemen told me had I found it 1/2 hour later it would have been out.

What was the cause of the fire? Looks like it started on the floor of the garage.

I would guess that the reason for you limited fire is because you have an almost air tight garage?

[Guest my3buicks]

It was an electrical fire/fan that started on the work bench. It was an old old cement block garage that wasn't at all airtight, in fact it had a couple pkaces you could see light through the cemrnt block seams.

Part of the the issue was a covering on the floor to protect the cars from moisture. But the fire hopped around and seemed to pick and choose what it wanted to burn. The fire got hot enough to melt shingles on the roof and blow up spray cans but left several gas cans only slighty scorched. It's seemed to only burn the good stuff.