Fire Extinguisher?

[Caasi]

I brought my new old classic to her first cruise night.  I noticed a lot of the other classics there had fire extinguishers in them (some just freely sitting in the passenger side and some fixed).  Is this something that is a good idea?  It got me wondering if I should be getting one?  I always thought if a car catches fire, the best thing you can do is run.  

[TerryB]

3 minutes ago, Caasi said:

I brought my new old classic to her first cruise night.  I noticed a lot of the other classics there had fire extinguishers in them (some just freely sitting in the passenger side and some fixed).  Is this something that is a good idea?  It got me wondering if I should be getting one?  I always thought if a car catches fire, the best thing you can do is run.  

At many car shows it’s a requirement that you have a fire extinguisher with your car. AACA has a rule like this at their shows.

[46 woodie]

Absolutely. As Terry points out, many car shows now require all car's to have one. It makes common sense. Think about a large car show and a car on fire in the middle of the field. Getting a pumper close enough to extinguish the fire could be an issue. As a retired firefighter I can remember a car fire in an enclosed parking garage that was too low for an engine to get in. We had to hand stretch about 300' of   hose and it took forever. Buy an extinguisher!

[60FlatTop]

Don't park next to cars with an updraft carburetor. You'll be OK.

 

And stay away from 1980's Jaguars with year of manufacture date codes on the fuel injection hoses.

[Bloo]

Dry chemical fire extinguishers are the most common, and are better than nothing, but might do quite a but of unnecessary damage if you actually had to use it. At least it would probably put the fire out. For something that will put out a fire without causing more harm, Halon is preferable, but expensive and hard to source. Halotron is a modern substitute for Halon. It is easier to get and cheaper, but maybe less effective. Buy a size bigger in that case. There are also "Element" fire extinguishers that are a stick of a chemical compound that "lights" or "strikes" like a highway flare. Like Halon and Halotron, they do not cause more damage. I bought a couple of them on the recommendation of another member here, but have never discharged one. They do look promising.

[Dave39MD]

A quick look on Amazon shows 1.5lb, 2.5lb, and 5lb Halotron extinguishers. Nothing would be worse than running out and the fire still going but what would be a reasonable size for Halotron?

 

Thanks

 

Dave

Edited June 16, 2022 by Dave39MD (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

YES, get an extinguisher. Anything is better than nothing. May not be needed for your car but someone elses. And for safety they should be bolted down inside the car. Many place them under the front tire during a show for 1. to see that you have one and comply 2. in case its needed its easy to get to.

 

FWIW, I keep them in all of my cars including the daily drivers and my pickup (dot requirement).

Edited June 16, 2022 by TAKerry (see edit history)

[Marty Roth]

8 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

YES, get an extinguisher. Anything is better than nothing. May not be needed for your car but someone elses. And for safety they should be bolted down inside the car. Many place them under the front tire during a show for 1. to see that you have one and comply 2. in case its needed its easy to get to.

 

FWIW, I keep them in all of my cars including the daily drivers and my pickup (dot requirement).

Great comments !

 

As a son of a Firefighter, I have bigger than required extinguishers in every vehicle, old and new,

as well as several throughout our home, car hauler, and garage.

The usage (except for two incidents at home many years ago) have all been to protect other folks.

 

If you have one and don't need it right now, that's ok.

If you need one right now and don't have one - NOT SO MUCH !

[Bloo]

On 6/16/2022 at 3:45 AM, Dave39MD said:

A quick look on Amazon shows 1.5lb, 2.5lb, and 5lb Halotron extinguishers. Nothing would be worse than running out and the fire still going but what would be a reasonable size for Halotron?

 

Thanks

 

Dave

I wish I could answer that but I don't know. The idea that you need more Halotron than Halon is just something you see all over the internet, but I suspect it is true because Halon is still recommended for aircraft. This in spite of the fact that new production of Halon is banned, and new extinguishers have to be made from recovered Halon. It is expensive. If buying Halotron, I definitely would not get the smallest size. More is better of course. At some point the size and weight might become a problem. Where do you put it in the car so you can get to it quickly?

[John_S_in_Penna]

I was advised by a good restorer not to get the

typical small size.  A larger size has more capacity

and may be more useful if you ever need it.

[Dave39MD]

 

 

6 minutes ago, Bloo said:

Where do you put it in the car so you can get to it quickly?

I usually have it on the front seat or passenger floor board.  I use to secure them but that would be difficult except in the trunks. Seems like the trunk would be to hard to get to in a hurry.

 

Where do you keep yours?  

 

Dave

[Bloo]

12 minutes ago, Dave39MD said:

Where do you keep yours?  

 

So far the Halon one is propped up between the back seat and the armrest. As long as there's luggage back there it's fine. My trunk would be way too slow. I've not yet found a good spot to put one of the little "Element" sticks permanently. I have the bigger of the 2 sizes. They don't fit the glovebox.

[Mark Huston]

On 6/15/2022 at 2:44 PM, Caasi said:

I brought my new old classic to her first cruise night.  I noticed a lot of the other classics there had fire extinguishers in them (some just freely sitting in the passenger side and some fixed).  Is this something that is a good idea?  It got me wondering if I should be getting one?  I always thought if a car catches fire, the best thing you can do is run.  

Yes, you should have a fire extinguisher that is quick and easy to grab in an emergency.   I learned that lesson the hard way.   I had a stock unrestored 1929 Studebaker Commander on a drive with my young family.  Wife and infant in the back seat of the car on a tour when my engine caught fire.  I saw smoke and didn't realize the significance of what was happening when I pulled off the road onto the shoulder into dry grass.   Fortunately, the driver of the car behand me not only had a fire extinguisher but also saw flames from under my car.  The other driver jumped into action and put out the fire.   I now don't leave home without a fire extinguisher in my collector car but I also make sure the extinguisher  are immediately available in case of an emergency.

 

[hook]

Absolutely necessary. Just think of how much that fire extinguisher that you didn't buy cost, if you had a fire. Also some people have them loose on the floor. A neat idea is to stick the hook part of Velcro on the fire extinguishers bracket and it will stay where you want it on the floor. That is if you have carpeting.  

[Frank DuVal]

On the floor behind the driver's seat. Easy to get to, open the rear left door! A thing one cannot do with a 2 door.....😅

 

During the car show, behind the left front wheel, where A. it can be seen by the judges, as without an extinguisher it should not be judged in our local AACA based show. and B. where you or others can get to it in the event of a fire at the show.

 

Back in my shop days, we had both dry chemical and CO₂ extinguishers.   CO₂ extinguishers were nice, no residue.

Edited June 18, 2022 by Frank DuVal (see edit history)

[3macboys]

Where ever you store the extinguisher use one of these ties on the pin:

 

 

The pins do come out and the extinguisher can go off making one heck of a mess.  These break away ties aren't going to slow you down pulling the pin but can save you an expensive clean up.   The other import thing is know how to use the extinguisher you have.

[Bloo]

I agree CO2 is another good option that will probably not cause additional damage. I think it is going to be big and heavy compared to Halon or Halotron, but probably more affordable.

[PFindlay]

On 6/15/2022 at 3:52 PM, Bloo said:

There are also "Element" fire extinguishers that are a stick of a chemical compound that "lights" or "strikes" like a highway flare.

Here's the Jay Leno video about Element extinguishers.  I carry them in my cars, hope I never get to try one.  I like the fact that there's no mess and no "best before" aspect.  It may sit there for 20 years before I need it.

 

 

[AzBob]

Element convert here as well. 😀 Have the 50 sec. version installed below the seat in my '30 "A" Sport Coupe.

Is lightweight, compact, out of the way yet readily at hand if needed.

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by AzBob (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

I have a gallon of Carbon Tet hanging like the sword of Damocles hanging in my garage. It has a fusable link.

 

Earlier I mentioned two potential fire hazards that I know of and know how to prevent.

 

Has anyone put together a list of collector car fire hazards that are not preventable?

[hook]

14 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

I have a gallon of Carbon Tet hanging like the sword of Damocles hanging in my garage. It has a fusable link.

 

Earlier I mentioned two potential fire hazards that I know of and know how to prevent.

 

Has anyone put together a list of collector car fire hazards that are not preventable?

The fumes from carbon tetrachloride can kill you faster than the fire or smoke inhalation. There're dangerous and have been outlawed as fire extinguishers for decades.  There're only available in antique shops or flea markets. 

Edited June 19, 2022 by hook
left out (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

Refrigerant R11, 111, 113, you learn not to smoke on your break fairly young if you pulled a 2,000 or 3,000 pound charge into plastic tubs. Makes a green flame and mustard gas. That one originally had a light weight boom to suspend it over the engine compartment you were working on. The boom is long gone and it was in a wooden box in the back of a barn wrapped in blankets when I got it. Been hanging there for 25 years. If I didn't have it the vapors would be floating in the stratosphere by now.