Ok guys,

Yesterday I look out my front window and this saab coasts to a stop right out front. There is acrid black smoke coming out of it. Not a lot, but enough so you can see it. This woman gets out and gets her dog out.

I tell my wife to call 911 and I go out and grab my extinguisher from the trunk of my car. It is one of those 2-gallon KIDDE BC dry-chem. This woman is beside herself hysterical. I open the drivers side door and the windshield "pops" like cracks up and out in the center .. from all the heat. Smoke pours out of the crack in the windshield. It's nasty black smoke billowing out. I ask her "where is the fire"? She says "under the dashboard". I start firing the extinguisher under the dash and on the dash. You can't see ANYTHING inside the car. The extinguisher is empty after about FOUR BURSTS from it. No help on the fire. I back away and the fire engine pulls up and they basically open up the door again and douse it. Car must have been totaled.

I learned that my fire extinguisher sucks -- not because it didn't put out the fire, who knows.. .even the best extinguisher might have been little help. But I was really surprised to see how little stuff there is inside one of those units.

Just a word to all of you with extinguishers in your trunk. These fires get nasty and spread fast, why not consider upgrading. I'm getting a bigger one.

Later,
/aac

 

When I first read the title I thought it was about your car and was about to cry My friends dad had to put out a fire on our way to hockey one time in the middle of a 3 lane highway. Of course he has a fire extinguisher thats the size of a huge drum cuz he's a plumber and has to put out burner fires and **** like that all the time. So that worked good.

 

damn...mines one of those tiny guys too...i'd have to mount the thing in the trunk if i got one any bigger...

 

Yea dude!!! I say selfishly I am glad it was not my i30!! That's why I fuse stuff like crazy, etc.

So what kind of extinguisher was this dudes? I mean I know what size but was it like just water? Or halon? Or drychem or what?

/aac

 

Its the one that you can spray on electric fires and gas fires. Not sure what one that is..

 

.

 

Thanks for the reminder- I've been meaning to get a fire extinguisher for my kitchen. Not that my cooking is so bad it routinely bursts into flame, but it has happened once or twice That, and I occasionally BBQ with people who delight in spraying lighter fluid onto lit coals...

 

good to know i have 2 full size fire extinguishers in my garage. the small one in the trunk is for a REALLY small fire.
nothing to put out a full size fire.
Dan

 

My dad was in that business for 20 years, and I used to work with him during summer and winter breaks. The most important things to remember are these:

1. Know HOW to use the extinguisher before the emergency occurs - make sure to READ the instructions on the extinguisher and know the procedure.

2. Make sure the extinguisher was serviced recently and has a FULL charge. If it has a guage on it, the guage should indicate the proper amount of pressure in the unit, usually around 195PSI. If it does not have a full charge, you will not have adaquate discharge time. If the unit has a full charge, the powder may get caked on the bottom, again causing less than optimal discharge time. Every few months, turn the unit upside down, you will feel the powder start to move, repeat this several times to "float" the powder.

3. Keep in mind the smaller units (handheld 2 1/2 lb'ers) will only give you 10 to 15 seconds of discharge anyway. A larger unit will give you more time, but it still needs to be properly maintained.

4. The big silver ones only contain water, and are only good on wood, paper, or rubbish, not electrical or fuel fires.

5. Never ever "test" an extinguisher, because once you break the seal and squirt it even just a little, the unit needs to be serviced.

6. The Kiddie extinguishers you buy in the store are made with all plastic parts and basically suck. A good quality commercial type is all metal and worth the extra money in the long run.

If anyone wants any further info, feel free to ask.

 

Well since your dad is in the business.. Maybe you should do a extinguisher group deal.. =) How much do nice small but adequite ones go for? You know, we are performance minded.. So we can't have anything too big weighing us down..

ZuM

 

You know what cars need. Little smoke detectors that activate those little things in your house which spray out water. I've got three of them on my ceiling in my bedroom. Ha! That would be funny. Plus a voice that says, "Maam/Sir you car is currently on fire. Please step out of your vehicle."

 

Well, size is related to performance, the bigger the better, but they will be heavier too. A small commercial 2 1/2 lb unit, if properly maintained, should be somewhat adequate for a small fire. I would expect to pay about $30 to $50 for something like this. I have a small 2 1/2 lb Halon Gas unit which is shiny chrome that I keep in my trunk. This is what they used to use on computer room and electronic equipment fires, it doesn't leave a powdery residue. However, I think this type is no longer available since the gas is not safe for the ozone layer. What ever you do, don't get the type that looks like a can of shaving cream from WalMart!

The business was sold when my dad passed on years ago, so a group deal is not possible.

 

Well at least you didnt have your own car on fire like I did. A few weeks ago, I did a burnout on a couch cushion under my car and it got stuck under my car. I kept driving and didnt realize it, and next thing i know flames are shooting out from underneath my car. I had a tiny extinguisher in my car and it went out fast. And yea all that anti-fire stuff tastes and smells nasty and gets smoke everywhere. now I carry an even larger extinguisher.

 

Yeah, poor innocent victim you, doing burnouts on cushions and surprised you had a fire. Sheesh.

Maybe if you don't play with matches the house won't burn down?

/aac