Ultimate Vehicle Fire Extinguisher

[FellowTraveler]

NP 246 Transfer Case

What ExPo type rigs would have a concern of magnesium?

The NP 246 t-case (aka: AutoTrac) is magnesium, my 1999 K2500 Suburban has one as well many other SUV, x-over and pickups have it too.

 

[Riptide]

My firefighter buddies swear by the Cold Fire stuff. Judging by the videos, it's pretty impressive stuff, non-toxic, and won't blow away like a vapor. The only thing that was causing me to hesitate buying some was the fact that since it's water-based, it would freeze sitting out in the truck up here.

I've since seen that Cold Fire developed a formula for the Marines that's good down to -50F. So now I'm trying to acquire a few handheld units with that solution.

Plus, I think you can mix up your own solution, and re-pressurize your own bottle. That would probably prompt me to actually try the stuff out periodically, as well as keep the units pressed up properly.

 

[Basement Yeti]

My friends 89 Chevy van motorhome caught fire the other day and burnt to the ground with all her possessions inside.

This has me a bit paranoid about fire safety in my van.

 

[TreeTopFlyer]

Built this mount this afternoon with some scrap laying around. Poorman's version of the drake mount. Mounts behind the front seat to the seat bolts. Gonna sandblast it tomorrow and put some paint on it. It holds a 2L AFFF. Will make another for behind the passenger seat to hold the CO2 Ex. I can get to it in seconds and it doesn't take up any leg room in 2nd row seating.

 

[evldave]

put out car fire today...

So was heading down the freeway today in Portland, OR (I-205)...traffic was backed up miserably...

After about an hour, the backup cleared, then about 1/2 mile down the road it slowed down again, and there was a mid-70s camaro on the side of the road...the guy was running around, a kid was pulling everything from the truck, and (I assume) his wife was running back and forth from a car parked in front of his car...

Car after car drove by, and it was obvious the guy was running around the engine bay of the car...I slowed down and pulled over and asked "you on fire? i have an extinguisher" - I'd carried a cheapo 2.5# ABC extinguisher from Costco in the back of the Hummer justincase, hoping I'd never need it, but always within short reach..

Sure enough, dude said he was on fire, and I could see it...right around the brake booster, a little flame coming up and starting to get really hot. I ran around back of the truck and pulled the extinguisher from the back of the truck, pulled the pin and ran over and give the guy the extinguisher (I wanted him to run the extinguisher, I was literally thinking of this thread and the amount of corrosive damage a simple fire extinguisher can cause)...

So he starts pulling on rear handle...AND THE EXTINGUISHER WON'T GO OFF!!!

ok...reset..anyone who's used a fire extinguisher knows you press the TOP of the fire extinguisher...he was obviously rattled and wasn't thinking straight...

So I ran the extinguisher, emptied the extinguisher on the brake booster lines (they were red hot and were obviously the cause of the fire)...but the fire came back! I'd put out the initial fire but the heat generated from the brake booster restarted the fire!

Luckily, we'd bought some time with the extinguisher, and that allowed us toe grab a couple nalgene bottles and cool off the leftover hot spots.

At some point in the middle of all this, I asked him if he'd called 911...he hadn't so I had his wife call 911 (honestly you never know what would happen if his fuel line caught fire)...

Emergency response showed up, and I knew we were in the clear. I told him "Wipe everything down, clean all your paint and wiring, fire extinguisher guck is corrosive" and walked back to my truck. He tried to stop me and offered me a $20 for the fire extinguisher...I know it sounds cheesy, but I told him to 'Pay it forward, help the next guy in line'...hopped in my truck and drove off (once traffic cleared, it was a huge backup).

Feel pretty good knowing I was prepared and ready for this situation and I caught it in time to stop it...but during the whole thing I couldn't stop thinking about how corrosive my basic ABC extinguisher was to his wiring - it was a really nice Camaro!! Headed back to Costco for a couple more extinguishers for the back of the truck.

 

[Ray Hyland]

I ran around back of the truck and pulled the extinguisher from the back of the truck, pulled the pin and ran over and give the guy the extinguisher ...

He tried to stop me and offered me a $20 for the fire extinguisher...

I told him to 'Pay it forward, help the next guy in line'...

Well done dude!

It is a good example too of something we spoke about further up the thread. The little 2.5 may not have the volume you need when there is a lot of heat involved, even for something small like that.

So if you have room for a bigger unit, you may want to try to pick one up.

Still, good on you for stopping.

Cheers

 

[evldave]

Well done dude!

It is a good example too of something we spoke about further up the thread. The little 2.5 may not have the volume you need when there is a lot of heat involved, even for something small like that.

So if you have room for a bigger unit, you may want to try to pick one up.

Still, good on you for stopping.

Cheers

No doubt about it...

(1) He would have had a major fire had I not stopped (and really, I ask, why didn't anyone else in front of me stop? it was backed up, it would have been easy for someone ahead of me to stop...anyway...)

(2) anything more and my dinky fire extinguisher would not have worked...I (and he) got lucky...I'll be replacing it with a 5# ABC...yeah it may melt all the wiring and destroy his paint, or I may never use it, but it's $40 and that's super-cheap insurance, and...

(3) I really need to get out and help my neighbors more...this felt GOOD...in a bit of a selfish but at the same time rewarding way...after spending 8hrs Saturday on a Habit for Humanity project, I realize helping my neighbors is a lot more rewarding than sitting and watching the newest episode of "The Kardasians" which really isn't all that rewarding...

anyways, a great thread and one that certainly gives food for thought and makes you re-evaluate why you have what you have on your rig :ylsmoke:

 

[TreeTopFlyer]

anything more and my dinky fire extinguisher would not have worked...I (and he) got lucky...I'll be replacing it with a 5# ABC...yeah it may melt all the wiring and destroy his paint, or I may never use it, but it's $40 and that's super-cheap insurance, and...

I forget if it was in this thread or the one I read on race-dezert but someone mentioned being able to cool the source as well as extinguishing it. You put out the flame, but as you mentioned it was so hot it combusted again. This is one of the points made by AFFF proponents(Foam Extinguishers) is that the foam will put out the fire AND cool it down.

Regardless though, you got it out. Great job for being prepared. Like most others have said, no matter what you had to put it out with, ABC, Foam, CO2, least you had something. You asked why no one else stopped, not many bother to carry an extinguisher. You were at the right place at the right time. And BTW you can get those little 2.5lb'rs refilled. Just have to find a place. Might be more trouble than it's worth though.

 

[Rocket Ship]

but during the whole thing I couldn't stop thinking about how corrosive my basic ABC extinguisher was to his wiring - it was a really nice Camaro!!

I GUARANTEE you he would have had much more damage from that fire had you not put it out. The whole thing could have burnt to the ground.

 

[craig333]

Yeah, corrosion can be repaired. Burnt out hulk, not so much.

 

[Scott Brady]

You are the man Dave. Expedition Trophy winner making us proud!

 

[sargeek]

thoughs

I jump in on this one:

1) Install a fire extinguisher in your truck and your are far ahead of most people. If you can only fit a 2.5lbs. extinguisher, then go for it. It will buy you time. If you are out with your buddies, and they all have an extinguisher, then you will be able to attempt to put out a bigger fire. My truck on trips is pretty tight for room, and I don't know if I can find the additional room for a bigger extinguisher. Attack fire aggressively, so hopefully you can control it with a small extinguisher.
2) In cab mounts - I can not believe how some people mount their fire extinguishers. Cheap plastic mounts have no place inside the cab of a vehicle. If the vehicle is in a accident or roll over, most of these plastice mounts will not survive, leaving a 5lbs. projectile flying around the truck. Also mount it in a location that you will not hit it. I have sceen people who mount their extinguisher on the A-pillar or roll cage. Is your head or other body part going to hit it, if you roll?
3) I personally like all metal extinguishers that can be recharged. I have presonally had bad luck with the cheap Kiddie plastic extinguishers. I have had them develop pressure leaks.

Good luck -

 

[AmericaOverland]

Another advantage to an old Jeep. I'm pretty sure theres not a smidgen of magnesium anywhere on my Jeep

When did they start using magnesium in Jeep Wranglers?

 

[craig333]

I don't know if they have. I just know they weren't using much back in 1960 :ylsmoke:

 

[Rocket Ship]

Also mount it in a location that you will not hit it. I have sceen people who mount their extinguisher on the A-pillar or roll cage. Is your head or other body part going to hit it, if you roll?

But what good is a fire extinguisher that can't be seen at the show'n'shine?

:ylsmoke: