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Rob Liflander
| | Posted on Saturday, July 13, 2002 - 07:33 pm: | 
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So, we had a little interesting experience a few weeks ago.
A few friends and I were out trying to scale a very steep hill. My buddy in his 99 Range Rover loses momentum, and is spinning his tires (really bad technique) when we notice some sparks coming from underneath the vehicle. These sparks quickly turned into flames!
Well, when we ran down next to the vehicle, it seems that some fluid (oil or gas, still not sure) was leaking onto the hot exhaust pipe just below the front seats, and had caught on fire!
Luckily we were able to smother the fire with fistfuls of dirt, but I am embarrassed to say that none of us had a fire extinguisher.
Yes, I know we were stupid, so thanks in advance for leaving those comments to yourselves. I am now on a mission to find the best/right setup for an extinguisher in my Disco.
My basic questions are:
What is the best source for fire extinguishers?
What is the best place to set up a mounting bracket in the Disco? (I have a Disco 1)
How big of an extinguisher is necessary?
Would a 2.5 lb. or 5 lb. canister would suffice?
I've looked into it a little on the Web, and it seems that a B-C extinguisher would suffice (B=gas/oil, C=electrical fires). But the prices are all over the map, from $32 to $300.
Help! |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Saturday, July 13, 2002 - 07:45 pm: |
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The bigger the fire extinguisher the better. You'll be amazed at how quick they get used up. When using it aim the stream at the base of the fire. I carry a 5lb 3A:10B-C Kiddie extinguisher you can pick up at any Home Center, Sears, or Wallys. The B/C extinguishers are okay but the "A" is for wood and paper. Since sometimes I drive in tall grass I carry an A/B/C extinguisher.
Glad it didn't turn into anything major. |
Ramsay (3toedsloth)
| | Posted on Saturday, July 13, 2002 - 08:56 pm: |
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I agree. I'm a Vol. Fire Fighter and we generally use the A/B/C extinguishers for vehicle fires. You'd be amazed at how much stuff in a car will either melt or drip, causing a secondary fire on the ground. You'll be covered for everything. I've also been toying with ideas for mounting my extinguisher. I've thought about in the storage bin recess or on the plastic directly below the alpine window, however I did see one mounted on the back door in someone's photo gallery. (Good call with the diamond plate whoever you are.) That's my ten cent's worth.
JR |
Neal Glessner (Nealg)
| | Posted on Saturday, July 13, 2002 - 10:17 pm: |
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I mounted a fire extinguisher on the left side of my drivers seat on the floor. You can get those self tapping metal screws and mount it to the floor in a matter of seconds. I'm not sure what you're driving so make sure you don't drill into any wires. It's easy to remove the trim piece where the carpet and the door meet so you can check. |
Bandit
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 02:27 am: |
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Some people might say you could find cheap fire extinguishers on construction equipment at night. If you pick a road project you essentially paid for it anyway. Just an idea... |
Erik Olson (Jon)
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 04:14 am: |
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Does anyone carry C02 extinguishers - how do they compare to dry chemical?
e |
KJ
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 11:25 am: |
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Yeah "Bandit", and "some people" are idiots, thieves and assholes. Christ.
Karen |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 11:44 am: |
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lol... man you would think someone who paid for a Land Rover wouldn't risk everything over a discounted $30 extinguisher. |
Greg P. (Gparrish)
| | Posted on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 09:18 am: |
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Yeah bandit. Where do you park your rover? I'd like to advertise it to my construction customers...... |
GL
| | Posted on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 11:46 am: |
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I am also a firefighter, anyone else? i am full time in Canada.
I would like to add some points to this discussion, as a friendly reminder to all. for your consideration only.
-ABC is the way to go and 5 lbs is probably all you want to carry for sake of storage and the like. If everyone you wheel with had one that should be plenty.
-Keep it near your door so you can grab it on your way out, once you get out of your car with it you won't hazard going back for it.
-*consider* popping your hood and opening it quickly at the onset. this will expose the engine compartment making it easier to locate and extinguish. WHY? the little cable that runs to your hood(bonnet if you like) latch fails rapidly in heat conditions and may not work, which means pry bars and the like for the fire depts efforts for getting it opened up. if it is not open you will have to hope that you can get to it from underneath, where all the hot poisenous smoke and flame is coming from.
-BEWARE of TIRES ,SHOCKS and BUMPERS exploding out. these have killed and seriously hurt people on many occasions,!!
this includes the small PISTONS on hatch back doors and windows.
do not turn your back to an extinguished fire, back away and watch out!
-dont play with matches! |
Christian
| | Posted on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 02:50 pm: |
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I agree with my brother career firefighter in Canada. I am also a career firefighter...Along with his advice, try to purchase a fire extinguisher that has a metal regulator so that if you use it it can be recharged and tested vs. plastic regulator and actuators that will be out of date in a few years and could easily crack or warp in higher heat sitting in a car etc. Pay the extra few bucks and call a fire extinguisher company or industrial supply house and purchase through them. Next best bet is to go to your local firehouse and ask what they use and get and idea what the metal regulators/etc. look like. Good luck. Go A/B/C for multipurpose CO2 is nice for minimal if not any damage to electrical components but is strictly limited to class c or energized electrical fires...
Christian |
Brendan Kearns
| | Posted on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 05:20 pm: |
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I lost a 65 Thunderbird to a fire while driving it. I was 17, and didn't have the fire training I have now.
The stupid thing I tried to do when the motor started to smoke violently, was pop open the hood. The heat and smoke was unbearable, so I backed away and watched my beloved T-Bird burn.
When the fire department arrived, a fire fighter told me that it was good that I didn't open the hood. He said that he has seen cars "flash" when the hood was opened, due to the mass of air rushing into the fire vs. the limited flow when the hood was closed.
Since then, I have always carried a fire extinguisher and put a car out once.
As far as off-roading fire experiences go, I was with some local 4wd guys playing at the Red Bird area in Indiana. I was in my Pinzgauer, and the rest were in jacked up Fords and Chevy's, most of them drunk. I didn't realize this was the crowd I was going to wheel with until I was on the trail.
Anyway, some bozo in a Chevy Blazer (the big kind) drove through a pond and the motor quit. Within' seconds his truck was on fire. It seems as if there was some fuel that was leaking, and it surfaced to the top (as you probably know, fuel will float on water, ergo why you never use a water hose or H20 extinguisher on fuel fires unless you are fighting a big one, and it's for cooling purposes) and the heat from the motor was just right, and it caught on fire in the pond.
They were able to put it out by tossing dirt on the water, but when they were doing it, the fire did spread, but dissapated enough to extinguish it.
Brendan
95 Disco
www.howboucha.com |
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