Fire extinguisher s

[Jim G]

This is the one I bought, perfect size for between the seats if you want. I keep it in a helmet bag behind the passenger seat 

Halford jobby

[Greenstreak-Andy D]

My logic was use time, 2kg greater ‘in use’ time to lesser weight extinguishers. Just the thought of half putting a fire out, only to run out of powder!

Maybe I’m just paranoid. Would end up with a huge one as seen back in the Office !

[Peter (Monty)]

Has anyone plumbed in a fire suppression system under the bonnet?

[Simon Marks - North Oxfordshire AO]

Hi,

I plumbed a Lifeline Zero 360 system under the scuttle of my Eleven.  It has three nozzles in the engine bay, one beneath the scuttle and one each pointing into each footwell.  The control box (containing the battery that powers the electronics) is at the side of the driver footwell and the red push button is in the centre of the dashboard.

I went for a gas extinguisher as I believe that the likely effect of the gas extinguishant far outweighs the much greater cost over an AFFF unit.  Gas also does not leave a deposit that is difficult to clean off, unlike powder.  I am old enough to remember how good the now banned BCF (Halon)  extinguishers were and also how ineffective AFFF ones turned out to be when we had to use them first in rallying.  The amounts of foam carried in a car extinguisher are there to buy you a few extra seconds to get out of a burning car, but will be unlikely to be able to put a reasonable fire out.  It is no accident that fire engines are the size they are!

When I had hand held extinguishers in my rally car, I provided the extra restraint in the bracket by using a bicycle toe strap run around the bracket and the bottle.  These were quick release, were rather strong by design and never let me down in several years of competing on stage events.  They weren't dear, either.

Simon

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I did buy a second hand one thinking I’d build it into this car, from the start. But when it came down to it, I just couldn’t find anywhere suitable to put the bottle.

I didn’t want to loose boot box space, as it’s a tourer, I’d originally though I’d put the bottle between the boot box and the rear bulkhead, but then I realised that even if it fit, I’d have to leave the safety pins permanently out, as you wouldn’t be able to get at them. 

I was just worried that I’d leave it parked up, and come back to find it looking like the aftermath of a foam party after the inevitable passer by or kid pulled the red handle 

I thought I’d re look at the idea earlier this year, then read a press release regarding bottle aging and them no longer being refilled beyond a certain limit. Mines over that, so now the one I had is useless anyway.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Those sort of fire bomb things that were doing the YouTube rounds earlier this year looked interesting though; on the videos at least, they seemed very effective at putting out car related fires.

Anyone any knowledge/experience of them, or are they just a novelty? (A flash in the pan!)

 

[Simon Marks - North Oxfordshire AO]

Hi, again,

I forgot to add that the control box by my leg is normally switched off so the red button in the middle of the dash is not live.  If I start to smell, or see smoke, it won't take me long to switch on.  This was a major influence in my choosing an electrical system.

Gadgetman's point about the renewal / maintenance of fire extinguishers is a valid one if you intend to compete on MSA events.  As with seats / harnesses, extinguishers are now a lifed item - the latter hardly surprising when you consider that extinguishers in the workplace are regularly inspected, and have had to be so for many years.

Simon

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Yeah, I think if I ever do look into it again, electrical would be the only way to do what I’d want.