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Fire Extinguishers...whats everyone using in their buggies..

I have a 5lb ABC dry chem in the bed of my wheeler (not a buggy but :flipoff2:). My main concern is getting the fire put out and damn the corrosion. We did a lot of research on extinguishing agents at my previous job and found most of the clean agents take longer to put the fire out (example being halotron is 25%less effective that dry chem) so you need to carry more and it's $$$. The other issue with the clean agents like halon and other stuff is if you fire them off in an enclosed space you could potentially kill yourself as they displace the oxygen. I will say the fire balls are kinda neat.
 
I ordered some of the Fireade stuff from Busted...
I also have 3 of the element fire stick around my shop, but didn’t want tie use them in the buggy because of residue and proximity
 
Watching the Fireade videos is painful! Now Flex Seal is at least entertaining. Besides the bad infomercial videos, it is hard to tell how effective it is in the small spray can size on something like a vehicle fire. All the vehicle fires are using high pressure and high flow. In a big 2.5 Gal. foam size it looks useful. I would definitely use the foam before a dry chem. but I would not rely on the foam to put the fire out.
I saw a lot of the element fire sticks at KOH this year. I believe racers like them because they are small, light and pass tech vs having a bulky dry chem. I don't believe they really care about how effective they are.
John Moul had a engine fire at KOH this year and he has a Safecraft on board system. In the video you can see the fire engulf him in flames and he is very calm yet unable to pull the pin on the manual pull handle. You can see when the thermal probes go off in the engine compartment and the fire dies down to a point that he can get out. Then support crew fires a Safecraft hand held for awhile that does not stop the flames. Then a dry chem. comes in and finishes the fire off.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT SEE the in vehicle pull cord was not functional. The installers tightened the set screw that holds the bike cable pull cord too tight and it pinched the sleeve and the wire together so it could not be pulled by hand. Luckily and more quickly the thermal probes went off and really nocked down the fire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oO7jIGLKk
 
I'm running a 2.5lb H3R Performance MaxOut (summit HTR-MX250R) on my RZR, and will put one or two on the buggy. Probably be similar to most ultra4s where one is easily accessible to me in the buggy to GTFO and another easy to grab from the outside.
 
JohnnyJ said:
I'm running a 2.5lb H3R Performance MaxOut (summit HTR-MX250R) on my RZR, and will put one or two on the buggy. Probably be similar to most ultra4s where one is easily accessible to me in the buggy to GTFO and another easy to grab from the outside.
Click to expand...

Dont be like the racers who mount them on the top of the roll cage in the back because they ran out of room. One roll and they are gone.
 
HYDRODYNAMIC said:
Watching the Fireade videos is painful! Now Flex Seal is at least entertaining. Besides the bad infomercial videos, it is hard to tell how effective it is in the small spray can size on something like a vehicle fire. All the vehicle fires are using high pressure and high flow. In a big 2.5 Gal. foam size it looks useful. I would definitely use the foam before a dry chem. but I would not rely on the foam to put the fire out.
I saw a lot of the element fire sticks at KOH this year. I believe racers like them because they are small, light and pass tech vs having a bulky dry chem. I don't believe they really care about how effective they are.
John Moul had a engine fire at KOH this year and he has a Safecraft on board system. In the video you can see the fire engulf him in flames and he is very calm yet unable to pull the pin on the manual pull handle. You can see when the thermal probes go off in the engine compartment and the fire dies down to a point that he can get out. Then support crew fires a Safecraft hand held for awhile that does not stop the flames. Then a dry chem. comes in and finishes the fire off.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT SEE the in vehicle pull cord was not functional. The installers tightened the set screw that holds the bike cable pull cord too tight and it pinched the sleeve and the wire together so it could not be pulled by hand. Luckily and more quickly the thermal probes went off and really nocked down the fire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oO7jIGLKk
Click to expand...

OMG that video..... 5 gal gas vs 2.5lb powder, then bring in your massive ass fire extinguisher?? LOL
 
HYDRODYNAMIC said:
Dont be like the racers who mount them on the top of the roll cage in the back because they ran out of room. One roll and they are gone.
Click to expand...

I never really understood that.

My fire extinguisher is mounted inside the buggy so I can reach it to get my ass out if needed.

Where would you mount them at ?
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
There is a thread or two floating around here about those. Consensus says they work OK but are not the best type to carry for automotive fires. Also, they need to be very close to the fire to be 100% effective. Not the worst but not the best.....


https://irate4x4.com/general-4x4/96390-element-brand-fire-extinguisher-interesting
Click to expand...

With the element typically being close quarters makes me think using it in cab might be its best application. With it being small and easy to package and I assume the in cab extinguisher being used to fight your way out of the cab its likely going to be close quarters use and having a decent amount of dispensing time. Would still have a larger extinguisher mounted elsewhere. Thoughts?
 
Bebop said:
I never really understood that.

My fire extinguisher is mounted inside the buggy so I can reach it to get my ass out if needed.

Where would you mount them at ?
Click to expand...

I had a 5lb on old rig behind drivers seat and left of back seat legs (4 seat buggy). Prior rig was inside tube work on back of rig in plain view. Something to think of if not overly visible is a label decal so strangers might know where it is if you are incapacitated.

edit- also had 2.5lb units in cabin area accessible by driver/passenger as well.
 
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Bebop said:
I never really understood that.

My fire extinguisher is mounted inside the buggy so I can reach it to get my ass out if needed.

Where would you mount them at ?
Click to expand...

I have a big extinguisher on the rear tube work where anyone near the rig will be able to see it, it is protected where it is installed though. I also have two small extinguishers inside the passenger compartment that can be reached by the driver and passenger while still belted. I think it is important for at very least the driver to be able to reach one while still belted for a worst case fight your way out of the car situation. At the end of the day saving the buggy is nice but saving your and the passengers life is the most important.
 
Before I found GCC and used to wheel I had a small ABC in cab to get my and mine out and a bigger ABC accessible in the bed. Never needed and still to this day when I decided I need 1 extinguisher I will have 2 or more. On the boat there is a 2.5# by the helm, 5# in cabin and 20#(I think 20#) on the stern. All ABC and all maintained, smacked with a 2x4 on the bottom a few times a year.

The cabin and stern extinguishers double as house and car port mounted extinguishers when the boat is not in use.
 
HYDRODYNAMIC said:
Watching the Fireade videos is painful! Now Flex Seal is at least entertaining. Besides the bad infomercial videos, it is hard to tell how effective it is in the small spray can size on something like a vehicle fire. All the vehicle fires are using high pressure and high flow. In a big 2.5 Gal. foam size it looks useful. I would definitely use the foam before a dry chem. but I would not rely on the foam to put the fire out.
I saw a lot of the element fire sticks at KOH this year. I believe racers like them because they are small, light and pass tech vs having a bulky dry chem. I don't believe they really care about how effective they are.
John Moul had a engine fire at KOH this year and he has a Safecraft on board system. In the video you can see the fire engulf him in flames and he is very calm yet unable to pull the pin on the manual pull handle. You can see when the thermal probes go off in the engine compartment and the fire dies down to a point that he can get out. Then support crew fires a Safecraft hand held for awhile that does not stop the flames. Then a dry chem. comes in and finishes the fire off.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT SEE the in vehicle pull cord was not functional. The installers tightened the set screw that holds the bike cable pull cord too tight and it pinched the sleeve and the wire together so it could not be pulled by hand. Luckily and more quickly the thermal probes went off and really nocked down the fire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oO7jIGLKk
Click to expand...
Sounded like the fuel pump was still running and spraying fuel onto the fire until the driver went back and hit the kill switch.
That would be scary.

Aaron Z
 
I have a 5lb ABC mounted in all the shitboxes or I have a bracket for one waiting to be mounted. Sure I should probably run a smaller one in the Ranger where cab space is limited but there's a lot to be said for consistency. The Aerostar has the best mount since it tucks perfectly between the driver's seat and the door.
 
HYDRODYNAMIC said:
Classic Aerostar, are we talking about the executive aircraft or the van. Because I would be amazed you still have a running Aerostar van. You did say multiple shit boxes and you did say Ranger so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPO_8WIxw4o
Click to expand...

The van. I'm a strict adherent to the three F's rule. :laughing:

I also have a non-running (well it runs, but has a massive coolant leak so it wouldn't for long) one to compliment my running one.

And the Rangers in that video were neither airborne nor rusty enough. :flipoff2:

The Ranger doesn't run either but it's a project so I don't really care.
 
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Oh and I have a 5lb RV or Marine First Alert (the white one), as well as one of the Tundra aerosol ABC cans.
 
I'm sure it's a decent product, but those "tests" are designed to have very favorable conditions for a AFF type fire agent, well contained where the foam can blanket the fuel. The same goes for those "fire sticks". They purposely used very poor technique with the dry chemical extinguisher. I've put out similar fires during training exercises at work, and that's not how you do it !

Side note: Bill Simpson did some crazy shit back in the day to prove how effective his fire suites were !
 
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