Fire extinguisher placement

[Sidney'61]

I bought a small car fire extinguisher at an autojumble that I thought would be a good idea for fitting in the car, but I'm not quite sure where would be best to fit it, I thought probably the passenger side scuttle panel under the parcel shelf?
Has anyone else fitted one? if so where?

BTW mine came with a small mounting bracket with two screw holes, I'm just not sure where to fit the screws in the car

Thanks

[bmcecosse]

If car goes on fire - best to run away fast. It's only a car! Not worth risking injury to fight a car fire - it can explode at any time.

[LouiseM]

Having witnessed DP's car in flames on the way to the National I'd have to agree with BMC. The fire was very fierce very quickly and the flames were over the roof within a minute or two. It took a while to put out with two 'full sized' fire extinguishers so a small sized car extinguisher would have been of little, if any, use.

I bought a small car fire extinguisher at an autojumble

If you do want to fit one probably best not to buy from an unknown source just in case it doesn't work when you need it

[autolycus]

Since we're talking about fire extinguishers, it might be worth listing the types people use in cars.

Halon - green cylinder. Best of the lot for vehicle fires, but now banned from sale (thanks, tree-huggers)

Dry Powder - blue cylinder or band. Effective, but prone to the powder caking into a solid lump if not serviced regularly, especially if subjected to vibration (what? a Moggy vibrate?) Also make a hell of mess when let off, and cause expensive damage.

Assorted liquids (Pyrene etc). Likely to be very old or very small, or very useless, or very toxic. Probably best avoided in case they're all four.

AFFF (Aqueous film-forming foam, cream cylinder or band), Best general-purpose extinguisher. Can be pressurised (look for a little gauge) or cartridge-operated. Minimum size for vehicles is 0.9 litre.

You really do need showing how to use any of them - it's a sort of sweeping action, side to side, starting near to you and working away. Don't just point it at the smoke. Under a bonnet, I think you're better of just discharging it through the gap before you release the safety catch. Better for eyebrow preservation.

To keep in your garage, I suggest a larger, say 6 litre, AFFF, which can be safely used on live electrical equipment, unlike the old water/gas type (red body or band), and a CO2 (black), which in real life can be used a number of times to knock down the odd burning waxoyl fire when you're welding.

But as Roy says, the best bet is to grab your insurance policy and run.

Kevin

[alainmoran]

My powder extingusher is red, and at the moment it just sits loose under the passenger seat ... I may bolt it to the floor at some point tho ... drove around with my previous one for a couple of years until my ex decided to set fire to my petrol container in her back yard (fire breathing with petrol ... sigh, I told her it was a bad idea but would she listen) ... anyway the extinguisher worked just fine, however it had never been mounted in a single position so maybe that helped avoid it settling into a cake.

[autolycus]

If it's all red, it doesn't comply with the current standard, which specifies coloured bands, squares, or (iirc) circles to denote type. Old ones with the whole body in the particular colour are still allowed.

The business of powder compaction in extinguishers in road vehicles was regarded as sufficiently serious by one of the largest road vehicle operators in the country at the time that an order went out to change them all to AFFF.

As for loose on the floor - even hard braking could result in this metal projectile attacking your passenger's legs, and a relatively modest accident could see it flying around rather painfully. Its clips should be strong enough to withstand several times its weight, in any direction.

Kevin

[mike.perry]

I have a blue 1kg extinguisher bolted to the front of my N. C. seat adapter frame. Should I give it a shake or is it a waste of space?
I carry a separate extinguisher in the trailer for camping at rallies

[charlie_morris_minor]

i fitted my extinguisher infront of the gear stick so that it was to hand..

as for running away.. yes if it is a big fire or taking hold quickly but if spotted early on it is worth giving ago.. cars rarely explode unless you happen to have a film crew there in which case they always explode!

[bmcecosse]

Problem is - fire will most likely be under the bonnet - and when you open it to spray in the extinguisher that introduces a huge waft of air - and the fire will explode in your face.
Hardly worth losing face skin/eyesight - is it ?
To service powder extinguisher - it should be held vertically then turned over and the powder should be heard/felt to 'slump' down inside the can. Then pressure should be checked if gauge fitted - or if internal CO2 cartridge that is removed and weighed. Compare to original weight (marked on cart) to determine if has been fired or leaked. Simples !

[paulk]

An ex fireman once told me mount the extinghuisher in the boot.

This gives 2 things

1) unit is not wandering around the cabin getting in your way or becoming a danger in an accident.

2) You GET OUT OF THE CAR to get it. He said the number of people who sat in the front seat trying to use a (Poisonous in enclosed space) Halon extinghuisher used to scare him silly.

His main suggestion was forget it and just call the brigade.

[bmcecosse]

Absolutely - unless need to rescue people from the flames (and only then if you can do so SAFELY - no point being a dead hero) - best to stand back and enjoy the bonfire - that applies to ANY fire - domestic/commercial/mobile.
I once tried to fight a fire at work (many years ago) and thought I was doing well with the fire hose - until I realised the fire had crept round behind me and was blocking off my exit! I had to fight my way back out the exit with my hose. Never again!!

[charlie_morris_minor]

You should never completely open the bonnet, you just flip it open on the catch and then spray in the gap. I put a fiesta engine fire out that way once on the M4 and then just waited for the fire brigade to come along and ensure it was all out.

[Dru]

I put out an electrical fire in the engine bay of a horrible Renault 18 using a CO2 extinguisher I just happened to have in the boot. Though on reflection, I wish I'd let the car go up. Bloomin' horrible thing.

The time I used a powder extinguisher in anger, the fire was above me, and, though it did indeed go out, I ended up completely white. Urk

[ratrodmog]

I have mounted my fire extinguisher in front of the gear stick so I can reach it easily, although, it does sometimes get in the way when I want to use the full beam foot button (depending on what shoes I am wearing )

[M25VAN]

I thought the argument for fitting inside and close to you i.e. in front of seat or gear stick was in case you were trapped in the car after an accident and the vehicle caught fire. Then you stood a better chance of fighting the fire than if it was elswhere etc. etc.