after reading a few horror stories, I’m thinking I should get a fire extinguisher for my car. Anyone on here have one in their car? How do you store it? And where? Am I just being paranoid? Hate to have to watch my car burn.

 

Walmart special, velcro strapped on floor in front of the seat. People who drive plastic cars should have fire extinguishers :-)

 

I have a fire extinguisher in the car. It's a 10lb ABC IIRC that I just put in the back against the rear tire well behind the front seat (I have a convertible). I have a soft bag with tools in it that fits on the other side of the extinguisher to keep it from rolling around.

One thing to remember with a powder unit is the powder inside the unit can settle over time. Every few months take it out and shake the heck out of it and check the pressure gauge. There also is scheduled maintenance that needs to be done on them every so often.

 

Thanks for the replies. Was looking at this one as a possibility to put behind the driver's seat. Would that be big enough, do you think? I'd like to be able to hide it if at all possible, but I also don't want something that's too small to help. I read online that a 2.5lb is a good size for a car. Obviously, I'm sure bigger is better, lol.

 

I think I would get a halon or the newer stuff.

 

I have a Halon 2.5 lb extinguisher attached to the harness bar in my '93 autocross car. It's mounted horizontally and the clamps are at the bottom side of the extinguisher. That way, when I release the clamps, the unit falls down into my hand.

I wanted the Halon unit because the dry chemical stuff leaves that white powder everywhere when its used. PITA to clean everything up as the powder will also allow oils to be soaked up.

A Halon extinguisher is more expensive, but it is very effective.

The Lowe's link shows a pretty cheap unit and while it's listed as rechargeable, most companies that do extinguisher recharging will sell that service on a 2.5 lb unit for the price of a new Amerex 5 lb unit. In any event, only the units with a metal valve and trigger can be recharged.

 

This is a personal thing for me, I would not put it where it could sit directly under sunlight especially if it gets really hot in your area. I don't know if one has ever popped due to heat but if it did that could be just like a grenade going off.

 

doing a good amount of reading, I don't think there's much danger of them popping due to heat. That said, not leaving it in the sun is probably a good idea, that's why I wanted something I could stick behind the driver's seat. Still easy to get to, but not exposed.

EDIT: Also, if you have tinted windows, I'm betting that would really help with the heat in the car. Just a thought.

 

Try this. Take a squirt bottle to simulate an extinguisher. See how fast you can get to it and open the hood and spray the engine. Next, how big a pair do you have? If there is a fire, realistically, what is it you think you are going to do? Do you have the presence of mind to fumble the extinguisher and open the hood and spray the right part or will you run like hell?

I can do drills where I draw my gun and hit the target every time but I am not confident that in an emergency, that is exactly what I will do. Sure, the drills help but are NOT a 100% guarantee that is how it will go down nor is it going to help with the adrenalin when the perp is in your house and you need to hold a steady hand. So, are you going to constantly drill or do you imagine that having a gun without practice will work? In this case, if you don't practice, what will happen at the critical moment?

Also, is your car worth your life? That is the question. I can replace most anything in my life EXCEPT my life. So if I am doing good, I will get out and get as far away as possible.

If you must go this route, get one that you can trigger from inside the cabin so you can pull the cord, so to speak and get away in case it blows.

 

There are a few good points on here.

I've been racing since the days when "showroom stock" racecars were restricted to bolt in roll cages and 5 lb. fire extinguishers (because welded in cages and onboard fire suppression systems were considered "too modified" for the "showroom stock" classes).

The "is it refillable?" question is a good one. Refillable/serviceable extinguishers have metal valves and heads. The best advice with those is find the place that refills them first, before buying. Ask them what they charge for service/refill, and which units they find are the best. In addition to the metal valving, a metal bottle is preferred as well.

For mounting in a car, you want a metal mounting bracket and strap. No plastic mounting brackets for an extinguisher mounted in the car, ever! The last thing you need in a collision is for the fire extinguisher to get knocked loose and have the head knocked off it. Adding a 2.5 or 5 pound rocket bouncing around inside the cockpit to a accident already in progress is never helpful. You want a mounting system that can withstand 50g's of impact at a minimum. Ideally, your mounting bracket and retaining strap should support your weight, not just the weight of the extinguisher.

When you do need to get it out, you'll need it in a hurry. I used to use 3/4" or 1" nylon strapping (usually from a lighter weight "tie down strap" set) sewn into a ring or loop through the opening in the latch. It gives you something to grab that will pull the latch on the retainer strap without having to fiddle with the small latch parts. It's also a lot easier to pull a looped strap if you're wearing driving gloves, or any gloves. I also tied a strap through the loop on the pin piece. Today, I'd consider good paracord with well dressed knots for that as well. I usually had the loop/strap from the pin just long enough that the retaining strap would hold that strap in place, so it wouldn't snag on anything and pull the pin accidentally.

Practice drills like @aklim mentions are also a great idea. Make it so you've done it several times, and when the adrenaline is flowing and you need your fire extinguisher, you'll be able to get it out in a hurry. If you've practiced getting it out in a hurry, even a few times, when you actually need it, you'll be amazed at how quickly you can whip the thing out. As Richard Pryor used to say, "Fire is inspirational."

Also, if the fire is under the hood, try to put the fire out before opening the hood. Squirt the extinguisher in through the cowl, or in through the grill, or up from underneath. Opening the hood will give a lot of fresh oxygen to anything that is burning. That's about the worst thing you can do to a fire that's burning under the hood.

 

Look into "Cold-Fire". No mess. Non-toxic. Environmentally safe.

https://shop.rdrtechnologies.com/Col...y-p/cfrc12.htm

 

Been in the car, in the Ca sun for 14 years. Never blew up.
It is a metal mount. Quick release although it hung up a little when I pulled it out a month ago.

Steering wheel and dash have sun damage, fire system is still ok.

It will take care of small stuff, anything big I will just bail out. Had a small fire before. removed the offending item by hand while on fire.

 

There’s some really good advice there c6 racer. I’ll keep that in mind, especially the mounting stuff-hadn’t thought about that.

im concerned the cold fire can stuff doesn’t have enough stuff in it to do any good.

I dont drive river a race car-it’s a weekend car for me to drive in nice weather. That said I’ve seen enough stories of cars catching fire with no good reason to be concerned.

 

Kind of ties in here too. From what I've read, most automotive fires are either gas or electrical in nature. You can't do much about gas other than maintain everything you can to prevent it especially when operating. Electrical fires have started whether a car is running or not. For that reason consider a proper electrical disconnect. It will prevent any electrical flow when not desired.

I have one on my car and it was worth the cost IMO.

 

You better make sure you are doing it often. You have to do it often enough so it becomes muscle memory. If you are not willing to do the drills a few times a month or think you can practice it a few times and never again, it is like expecting to be a great shooter by spending every day of 1 month at the range and not doing it again. IOW it is a commitment to practice regularly. Even if you get THIS system, you probably will have to practice a little so that you pull the cord at the right moment. Why do you think fire departments conduct drills regularly and not just a few times and hope to be inspired at the fire itself?

 

The question is whether YOU have enough stuff in YOU to do any good. If not, you will have to get lucky or it will be a LONG DAY. If you are a fireman by trade, I would say you are good to go. I can buy myself another car much easier than I can grow skin in the burn ward.

Before you see those stories and take them wholesale, look at the vehicle involved. Of all the cars I must have seen in my life, only a few (relatively) catch fire. Odds are with me. Also, of the cars I have personally witnessed, NONE of them were in good condition to begin with. They were old beaters and don't look well maintained to begin with.

 

I did the same thing except "Tundra" brand

 

Hi

Here in OZ they had banned halon fire extinguishers a long time ago,
only planes can use halon. We have restrictions on refrigerant you need to be licensed to purchase or use refrigerant, however no smog tests YET.

I have two fire extinguishers, one in front of the front seat at the usual spot most mount them for easy access. An additional in the storage compartment, remember they are only good for a few seconds.

I had to use one 5 years ago, the oil pressure sender body burst spraying oil onto the headers. One ONLY JUST extinguished it, oil has a nasty habit of relighting ..... Very minimal damage some wires a couple of small bubbles on the hood and the hood release cable jammed, lucky i fitted emergency hood release tabs after an unfortunate forum member had his c4 hood axed open by the fire department as the hood release cables jammed..... by the time that happened the fire made its way into the cabin.

If you like your C4 get 2x extinguishers, a ruptured fuel pressure regulator diaphragm gas leak or oil leak will quickly consume a vette.