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what fire extinguishers are yall running?

K

K5dreamer

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I used my fire extinguisher a while ago to put out a small brush fire in the making thanks to some bored kids, and have been searching around for a replacement. I really dont want to use a dry chemical extinquisher because in the off chance i need to use it, good LORD they make a mess, and i havent been very impressed by the results.

only problem seems to be that all non dry chemical extinguishers are expensive as all hell. :mad:
 
Get thee to the search button ... was a thread about this just a few weeks ago, long one in December, etc etc.

-- A
 
sadley the search button has been disabled for us non-members, could you post a link up for me please? im more than happy to flip through the archives.

or are you talking about that google bar that dosnt work that well????
 
Same small dry chemical extinguishers that we use in the big rigs.
Although, seems like an extinguisher made specifically for marine use would be good for off road as it seems like the jarring would not settle the contents as quickly.
 
i use a combination extinguisher.that way it cant cause more damage if i need it.same thing as in my big rig.abc extinguisher.luckily ive never had the pleasure of finding out how good it works yet.i have put out a couple of forklift fires with them though.:wink1:kinda messy with the powder and all.
 
IF you want the best bet, get a big dry chem and if you can get your hands on it, a co2 extinguisher. Dry chems put out anything, CO2 work good on electical fires provided you cut the power as well. I just wouldnt want to make a mess with drychem if was just a few wires burning that i cant get to or yoink, pull the cable, hit it with the co2 and no mess. But as far as general purpose, esp with vehicle fires dry chem is the best bet, and the bigger the better. Just make sure its quickly accessable and you know how to use it effectivly. As i said, if you know how to use it and what to do when a fire breaks out in your truck, that little looking fire extinguisher can be very very effective.
 
all good info, i have read both other threads listed and all posts therein. so im kinda looking at two options here, related to the size of the FX's.

Option 1 - a single 5lbs unit. probly mounted to the front of the driver side wheel well behind the driver seat.

Option 2 - two 2.5lbs units, one located at the front of the truck in easy reach (a pillar, b pillar, front of driver side seat, etc.) and one located in the back near the tailgate just in case i have to get out of the driver seat reallllly quick. i can still get to the FX in the back to try to do something about the fire.

Im not looking at dry chem, having used them, i realllllly dont want that mess in my truck. Im looking at these units from jegs (although ill definatly shop around),

http://www.jegs.com/p/H3R/761128/10002/-1/10489

so ive heard it both ways, some guys running 2x 2.5lbs units, and others saying a 5 pounder is the way to go. or are you just as well off either way??? im no stranger to using a fire extinguisher, im just not all that familiar with sizes, and what they can realistically be used to fight. I know the small unit (dry powder) i had in my truck had a hard time putting out a gas soaked newspaper stack. darn thing kept relighting. i was not impressed. i much prefer what i have seen of these other extinguishers, but just dont know if a 2.5lbs unit is big enough to handle for instance, an engine fire in an engine bay the size of our trucks. or an inflamed diesel fuel leak from my big gas tank in the back.
 
Im telling you to go dry chem and id say the single 5. Grab one of those or a co2 for electrical ****. You have any problems with burning fuel and youll be at a good disadvantage with the gas rather than dry chem, for flamable liquids dry chems much more effective. C02 is really only good for electrical and sometimes tight to reach spots, dry chem may make a mess but id rather have a messy truck than have it extra crispy. Co2 and gas extinguishers will put out the fire, but as soon as the co2 or gas blows off its very likley it could reignite, dry chem smothers it and stays there, gas blows off. As i said grab a 5 pound dry chem and a co2 or the one you have there, if it warents the use of co2, fine, if not you have the right tool. Trust me, ive seen this ****.
 
On the note of the newspaper, if you have a true drychem/abc extinguisher and know how to use it, that paper should have no been an issue.
 
whatever one you get, mount it so that you can reach it without climbing into or out of your truck. I have mine mounted to the outside of the driver seat mounting bracket. that way I can reach it from where I am driving, or I can run up to the truck and grab it without any effort.

I have put out a fire on my own truck and one on a friends truck. the mess that a dry chem leaves is nothing compared to what the fire will do if not put out. my brother caught my truck on fire while I was at work. unfortunately the extinguisher mounted to my seat had just been used to put out my friends truck that weekend prior.

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blast......... foiled again :( guess ill price out a 5lbs dry chem. although the smaller gas unit might not be a bad idea given all the shoddy "do it yourself" wiring in the rig from the previous owner. wait on the powder mess until it actually involves fuel and a real danger. ill probly put the big unit on the wheel well behind the driver seat, and put a 2.5lbs unit on the seat or something to get at for electical problems..... which will likely be right around my shins anyway ;)

in regard to the newspaper, the FX came with the truck when i bought it, and i have no idea how old it was, it was a very cheap, plastic top unit, and very small. i put the fire out quickly, broke apart the newspaper and sprayed the hot embers again, powder everywhere, and coating the newspaper. and the embers continued to relight, i resorted to going in and stomping the embers out with my flip flops on.
 
You want to spend over way over 100 bucks for a halon fire extuingushier?hairraising.gif
Woah you must have some deep pockets.........
Damn you can get a 14 bolt cheaper than a 5lb Halon
I got better things to blow money on.
It aint all that hard to clean up dry chemical. I have used them before on a vehicle. It washes off pretty easy.
I guess if i had a 50k vehicle or boat I would have a halon system.
But for a old 4x4.:haha:
I have a 5 lb dry under my seat and a 2.5 in the back by the spare tire. Total cost 35 .00

hairraising.gif
 
Forgive me for sounding like a crotchity old fart but................
your money would be far better spent fixing up the wireing and fuel system. Than buying a very expensive fire extingusher
$150 will buy a lot of wire, connectors, hose,clamps ect.
The best fire extingushier you can own is one that is never used.
 
well the money spent on the halon FX was in theory to avoid the mess of the dry chem inside the truck. the engine bay im not to worried about, but from the mess the kid made, the most likely fire will be inside the truck under the dash. and i do mean to repair all the mess he made, but it is a pretty involved process that so far i have been fixing a piece at a time as they fall apart. im waiting for summer.... and to have the camaro up and running, to really tear into the dash assembly and repair all the wiring. from what ive heard the dry chem is corrosive, and i dont think putting a hose up under the dash and letting er rip is the best way to clean it out, so the halon was to put out the electric fire, without needing to hose out the dash assembly of the truck.

so i think ill wind up doing the 5lbs dry chem for "in case $hit" happens under the hood or involving the fuel system (which has shown no signs of failure), and a small, 1.4 lbs or 2.5 lbs halon FX for inside the cab, dealing with electric fires that may happen, im willing to spend a little extra cash (ok alot) to avoid the major headache of cleaning out the dash assembly of corrosive powder.
 
Your best bet is to try to find a co2 extinguisher. Im sure its cheaper but either one works. With electrical fires make sure you quickly dissconect or cut the battery. Id rather cut it than have my truck burn. Good idea to carry the cutters close too. I would hit it. Cut then hit it again or just cut and hit. Learn to use it well. Dont waste it and call the fd if you can so they can make sure or be there if it flares back up
 
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