Is there a recommended type and size of fire extinguisher used in judging. Is it usually mounted in a particular spot in the interior or just in the car someplace?
-
Jerry Fuccillo
1967 327/300 Convertible since 1968 -
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
All you need is any type of extinguisher. No particular size, type, or even mounted/unmounted. Just present it with your NCRS decal and your battery cutoff for an easy 10 points.
I started with a standard small extinguisher, commonly found in the kitchen but I am now in favor of the Halon type extinguisher. They are much more expensive, $50+ versus $20, but they are also much more effective. If you have ever used a Halon bottle on a fire you will not want to go back to the soda type. Halon smothers the fire by trapping the oxygen and the fire goes out so quickly you have to see it to believe it. I get hands on training with extinguishers ever year as part of my certification and Halon is my preferred type.
The down side is that they are a bit more difficult to locate but: no residue, no mess, no ash, no nuttin! Just a fire that is ut out.
Gary -
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
Gary I have not checked with a fire extinguisher store about the availability of Halon type extinguisher, but in my work place all the Halon type extinguishers had to be removed and replaced with enviromental friendly type of fire extinguishers.Comment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
Well, in the airline industry, Halon type FE's are commonly used and still present. The known problem with Halon, especially in the airplane, is that it robs the oxygen and that isn't a good thing in an enclosed container like an airplane. I will check and see what we keep in the cockpit. I do believe that commercially available Halon is tough to find but, IIRC, the Corvette Forum had a discussion on this not too long ago and they were still available.
I just did a quick Google search and came up with: http://www.h3r.com/halon/
If Halon 1211 isn't available then perhaps there is an alternative; sort of like the freon R-12 versus 134a issue. Just guessing here.
GaryComment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
There are several replacements for the original "Halon", including "Halotron", among others; good selection at www.amerex.com .Comment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
John,
Your link is not coming up.
RickComment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
You are right that the link doesn't work but try doing a Google search on Halotron and you get a ton of hits. Whether you use Halon or Halotron, I would recommend an upgrade from the standard fire extinguisher.
GaryComment
-
Oops - Corrected Amerex Link
Oops - shouldn't do these things from memory Try this:
Comment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
It is a common misconception that halon "robs oxygen." This is what C02 does, not halon. There is a lot of confusion regarding halon - a great, unbiased source is the Halon Alternative Research Corporation (www.harc.org). This non-profit organization is devoted to finding halon alternatives, and to responsible use of halon reserves until an acceptable alternative is developed.
According to HARC: "Halons are low-toxicity, chemically stable compounds that have been used for fire and explosion protection throughout this century. Today, Halon 1211 (a liquid streaming agent) is used mainly in hand-held fire extinguishers and Halon 1301 (a gaseous agent) is used mainly in total flooding systems. These halons have proven to be extremely effective fire suppressants, which are clean (leave no residue) and remarkably safe for human exposure. Three things must come together at the same time to start a fire. The first ingredient is fuel (anything that can burn), the second is oxygen (normal breathing air is ample) and the last is an ignition source (high heat can cause a fire even without a spark or open flame). Traditionally, to stop a fire you need to remove one side of the triangle - the ignition, the fuel or the oxygen. Halon adds a fourth dimension to fire fighting - breaking the chain reaction. It stops the fuel, the ignition and the oxygen from dancing together by chemically reacting with them. Many people believe that halon displaces the air out of the area it is dispensed in. Wrong! Even for the toughest hazards, less than an 8% concentration by volume is required. There is still plenty of air to use in the evacuation process."
Probably more than you wanted to know! The bottom line is that halon is still the best stuff out there (twice as powerful and less expensive than Halotron 1).
The good news is that halon is readily available if you know where to look.
Thank you, Gary, for mentioning www.H3R.com. If anyone has questions, feel free to contact me via email or phone (800)249-4289.
Regards,
ChrisComment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
Gerard:
From a judging viewpoint, there is no recommended type, nor preferred location. However, I would not bolt a soda + acid fire extinguisher inside of the car. Hell, I would be surprised if you can still even find one, except maybe in an antique shoppe, where it might be living as the bottom half of a bar lamp. Besides, who wants to be bothered polishing all that brass, anyway. I also wouldn't recommend a 2 1/2 gallon pressurized water job either. Why, those holes for the mounting bracket are really nasty.
Now, most importantly, if you really anticipate actually USING the silly thing, then I would spend the extra bucks on the Halon type. Why? Because in the unlikely event that you will deploy it, then it will cause no secondary damage to your Corvette in the form of chemical residue. It is also more effective at smothering the fire, is approved for Class A, B, and C fires, and is used exclusively to protect expensive electronic facilities (e.g. mainframe computer installations, etc.).
If you only wanta have the puppy for show, then get a small dry chem extinguisher. It is also effective for A, B, C fires. God forbid you have to use it, it leaves a nasty white powder (ammonium phosphate)residue, but I think that that would be the least of your problems if you had a fire.
JoeComment
-
Source for Halon Extinguisher & Bracket
The link below is where I just purchased a 2 1/2 lb Halon 1211 extinguisher and mounting bracket for a C2. Good service.
Comment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
Chris, my comments about Halon robbing oxygen come from the training at my airline. They, the fire team doing the training, specifically mention that we should be on oxygen in the event that we are suppressing a fire in the cockpit. I have no particular knowledge or experience (thank God) with that. Just regurgitating training. While I have used Halon to suppress a diesel fuel pan fire, I have no other experience. I believe in Halon, or Halotron, as John Z. suggests. You are welcome on the www.h3r.com link but, honestly, that was what Google turned up.
GaryComment
-
Re: Source for Halon Extinguisher & Bracket
Dave, the only problem with that link is the price. When I did my Google search for Halon fire extinguishers for the start of this thread I routinely turned up web sites with 2.5lb extinguishers that were well south of $100. I don't know any good or bad brands from the search but it seems to me that there is some high degree of inflation on that web site.
GaryComment
-
Re: Source for Halon Extinguisher & Bracket
Gary,
There is no requirement that the extinguisher be mounted in the car. In fact, for judging I recommend against mounting it in the car because that is difficult to do without creating extra holes that may receive a deduction. That said, if you intend to drive your car much, and take the extinguisher with you (how else will it be on hand if/when needed?), some kind of means of securing it close at hand is in the best interests of safety.
I keep mine in the shipping box in the storage area of my 1970. Perhaps not the most accessible location, but in my mind a reasonable compromise.
Mine is Halon -- from NCRS years ago. I've seen the after-effects of the powder type. Not good.TerryComment
-
Re: C2:67 Fire Extinguisher for judging
Gary,
Whenever you spray halon on a fire, you should ventilate the area because the combustion products are toxic (not because it removes oxygen like C02 does). On an aircraft, it is harder to ventilate than a car, so using oxygen is a particularly good precaution.
Regarding the price of 2.5lb halon extinguishers, Dave's source's price seems a little high to me (higher than H3R or any of our distributors), but not outrageous. It is important to consider reputation/service, shipping lead times and shipping costs as well as retail price.
Also, be sure to buy based on the UL rating rather than weight. A Halotron extinguisher may weigh the same as a halon extinguisher, but it will only be half as powerful. I'd be happy to email a flyer that explains our product line and compares halon to Halotron to anyone who emails or calls. cdieter@h3r.com. 800-249-4289.
Regards,
Chris
Comment
Comment