Fire extinguisher

[renault12ts]

I took this out today to show another member, but thought it might be useful to post a thread if anyone is ever searching in future|:

 

[noogieman]

I have this option fitted to my car.
press button on fire ext. in the 1st picture is not the same as mine.

when the needle goes into the red area, is it time to replace the fire extinguisher?
my needle is close to the red area

 

[grober]

I have this option fitted to my car.
press button on fire ext. in the 1st picture is not the same as mine.

when the needle goes into the red area, is it time to replace the fire extinguisher?
my needle is close to the red area

YES but its ok anywhere in the green just monitor it - it may have been like that since new- how old is it- they tend to have a finite life.

 

[noogieman]

I think I bought the fire ext. in 2012 or 2013?
If I remember correct manufacturers box claimed approx 2 years of warranty life or something for the fire ext?

Next time I go a and check out my car, I will take a picture of the scale and the push button.

when the needle goes into the RED scale area, did fire ext. lose pressure?
if the needle is in the RED scale area and fire in the car occurs, is this fire ext. going to work putting out the fire or did it lose all pressure malfunctioning?

Do I have to get it inspected and re-filled at a specialists fireshop if it's in the RED scale area or do I have to buy a new fire ext. from stealership which will be waste of money for years replacing this part everytime needle drops into the red area?

Do weather conditions cold/hot or when car is in motion from vibrations affect the needle to move near the RED scale area then going back into GREEN scale area after the car is parked?

 

[markjay]

Not a fire safety officer, but... in terms of its firefighting capability, the extinguisher is fine as long as the pressure gauge is in the green. The issue with older fire extinguishers is that the metal canister can corrode and cause pressure loss. Most spent extinguishers can be pressure-tested then refilled, but it is rarely commercially viable with low-cost disposable units, so in practical terms you just buy a new one. And of course it's better to have it than not..... but be aware your actual chances for putting out a fire with one are quite small.

 

[noogieman]

small fires from short circuits if caught in time can be put out.

content in the ext. is dry powder used to put out fires from electrical shorts or a small leak from petrol causing fire, there is no liquids, how can this canister corrode from inside?

if canister corrodes it must be from cold/wet and humid weather conditions in winter

 

[grober]

The pressure gauge monitors the propellant pressure inside the extinguisher. This will be CO2 or NITROGEN gas. If the pressure drops below the operating range it may not be sufficient to expell the powder fast/ completely enough. In other words it will malfunction. As said its not economic to refill them. You don't have replace it with a "Mercedes" one but you should replace "like with like" using the type code/capacity on the existing extinguisher.

If you were to take the old extinguisher into your local fire station I'm sure they would advise on a suitable replacement/ local supplier

 

[Alps]

i guess id better check mine, it was optioned in my 2005 car since new

 

[Codger49]

I am sure I remember reading that the dry powder in the most common types of extinguisher does horrible damage to most things it comes into contact with, especially aluminium. It might have been from someone trying to push water mist extinguishers though.

Have we anyone who could clarify/confirm this?

 

[zipdip]

If my car caught fire I would walk away from it and call the fire brigade or is it service now,the fire extinguisher is the only thing missing from my car,do have one in a holdall in the boot with along with spare bulbs,tow rope and a extra first aid kit,but no I would let the old bus burn.

 

[markjay]

I am sure I remember reading that the dry powder in the most common types of extinguisher does horrible damage to most things it comes into contact with, especially aluminium. It might have been from someone trying to push water mist extinguishers though.

Have we anyone who could clarify/confirm this?

Yes.

 

[grober]

Different types of powder are listed here.
Is it ABC Powder or Dry Powder?

Most car extinguishers are the ABC TYPE which contain ammonium compounds which may react with aluminium components. However their multipurpose function outweighs their disadavantages.
the type pictured by the OP is the 1kg version?? of this one. CONTAINS a mixture of Monoammoniumphosphate and Ammoniumsulphate with Mineral additives according to the safety data.
2kg Powder Fire Extinguisher (Easy-Action) - Gloria P2GM - £21.39 ex VAT

product sheet
http://www.safelincs.co.uk/templates_safelincs/files/datasheets/47_P1GM-P2GM-Datasheet.pdf

 

[whitenemesis]

One disadvantage of dry powder extinguishers is the powder can compact due to the constant vehicle vibrations. If this happens the unit will either fail to discharge or only partly discharge. Even at full capacity a 1kg dry powder unit is marginal on anything but the smallest of vehicle fires

 

[Peter103]

Driving home from work in about 1982 in a 2 litre Ford Cortina, pulled into a petrol stn. As I got out of the car, the man on the pump in front, said there was smoke coming from under my car, I ran to the pay kiosk and got an extinguisher, popped the bonnet , took aim and nothing happened, by now the kiosk man arrived with another extinguisher , that didn't work either, now things were looking pretty bad, I was about to make a run for it, let it go up and raise the whole town from the ground, when another man came running from the workshop with another which fortunately worked. The car was a write off. I suppose in a way, it could have been worse, fortunately no casualties.I did think later that had I been of a mind to inform the local authority, of the garages lack of fire fighting gear, they would have been in big trouble, but I didn't.

 

[whitenemesis]

I remember the 70's Ford V4 and V6 engines often suffered from engine fires due to fuel leaking into the 'V'.

Fire Brigade advice at the time was if you saw smoke never to open the bonnet, just call 999

 

[Peter103]

I remember the 70's Ford V4 and V6 engines often suffered from engine fires due to fuel leaking into the 'V'.

Fire Brigade advice at the time was if you saw smoke never to open the bonnet, just call 999

You're telling me! Once the bonnet was lifted things quickly got worse, but how else do you tackle it, I did lower it after the first fail, but by the time we put it out the paint had turned black, and was bubbling, white powder was caked over the whole engine and windscreen, a complete mess. S'pose it was fortunate I hadn't started filling up. it was a great car,I think a GXL ? Dark green with a black vynal roof, went like a rocket, literally, lol.

 

[whitenemesis]

My dad had one, great car!

Brigade tackle it by cracking bonnet just enough to get the mist nozzle in.

 

[noogieman]

does anyone know why Volvo cars from the 90's the 850 series up to 2017 late models burst in flames?
Volvo claims they are the safest cars but turns out to be unsafe when it comes to spontaneous combustion

 

[markjay]

..Fire Brigade advice at the time was if you saw smoke never to open the bonnet, just call 999

Correct, as you will be providing the fire with fresh oxygen.

I was taught to crack open the bonnet and discharge the extinguisher through the gap. On the one occasion that I had to try this it did nothing to the fire (fire brigade eventually turned-up and covered the car in foam). Not surprisingly given that car extinguishers contain a very small amount of payload, applied for a few seconds through the bonnet gap without any idea where the actual fire is. In short - better to have it than not, but don't rely on it... call 999.

 

[wemorgan]

Car fires are quite rare, but fires in general are obviously a lot more common. So who knows, the extinguisher might be useful in putting out someone else's fire you happen to be passing.