Fire Extinguisher advice

[Indyted]

Listers:

When at the national meet last year, I noticed a number of cars in the concourse having a fire extinguisher in the passenger compartment. Great idea! My Avanti is about to be road worthy and I would like to get a fire extinguisher and place behind the front seat.

What advice do you have for purchasing the right type and size of extinguisher? What brand names and models do you use and recommend?

Thank you very much in advance. Hoping that I never need to use it but I want a good dependable one if I do!

[Drummerboy]

Seems like a class B would do but check out this site:

http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/

[Chris_Dresbach]

I just wrote this article for the Michiana Chapter's "Home Of Champions". Hopefully it can be of some help.

Safety tips for happy Summer Studebakering
Chris Dresbach
As I write this, winter is coming to a close and the summer driving season is within sight. The classic car hobby can be very enjoyable, but do you know what to do in the event of an emergency? Every year, I am sad to report, fires happen with old cars; however I am glad to report that with basic maintenance to your vehicle most of the time they can be prevented. In this month’s article, we will look at some safety tips for you and your vehicle.
WHAT’S THE CAUSE? When dealing with a classic car, should the unthinkable happen and a fire ignites, it is usually fueled by one of a variety of things: gasoline, a short in the electrical system, an oil leak, or even leaking power steering system. Many of us that are familiar with the Studebaker flathead engine, or just about any Studebaker engine, will know what I’m talking about here: the fuel line going to the carburetor sits above the spark plugs and in front of any wires on the firewall; And just about every Studebaker has a metal gas line that is connected to the carburetor with a rubber hose. If that rubber hose is old and beginning to crack, it can leak gasoline onto the spark plugs which can start a fire. Gas can also leak onto the wiring harness and distort the wire sheathing, which can ultimately cause a short. At the beginning of every spring, make it a point to check your fuel lines. If the rubber hoses are beginning to crack, don’t hesitate to replace them. Also check your wiring harness for any broken or frayed wires which can cause a short. If the wires are bad, replace them or the entire harness if necessary.
WHAT TO DO. If you are driving and you smell smoke coming from under the hood, do not keep driving. Immediately pull over, stop the engine, open the hood, get your extinguisher, and call 911. (If it is a really big fire and you can see it before stopping the car, just pull over, stop the engine, and call 911 in that order.) REMAIN CALM. The SDC recommends that every Studebaker be equipped with a fire extinguisher, but they don’t really say what kind. You want one that is small enough to carry around and easy to handle incase you need it, but at the same time capable of extinguishing every part of your car. (i.e. fuel, electrical, rubber, and upholstery/vinyl.) So, in a nutshell it is recommended that you carry an extinguisher of approximately 2lb and rated to extinguish all type A, B, C, D, and E fires. It will say that directly on the extinguisher bottle and they can be bought at just about any major retailer. These car type extinguishers are usually filled with a dry chemical that will smother out the fire and make less of a mess than foam. There is also a type of fire extinguisher that you do not want to carry, and we will discuss that later in the article. If the fire is small, remember to aim the extinguisher at the base of the flame and put it out in a sweeping manner. It is also strongly recommended that every Studebaker be equipped with seat belts. Remember, you will never be docked points for having a fire extinguisher and seat belts when having your car judged at an SDC event.
WHAT NOT TO DO. The number one thing not to do in the event of an emergency is PANIC. Use your best judgment to control the situation, then call 911.
WHERE TO PLACE YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN YOUR CAR. Your fire extinguisher should be positioned in a location that is not a hazard, like being too close to your legs, but at the same time you have to be able to grab it at a moment’s notice. The best place to keep an extinguisher is either bolted to the kick pads under the dash, or to the floor next to your center console if your car has one. It should also be somehow fastened to your car with a quick releasing clip; not rolling around.
THE TYPE OF FIRE EXTINGUISHER YOU DON’T WANT. This part of the article is a bit of a public service announcement to a trend that I believe needs addressing. In recent years I’ve seen that some classic car owners like to keep ANTIQUE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. Antique fire extinguishers can be bought for about $15 on Ebay and even though they look cool, YOU DON’T WANT ONE. An antique fire extinguisher does not meet current safety standards, and worse yet the vast majority of them contain a chemical called Carbon Tetrachloride, or CM7 for short. CM7 used to be used in fire extinguishers because it does do an effective job of putting out a fire. The problem with it is that when it comes in contact with fire it makes mustard gas. PLEASE DO NOT USE THEM, EVER.
OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST. One of the other dangers in the old car hobby is the danger of CO2 poisoning from a bad exhaust pipe. The exhaust is another part of your vehicle that should be checked every year. A rust hole in an exhaust pipe can leak exhaust fumes that contain CO2, which has no smell but is toxic. Symptoms of CO2 poisoning are a sudden tiredness and slight upset stomach and headache. Another thing that the SDC will not dock your vehicle for in points is equipping your car with a stainless steel exhaust system which will not rust. Any exhaust shop can install a new system, and a good supplier of stainless steel exhaust pipes for Studebakers is Don Simmons in Canada. Another thing to check is your windshield wipers. If you are like me, you usually don’t drive your Studebaker in a rain storm unless you get stuck in it; but regardless make sure you have good wiper blades. Impaired vision is a major cause of automotive wrecks every year. Studebaker International keeps reproduction windshield wiper blades in stock for just about every model of Studebaker. Tires can also be dangerous if not properly maintained. It is recommended that no tire should be used for an extensive amount of driving if it has less than 1/8” of tread or over ten years old. Tires can also dry rot which can cause a blowout. Also remember to keep your tires properly inflated.
CONCLUSION. The point of this article is not to scare anybody from driving their cars, but just a reminder so you know what to do in the event of an emergency before authorities can get there; and how to prevent an emergency from happening in the first place. Stay safe out there, and see you on the road.

[Corvanti]

great article, Chris! i only have a "B" & "C", 2 lb 8oz minimum. i need to upgrade.

the only thing i might dispute is the location. i keep mine secured behind the drivers seat - away from all the wiring in the dash area that may cause the area to be dangerous to access with falling wire "covering" - cloth or plastic.

this also reminds me i need to repair/replace some wiring in the '51.

[Chris_Dresbach]

Took a minute for ol' Photobucket to load. Here are the two photos that go with the article:

This is an example of the kind of fire extinguisher every vehicle should have. Small and light weight but big enough to fight a small fire. Also meets all current NFPA safety standards.


Examples of antique fire extinguishers that nobody should ever actually use. The kind on the far left is an old style automotive extinguisher. The glass one in the middle is a Red Comet "Fire Grenade" that would be thrown into a fire to put it out or hung from a cieling in an automatic holder/striker on the right. Both of these are dengerous for firefighting because they contain Carbon Tetrachloride (aka CM7). The problem with CM7 is that when it comes in contact with fire it makes Mustard Gas. They have been out of production since shortly after WWII. They are safe for decorations today, but that's about all. These vintage extinguishers have a home in a nice, safe, locked, fire proof location...

[DEEPNHOCK]

All I can say is that I did have a fire earlier this year with the yellow POS.
It took all 5 pounds of extinguisher to put the gas fire out.
Put one in your car, one in your trunk, and eleventeen around your house.
I had very little damage because a fire extinguisher was ten feet away.
Never used the one in the truck right by my feet.
I pounced on the big one hanging on the post inside the door in less than two seconds.
Moral: Get 'em, put 'em where you can get 'em, and use 'em when you need 'em.
Jeff

[PlainBrownR2]

I dunno if they make them in those sizes, but some of those older large wheeled extinguishers(the really big ones), were also one time use devices, meaning when that canister was charged, it wasn't going to stop until the propellant was completely empty. Interesting stuff, but I like my modern extinguisher for the ability to pull the pin, aim the nozzle, and shoot until the fire is out, not shoot until the fire is out, and unable to stop it, until the canister is empty and the whole vehicle is covered in flame retardant.

[Welcome]

Great information, Chris!!!

Perhaps you would be willing to help Larry S. expound on his statement [THE SDC BOARD SUGGESTS THAT YOU KEEP A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN EACH STUDEBAKER !]

[Warren Webb]

Good article Chris but I do need to correct you on one item. Automobile exhaust does not create co2. It creates CO (carbon monoxide) which is as you described odorless & is created through combustion. We humans exhale co2 (carbon dioxide) as does the animal kingdom that breathes.

[rodnutrandy]

I have 2 on board, one behind drivers seat, and 1 in my toolbox in bed. Figure if I can't get to one, I can get the other. Only fire I tried to put out was when I came up on a Chrysler with flames coming out from under hood. The lady would not let me open the hood, ( her husband told her to never open hood with a fire), So I used my extinguisher under back of hood till empty. I told lady my small extinguisher would not last if I couldn't get to source , it didn't. By the time fire department got their ,the cable to open hood had burned up and hood wouldn't open. they busted out grille ,bent up hood and finally got fire out, car was total lost.

[LeoH]

Good article Chris but I do need to correct you on one item. Automobile exhaust does not create co2. It creates CO (carbon monoxide) which is as you described odorless & is created through combustion. We humans exhale co2 (carbon dioxide) as does the animal kingdom that breathes.

Glad someone else caught that. I was scrolling down before I posted something similar.

[altair]

co vs co2

Your comments are all good stuff I am a retured fire inspector of 35 years however your final comment should read CO instead of CO2, CO is carbonmonoxide (deadly) CO2 is carbondioxide not so deadly but requires respect. Dave British Columbia

[plwindish]

Great article Chris. As I'm reading this just before going to bed, I had to go out to the garage and check what type and size of extinguisher I had mounted behind the the drivers seat and at the base of the rear passenger seat of my Avanti. Dry Chemical, good for B & C class fires, 2# 7 oz. Extinguisher was made in 2009. I don't know the life span of a single use extinguisher, but would expect it should be replaced at 5 or 10 year intervals.

[Swifster]

The racing stuff sticks with me. When I was a Course Marshall for SCCA, we used 10 pounders. These are what I keep in the garage. These are what is also hanging on the walls in the body shop of the Chevy dealer I work at. Probably impracticle for inside the car, but great for garages.

[53k]

Listers:

When at the national meet last year, I noticed a number of cars in the concourse having a fire extinguisher in the passenger compartment. Great idea! My Avanti is about to be road worthy and I would like to get a fire extinguisher and place behind the front seat.

What advice do you have for purchasing the right type and size of extinguisher? What brand names and models do you use and recommend?

Thank you very much in advance. Hoping that I never need to use it but I want a good dependable one if I do!

The extinguishers I have bought came with a hanger. I have placed them under the dash on the right side using an existing screw in the dash. Only took a few minutes to install. This is the one on my '64 Avanti and I mounted the one in my '64 Wagonaire the same way.
With the quick disconnect clamp on the hanger it takes only a second or two to have the extinguisher in your hand. Personally I would not put an extinguisher behind the seat.