daverclasper Posted September 5, 2018 Report Share Posted September 5, 2018 Hi. Screwfix have an offer on, for a 600g one. Is this big enough do you know. Cheers, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted September 5, 2018 Report Share Posted September 5, 2018 Put it this way, if that won't put it put, then you probably have no chance. Best to keep away from a fire if it is anything but easily overcome. Leave it to the Pro's. But that extinguisher would cope just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 5, 2018 Report Share Posted September 5, 2018 I had one of those - it couldn't put out a fire in a waste basket. Ask yourself, what is going to catch fire? Unless you smoke and drop your fag on the floor, it'll be in the engine bay and fuel will be involved. If you really wnat to fight the fire, then the biggest you can get. 2Kg at least. And where to put it? The boot? How long will that take to get, compared with next to your seat. And how will you use it? Fire Fighter advice is NOT to open the bonnet, but to squirt the extinguisher under the edges or into the front. That's another rreaosn for needing a big one. Ideal is a plumbed-in extinguisher, in motorsport style. Then the cylinder can be anywhere as long as you can release it quickly, usually by a cable pull next to your seat, and the actual nozzle is already fitted popinted at the engine. Me, if my car catches fire, I'm out of there and well back. Why risk my life? For a car? JOhn 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 5, 2018 Report Share Posted September 5, 2018 My daughter had some carpet cleaners round, I turned up to let them in. As I arrived there was smoke from their bonnet, I parked, got out and they had 30 foot flames! John is right, get out and run!!!! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaunW Posted September 5, 2018 Report Share Posted September 5, 2018 Most common cause of small fires is probably electrics, 80%? of which is under the dash, a small extinguisher tucked behind your seat is a sensible no hassle precaution. If there was smoke from under the bonnet I certainly wouldn't just stand and watch it personally. I had a car catch fire on the dyno once and it was just a small rupture in a fuel pipe squirting on the exhaust. It was out in 10 secs with a small powder extinguisher and defiantly better than standing and watching it burn to a shell. Nothing under the bonnet will suddenly explode except the battery under extreme circumstances. Anywhere near the petrol tank would be a different story. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 6, 2018 Report Share Posted September 6, 2018 That's unfortunate Shaun. Petrol on exhaust is usually unlikely to catch fire. How many of us have had flooded carbs that dripped and splashed all over the exhaust? Brake fluid on the other hand is far more dangerous and almost certain to catch if dripped on the exhaust. I'm still with John, I saw smoke turn to 30 foot flames in seconds, self preservation is the thing, you can always buy another car. Doug 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 6, 2018 Report Share Posted September 6, 2018 I had a garage fire yesterday - ENTIRELY my own fault. I had washed a crank clean, sprayed it with WD40 and left it to dry on a sheets of newspaper on a Workmate stand. Which I used to do a tiny weld on another job. DOH! Turned my back, to put the little job away, turned again - AND THE CRANK WAS ON FIRE! I covered it with a floor cloth, that put out the flames, but it still smouldered and caught fire again when I removed the covering cloth. I was able to grab a water spray and douse them, but it still smouldered. I got the crank off the paper and pulled that away, whereupon as fresh air and smoulder hit dry paper, it caught fire again! On the floor the cloth smothered it again, until I could really damp it out. A very sweaty few moments! Fire is persistent and difficult to put out. I only succeeded in putting out mine because most of the newspaper had burnt. In a different situation, my garage would have burnt out. Yes, I have fire extinguishers in my garage! I just didnt use them! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 6, 2018 Report Share Posted September 6, 2018 I have never ever in my life seen anything burn like wire wool. (except a local restaurant back around 2001 that went up like a bonfire in seconds!) I landed some grinding sparks on a pile of it, the wool hadn't cleaned the component so I set it down and went for the grinder, which then landed a spark on it and off it went. Thankfully in the middle of the concrete floor, but still an amazing sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 6, 2018 Report Share Posted September 6, 2018 My dad used to set fire to brake shoes that got contaminated with brake fluid, wow! Did they burn, on the drive, not the car, obviously! db Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyman Posted September 6, 2018 Report Share Posted September 6, 2018 1 hour ago, dougbgt6 said: My dad used to set fire to brake shoes that got contaminated with brake fluid, wow! Did they burn, on the drive, not the car, obviously! db That trick was commonly used in the old days..... Does anyone still do it?? Tony. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray Posted September 7, 2018 Report Share Posted September 7, 2018 In the old days brake linings were riveted to the shoes,now there bonded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 And you could buy just the linings and rivets to refurbish the shoes. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 We discussed this a while ago for early Herald front shoes which are unobtanium these days; there are companies who will do the honours provided you have shoes already; if not, you're scuppered.... but I never tried refurbishing shoes myself, even though the rivets etc are readily available. It's just too easy to buy the complete items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyman Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 They are very easy to do and was the norm years ago. I decided to re-line my Wolseley 1500 shoes as they were very expensive. Got a set of linings of ebay £12...Rivets £3, An hour later job done. Just wear a mask and do it outside if they are asbestos. You can still buy the rivet punch as that is the only "special" tool needed. Tony. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 Brake fluid has a lower self ignition point than petrol. Spill petrol on a hot manifold and it just fizzes, brake fluid bursts into flames. Bigger the better with fire extinguishers. Awful lot of moderns die by fire. Electrical presumably, but seems odd given the number of fuses! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unkel Kunkel Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 I have only once had to use a fire extinguisher. and that was in a building ,not a car. One of those old fashioned big red cone shaped things that you bang the plunger on the base (it breaks a glass vial of acid into bicarb. solution and the CO2 squirts out water). - I was quite shocked to see such a pathetic jet of water appear and how briefly it worked for.Utterly useless. I certainly wouldn’t hang around to use one of those things again. For my car, I used to have an ex MOD Chubb fighting vehicle extinguisher reasoning that they should be fairly effective. I haven't seen them available for some time now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyman Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 When i had my garage, which was attached to a petrol station....... A chap drove his car onto the forecourt with flames licking out of the bonnet........We grabbed fire extinguishers and managed to put it out before the fire brigade got there. His logic was.... As he did not have a fire extinguisher, surely a petrol station would...... I kid you not!!! Tony. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 2 hours ago, Vanadium23 said: I have only once had to use a fire extinguisher. and that was in a building ,not a car. One of those old fashioned big red cone shaped things that you bang the plunger on the base (it breaks a glass vial of acid into bicarb. solution and the CO2 squirts out water). - I was quite shocked to see such a pathetic jet of water appear and how briefly it worked for.Utterly useless. If I may continue to wear my boring H&SE-issue hat, or MSA crash helmet, it is of course essential that fire extinguishers are maintained. You may have read of how the most important collection of South American antiquities, in Rio, burnt down last week. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/03/fire-engulfs-brazil-national-museum-rio A factor was that the fire hydrants next to it were dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted September 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 Have bought the 1 kg one from screwfix (also on offer) and a 1m x 1m fire blanket off ebay (£3.65 inc postage). Have had an old sock handy, as recommended by Iggy Pop for small dashboard wiring flames , when he drives his old American classics. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 Despite pleanty of wet rags etc we set fire to the vitesse door on rebuild when a smal tack weld was required and it set alight the Wax oil applied inside the resprayed door the day before, flames 8nft high, a 2 kg powder unit soon put it out but the mess of sprayed powder everywhere Took a week to clear up it gets in everywhere, covers everything ... wonderful raise in blood pressure but it worked in seconds Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 Huh, Waxoyl! Small stuff! My DPO had filled rotten wings with bitumen. Clever mod, just pour it in inside, hot, it seeps out of all the rust holes, you sand it down and paint. Can't tell the difference frm filler. Until you attempt a welded repair, whereupon burning sticky lumps of tar fall out of the car, onto you, your clothes and anything on the floor. And go on burning, like NAPALM! Scarey. Glad you had the proper extinguisher to hand, Pete, sounds just as scarey! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted September 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 (edited) I did wonder about how much cleaning up of dry powder. Once you crack them open, then can you regulate/shut off with the trigger?. (maybe will try Iggy's sock first for a small one, all that rock n roll sweat should suffocate it). Dave Edited September 8, 2018 by daverclasper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 Dry powder is awful stuff. AS Pete says takes forever to clean up, and if it gets on alloy, corrodes it. Modern motorsport uses "AFFF" (aqueous film forming foam) extingushers, as effective, easier to clean. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unkel Kunkel Posted September 9, 2018 Report Share Posted September 9, 2018 Waxoyl flammability? Oh yes! Years ago, we nearly had a chimney fire after putting on just a few broken up bits of Waxoyl-soaked hard board that had been used to collect the drips when WaxOyling a car weeks previously.It was quite an alarming lesson to learn. Welding Welding our old cars is liable to ignite bits of that horrible bitumen stuff they used .It always seems to be near where the car needs welding, An extinguisher is already there in your hands if you are MIG welding. Quickly turn off the power, and then use the gas -your CO2 or CO2 /or Argon , to cool and quickly stifle the flames before they get a hold. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted September 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2018 Waxoil. Mines covered in the stuff. mixed with a bit of engine oil to keep it from drying out. Oh dear. Well. its either a slow, certain death from rust, or the chance of a spectacular, quick, send off, to the scrapyard in the sky. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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