fire extinguisher help

[Paul L.]

Re: fire extinguisher help

Or a proprietary chemical named Purple K.

I have never heard of Purple K but baking soda does a nice job of destroying metal surfaces.

[Ridge K.]

Re: fire extinguisher help

Many sleeps ago, when I worked for the utility "on the street," I attended the National Safety Congress when it was held in Chicago. At the time Halon was relatively new as a fire suppressant, and computers were big as a house.

One of the vendors demonstrated the safety and efficacy of Halon by having a "model" sit in a plastic box smoking a cigarette. The Halon put out the cigarette with no apparent harm to the "model." Of course this was a controlled demonstration in a very controlled environment.

I work every day in a room that has a sign at the entrance: "This room is protected by Halon 1211. At the sound of the alarm please exit." We know it is there to protect the computers and not the workers -- it is OK -- I know where the exits are.

I have a Halon fire extinguisher int he 1970 Corvette, and it goes in my 2008 when I go in it. I have a 25 pound CO2 extinguisher in the garage. Unfortunately it is too large to take with me on the road.

I know Ridge will add to this.

I'm tickled to death to hear my good friend Terry say he has a CO2 extinguisher in the garage.
In my opinion, as a 29 year veteran retired firefighter, ....that is the only way to go in the garage, shop, or even in the home. (remember, on a fire of any significance, call the local fire department FIRST).

In your prized vintage Corvette, use HALON.
As I've previously stated, I do not have first-hand experince with Halotron. I've heard good things, but do not have first-hand experience.
Halon is God's gift to pilots and owners of high-dollar collector cars.

Once again, dry chemical or purple-K extinguishers work great. Functionably, they do a very, very good job. But the mess will be a 90 day clean-up,....so it's NOT worth the mess. There are better choices.
I like to use this analogy. Tell your wife you want to run a "test". Take a window box fan and turn it on high, sitting in the middle of your home. Slowly pour a 5 pound bag of flour directly in front of the running, high speed box fan. This will demostrate the effects of discharging a dry chemical fire extinguisher in the home or garage.
Do you want that mess inside your restored Corvette?

Ridge.

[Terry M.]

Re: fire extinguisher help

In an earlier thread I told of my experience with the Chicago Fire Department emptying a dry powder truck into an electrical vault. We were knee deep in powder. Thankfully I didn't have to clean it up. The firemen thought it was a joke. Oh, and it did nothing to put out the fire in the electrical transformer. It just kept reigniting.

If you get that powder in your engine -- count on a tear-down tio clean it up.

[Richard J.]

Re: fire extinguisher help

Website says that Halon is 5 times heavier than air. (That's why its bad for you. Sits in lungs if inhaled.) Yet I've read that in stock car engine fires, track turn workers blow extinguishers UNDER cars with a closed hood to keep air from feeding the fire. Always wondered about this. Does Halon work in this scenario? Whats the real deal guys?

[Bill M.]

Re: fire extinguisher help

I'm tickled to death to hear my good friend Terry say he has a CO2 extinguisher in the garage.
In my opinion, as a 29 year veteran retired firefighter, ....that is the only way to go in the garage, shop, or even in the home. (remember, on a fire of any significance, call the local fire department FIRST).

In your prized vintage Corvette, use HALON.
As I've previously stated, I do not have first-hand experince with Halotron. I've heard good things, but do not have first-hand experience.
Halon is God's gift to pilots and owners of high-dollar collector cars.

Once again, dry chemical or purple-K extinguishers work great. Functionably, they do a very, very good job. But the mess will be a 90 day clean-up,....so it's NOT worth the mess. There are better choices.
I like to use this analogy. Tell your wife you want to run a "test". Take a window box fan and turn it on high, sitting in the middle of your home. Slowly pour a 5 pound bag of flour directly in front of the running, high speed box fan. This will demostrate the effects of discharging a dry chemical fire extinguisher in the home or garage.
Do you want that mess inside your restored Corvette?

Ridge.

I've had a halon in my '65 (Holley carb...) forever, but only a dry chemical in the garage until I read a post by Ridge suggesting a visit to the local fire equipment store for a used CO2. I got a big CO2 for a very reasonable price.

Thanks, Ridge!

[Larry M.]

Re: fire extinguisher help

I've had a halon in my '65 (Holley carb...) forever, but only a dry chemical in the garage until I read a post by Ridge suggesting a visit to the local fire equipment store for a used CO2. I got a big CO2 for a very reasonable price.

Thanks, Ridge!

I purchased my 20-30 lb CO2 fire extinguisher from a fire extinguisher store. It was a reconditioned model from one of the nearby businesses or chemical plants. Cost was relatively low-$$.

Everyone with a welder or "working garage" should have one available. I bought mine at the same time as my oxy and arc welders about 30 years ago.

Larry

[Ridge K.]

Re: fire extinguisher help

Phil,

Years ago my dual-four 59 backfired after the front carburetor leaked out the throttle shafts. Engine caught fire. Full story on CF Here in post#5. I had a small halon in the seat divider glovebox. When I got out the flames were a few feet in the air. The halon put out the fire instantly.

IMO it's not just the clean up issue, it's how much more effective the halon is over the c02. In my case, I was able to get back in the car and drive away. You'd be calling for a flatbed after a c02 bath. They make one heck of a mess. True story Here. Pic below.

Richard, that definitely looks like the after-effects of a dry chemical discharge. Excellent pics for our show-n-tell,...thank you.
The typical propellant in a dry chem extinguisher is compressed nitrogen.

About Halon:
I called an active fire department source this morning to check on the rumor that Halon is banned.
Here's a brief summary of the true facts:

Halon 1301 Status... While production of Halon 1301 was banned, effective January 1, 1994, the use and sale of Halon 1301 were not prohibited. Presently, there are no requirements to remove existing systems or limitations placed on new installations. Furthermore, should a halon system leak or discharge agent, there are no penalties, fines, or taxes in place.

What is being supplied in American Halon extinguishers today (and Canada my source thinks), is recycled Halon, which of course in not banned.
I am not a certified safety engineer, but can tell a person that for Halon to become dangerous (in the occlusion of oxygen), it would require a significant concentration. For the average person inside their own garage, or shop.......this would be highly unlikely in my opinion. Just keep this rare issue in the back of your head. I must admit I would keep Halon systems out of the reach of small children, or at least educate them about the remote dangers...if they are capable of learning this issue. They are relatively expensive anyway, so should never be mishandled.

In my garage, where my '67 resides....I have both a CO2, and Halon extinguisher handy. As I built my home, I also had the plumber pipe in a firehose cabinet line. Typically, I do not usally recommend the use of piped fire hose cabinets for the average homeowner. In my opinion, if the house catches fire......get out and call the professionals. In many communities, the average paid/full time staffed fire department response time is in the ballpark of three minutes or so. That's your tax dollars at work.
Obviously a volunteer staffed fire department will have a longer response time, but once again.....attacking a structure fire is not worth risking one's life. Houses and classic cars can be replaced. Life cannot.

Ridge,
retired, Tulsa Fire Department (service Jan. 1976 to Feb. 2005)