Marika Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Is it safe to keep a fire extinguisher in your car, say, in the trunk, especially in the summer months? They are pressurized and I'm wondering if the heat of the summer might make them burst. Any comments or experiences with this? If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadillacjeff7777 Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Well, I believe that they will retain their integrity even through a fire...so I would imagine that they are ok in the car. 2008 DTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
growe3 Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 I have kept one in my Suburban for over twenty years. My truck is always out in the weather hot (115 F) to cold (-20). The actual temperature in the summer can reach over 145 F in the closed truck. I have never had a problem with leakage or pressure drop. One thing to remember is to get it checked periodically to be assured of it maintaining a good charge. Many fire departments will recharge a fire extinguisher for free. If you have never used one, ask them to show you how. Directions aren't the same as actually spraying one on a fire. I would recommend an ABC rated fire extinguisher, with a clearly visible pressure gauge. There are foam types and dry powder types. Each has its advantages, so choose which type you need. Foam are easier cleanup; dry type, I feel, are a little better at putting out a larger fire. If you store it in your trunk, it is best mounted with a quick release holder. -George Drive'em like you own 'em. - ....................04 DTS............................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Marika, In some countries having a fire extinguisher along with a first aid kit in the car all the time is a must. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 I never go without one. It's in the spare tire well of our Cadillac. I don't even "mount" the bracket...I just pack it in (among a few towels, etc) so it doesn't roll around. The automotive fire extinguishers are built for the heat of the summers I'm sure. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted December 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 I never go without one. It's in the spare tire well of our Cadillac. I don't even "mount" the bracket...I just pack it in (among a few towels, etc) so it doesn't roll around. The automotive fire extinguishers are built for the heat of the summers I'm sure. Which brand, make, model do you use? I've looked at "automotive extinguishers" and they all seem so small when I compare them to the gigantic extinguishers I have stashed all over my apartment. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
growe3 Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 KIDDE is the major manufacturer of fire extinguishers in the US; it is generally marketed under Badger Fire Products. The best is an ALL purpose ABC Dry Chemical type. If you have the room a 5 lb. is a good size. There is also a 2 1/2 lb. size, either would be good for car use. A - good for paper, wood, cloth, etc. B - gasoline,propane, solvents, etc. C - electrical, computers, electrical panels, etc. The drawback to dry chemical is the cleanup afterward, messy. The good side is it will work on almost all types of fires. Foam is nice, but has limits on storage/operating temeratures (+40 F to +140 F). Of note on the early Northstars, the intake manifold is magnesium, should this catch fire a class D extinguisher would be necessary. Below is a link you can visit for more information. http://www.badgerfire.com/choosing.shtml -George Drive'em like you own 'em. - ....................04 DTS............................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDK Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 One other important thing to keep in mind is the position of the extinguisher in a vehicle. If it is stored upright for quite a while, the dry chemical powder can "pack" from constant vibration very tightly around the outlet dip tube that runs down from the top valve lever. At the chemical plants I have worked, the stationary (building) extinguishers have few problems. The vehicle extinguishes need to to be tipped, shaken around every 6-months - or they tended to plug off a bit. Just guessing it won't be your car going up - but you will be the good Samaritan with brains enough to have an extinguisher around. Kinda like you were around to take those pictures of flaming imports... <_< One other point - have you ever used an extinguisher in a real fire? Remember PASS: Pull the pin (you would be surprised how often this gets forgotten) Aim at the base of the flames (not overhead or into the flames) Sweep from Side to side. Ask your fire department for some "hands-on" training if possible (if the Attorneys) don't scare 'em off. You might enjoy (careful with this) some minor fire-fighting and it is a real confidence builder! Add power to leave problems behind. Most braking is just - poor planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Which brand, make, model do you use? I've looked at "automotive extinguishers" and they all seem so small when I compare them to the gigantic extinguishers I have stashed all over my apartment. Marika, I have a First alert brand extinguisher. Small compact size. Stated weight is almost 2 lbs. It's a B-C extinguisher. Some interesting notes is it has a small plunger on the top that you can use to check the pressure. It also says it "meets D.O.T. requirements", whatever those are. With the volume of these smaller automotive-style extinguishers on the market, I can't believe their smaller size is any detriment. Like I said, this one fits very nicely in the spare tire well. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted December 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Just guessing it won't be your car going up - but you will be the good Samaritan with brains enough to have an extinguisher around. Kinda like you were around to take those pictures of flaming imports... <_> One other point - have you ever used an extinguisher in a real fire? Remember PASS: Pull the pin (you would be surprised how often this gets forgotten) Aim at the base of the flames (not overhead or into the flames) Sweep from Side to side. Ask your fire department for some "hands-on" training if possible (if the Attorneys) don't scare 'em off. You might enjoy (careful with this) some minor fire-fighting and it is a real confidence builder! Those foreign cars were burning way too much for a fire extinguisher to do any good. The best I could do was call the police (in one case), keep back, and use a 300mm lens to take the pics. I did put out a dumpster fire here in the complex where I live a few years back. Some stupid woman burned her paycheck stubs behind the dumpster and the ashes, lit, flew upward and into the dumpster lighting the contents as well. I smelled the smoke, came outside with the extinguisher and quickly put it out before it went out of control. The garbage company came, pulled the dumpster away from the building and that's when I found the remainder of the unburnt pay stubs. The superintendant knew the name of the person on the stubs so me, the cops and the super went to her apartment. I must have chewed her *smurf* out for a good ten minutes over what she did. The cops stood silently by and didn't say a word. After breaking her chops for 10 minutes I finally got an apology out of her. The cops walked away just shaking their heads and saying, "we didn't have to say anything, Marika said it all!" Personally, I was filled with the urge to empty the remainder of the extinguisher on the woman's face I was so pissed off over her stupidity. A few months later she moved out. Yes, I know how to use a fire extinguisher. I was in the Navy and it's required that everyone pass fire fighting courses. It has to do with the fact that a fire on a ship or aircraft carrier can quickly become a deadly event. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted December 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Marika, In some countries having a fire extinguisher along with a first aid kit in the car all the time is a must. A large first aid kit I have in the trunk, I was just thinking of adding a fire extinguisher for the sake of "completeness" but I'm worried about the fact that they are pressurized and I'm wondering how much heat they can stand before they burst, so if they are safe to store in a trunk. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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