One in my '67 Pontiac, one will be in the '55 Buick when it's running.

How/Where do you mount these so they don't become a missile inside the car in an accident?

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
How/Where do you mount these so they don't become a missile inside the car in an accident?

Mine is kept in the trunk in a rubbermaid style tub along with a couple quarts of oil, washer fluid, rags, etc.

5 years agao on east bound i 10 in mobile before the tunnel i used my 5 pounder abc, 4 smaller abc's off of a landscaping truck that pulled up, and an 18 wheelers 15lb abc putting out a car fire on the side of the road.

I caught up with the trucker a mile down the road and gave him his half empty 15lb extinguisher back, his company would fill it back up for him

I've got one. Does it still work? Is it still charged? No idea. I guess I should check!

It couldn't hurt to carry one, but I don't because it will likely do little good. A car fire that is "fully engulfed" cannot be combatted with a single small extinguisher. Most fires not related to accidents start under the hood. To hit the base of the flames with the extinguisher requires that you get the hood open, not an easy task with flames licking out from under it. Then, with an additional air source, the flames might flare up. If my car gets such a fire, I'm steering it off the road and bailing out.

Personal truck, wife's little car, and company vehicle. Company vehicle carry's a dry chemical extinguisher, Co2 extinguisher's in personal vehicle's. Upgraded to Co2 from dry chemical a few years back.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
Driving this evening I saw a car on fire on the side of the interstate. It was fully engulfed in flames, and I hope nobody was in it, as it was certainly unapproachable at that point.

I have occasionally thought about keeping a fire extinguisher in my vehicle, but never have. I think seeing this fire has motivated me to get one to keep in the Touareg. I would hate to see an accident with a fire starting and be helpless.

Anybody or everybody keep one? If so, any recommendations?

I've ALWAYS carried a truck-sized extinguisher in all of our minivans, and a slightly smaller rally car version in our fun car.

I actually had to use a bigger one on two occasions, both times on cars with people in them.

tac

I carry a small one in the console next to me. I realize it would be of limited value, but maybe it would help to knock flames back a bit and help get someone out in the very early stages of a fire. Of course, gasoline fires can go from small to huge in a second, so I'm not going to try anything too bold.

That said, in 37 years of driving I've never had occasion to use it or been in a situation where I would have found it useful.

I drove a Crown Vic for a while that had a fire suppression system, and I kept an extra extinguisher in the trunk. I still keep one in the trunk of my Camaro.

One of those "I'd rather have it and not need it" sort of things IMO.

Years ago when I was an active firefighter in New Jersey yes.
I kept a five pound ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher in my car at all times and a ten pound in my work truck.
Used it many times on car firers.
Since I moved to Florida no.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:
No one ever pays you back or has yours recharged.

That might be true, however I would rather have one and help save a life than wait or need for someone to pay me back to recharge my extinguisher. Just my opinion. God Bless

Considering a 5# Halon unit for my truck. No mess as opposed to a dry chem.

I carry 3 extinguishers and have put out 5 (well, 4 1/2) car fires, none of which were my own car, thankfully. One fire did eventually consume the vehicle, but I was able to knock it down enough to extract the driver before he burned to a cinder.

Be wary of Halon. It can knock down a fire in an engine compartment, for a few seconds, but won't prevent it from reigniting almost immediately. Halon is heavier than air and works by starving the fire of oxygen. Used in an open area, like an engine compartment, the Halon will sink to the ground and dissipate. For some fires dry chemical is more effective, despite the clean up difficulties.

I have two in my little SUV, one in the back and one under the seat.

I've dealt with small (thankfully) electrical fires in four vehicles and one gas fire under the hood of another. It's a horrible helpless feeling when there's smoke coming out of the dashboard.

(not counting a van I owned that was a total loss to an electrical fire, but someone else was driving it at the time)

I almost used my extinguishers on a car accident fire on thursday, but just as I was pulling up a cop pulled up from the other way and jumped out with a large tank extinguisher.

I carry a 5 lb in my Jeep, we're backcountry a lot, I think it's a good idea. I don't carry one in my other vehicles. probably should.

This thread is a reminder to me to switch out the dry chemical extinguishers for Halon units. That's going to be a bit expensive, but they are clean, safe and extremely effective.

I carry two. both ABC.

Yes, both in car and truck for 30 years (switch out every few years). Can't imagine why anyone would not be doing this.

quote:

Originally posted by Pale Horse:
Only had to use one once when tailgating before a baseball game when a friend got a little too liberal with the lighter fluid.

Betcha those dogs tasted nasty!