fire extinguisher for offroad rigs
- Thread starter Kiel
- Start date
choptopbII
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Clearfield, UT
I can't remember what size mine is but i got it from Jake (NOTATOY) It comes with a mounting bracket and i have it mounted in between my seats all try and get a picture.
- Location
- West Jordan
I've heard Six-States has the good ABC ones, with the metal tops. I think metal tops are required by some comp sanctioning bodies, plus, its not a bad idea to have a metal top anyways - don't have to worry about the cheesy plastic top breaking off and rendering your 'xtingusher totally useless.
Medsker
2024 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392
- Location
- Herriman, UT
If you look closely at the ABC ones it will tell you how big of a fire it will put out of each type. The one I carry says "1A:10-B:C" and is 2 1/2 pounds. A-combustible material (wood etc);B-liquids on fire (like gas); C-electrical fires; D-flammable metals like magnesium etc (Probably don't need a D rated.
The 1 in front of the "A" means it will put out 1 cubic foot of material, in front of the B it means it will put out 10 square feet of burning liquid the C just means it works
Keep in mind a typical fire will at least double in size every minute. So if you have a 1A that is going to take you a minute to grab you might as well stay and watch it burn
I've only needed "D" twice and didn't have it either time. It was when some newbies left the park brake on my snowmobiles and drove off. The rotors are made of magnesium so once they got hot enough it burned them both to the ground. I got a new one one year and the second time was a year later on my other sled so I got a second new one but was dropped like a stone from my insurance company
My shop is a 10 pounder that is 4A:60B:C. It was given me by a friend who works for Treasure Fire Extinguishers. He told me anything less than 10 pounds on a car fire is just going to piss you off. I've only done one car fire and it was just a couple of wire and my small one worked great.
Use this knowledge for what it is worth. I'm am not an expert but have graduated from the "fire school chapter" in my CERT class. One thing for sure is to have it secured in the vehicle properly since they always seem to be attached around a human being (roll bar, in between seats, etc)
The 1 in front of the "A" means it will put out 1 cubic foot of material, in front of the B it means it will put out 10 square feet of burning liquid the C just means it works
Keep in mind a typical fire will at least double in size every minute. So if you have a 1A that is going to take you a minute to grab you might as well stay and watch it burn I've only needed "D" twice and didn't have it either time. It was when some newbies left the park brake on my snowmobiles and drove off. The rotors are made of magnesium so once they got hot enough it burned them both to the ground. I got a new one one year and the second time was a year later on my other sled so I got a second new one but was dropped like a stone from my insurance company
My shop is a 10 pounder that is 4A:60B:C. It was given me by a friend who works for Treasure Fire Extinguishers. He told me anything less than 10 pounds on a car fire is just going to piss you off. I've only done one car fire and it was just a couple of wire and my small one worked great.
Use this knowledge for what it is worth. I'm am not an expert but have graduated from the "fire school chapter" in my CERT class. One thing for sure is to have it secured in the vehicle properly since they always seem to be attached around a human being (roll bar, in between seats, etc)
I have a 2.5 lb one that I got from Lowe's, it's an ABC and came with a mounting bracket. Wasn't too spendy, and it's supposedly intended to be in a vehicle, for whatever that's worth.
I've had the Litegrip ones before, and they have really nice mounting brackets for them. The downsides are the price of them, and the fact that they're only 1lb extinguishers. They did work to put out a small rig fire I used one on, though.
I've had the Litegrip ones before, and they have really nice mounting brackets for them. The downsides are the price of them, and the fact that they're only 1lb extinguishers. They did work to put out a small rig fire I used one on, though.
Hunt
Active Member
- Location
- Carmel, NY
I have 3 Pyro-Chem extinguishers- steel bodied with aluminum valves. They are the rechargeable type that came form a fire safety equipment shop.
Fire absolutely terrifies me so I don't mess around. I just bought a DJ Safety Cold Fire suppression system. It's a 10lb bottle with nozzles to cover the engine, tranny and fuel cell. I could have it spray the driver and passenger if I wanted but without window nets or door bars my jeep is pretty easy to get away form provided you can get the belts undone.
When I get home I will be installing it right away.
Fire absolutely terrifies me so I don't mess around. I just bought a DJ Safety Cold Fire suppression system. It's a 10lb bottle with nozzles to cover the engine, tranny and fuel cell. I could have it spray the driver and passenger if I wanted but without window nets or door bars my jeep is pretty easy to get away form provided you can get the belts undone.
When I get home I will be installing it right away.
BCGPER
Starting Another Thread
- Location
- Sunny Arizona
I wouldn't waste my time on the spendy ones, just not worth the money. In your case, this is probably your best option...
Last edited:
rholbrook
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Kaysville, Ut
I got mine at Six-States and I hope it stays as a roll bar ornemant.
Badbuggy
rock star
- Location
- Fruita, Co
I have two mounted on my buggy, one under the drivers seat, where I can reach it and one on the back of the rig where anyone can get it. I have been on fire once, and it is pretty scary.
- Location
- Never Far From Nowhere
L.N. Curtis & Sons down on 300 West and just north of 1300 South is the place to go for extinguishers. They mostly sell directly to government and big business, but if you walk in they are usually able to set you up with a anything you want. And its all the high quality stuff, so you know it will work when you need it too. The cheap little plastic extinguishers you find at most hardware stores make me nervous.
Hunt
Active Member
- Location
- Carmel, NY
YES. Replace it with a good one.
Side note: Don't just throw the old one away. Use it to teach a kid how to use it. If it goes off great. If not, pretend and be glad you replaced it.
Use common sense with the above statment.
- Location
- Never Far From Nowhere
Most extinguishers should have a gauge near the nozel that will indicate the charge it has. Most have green, yellow and red zones on the gauge. Green good, yellow replace, red really replace.
- Location
- Never Far From Nowhere
L.N. Curtis used to. I don't think they do anymore, but you could check. If they don't, I'm sure they know who does.
Thanks.
I'm going to pretend I didn't see this so I can discharge it with wanton disregard to mine and others safety and claim ignorance. :greg:
Hunt
Active Member
- Location
- Carmel, NY
A quality refillable/rechargeable extinguisher is good for 5 years. The bottles themselves have to be hydro tested every 6 years. What happens with most powder type bottles is that the chemical gets compacted in the bottle and only a small portion will discharge or the chemical plugs up the gage giving you an indication of fully charged when in fact the pressure has discharged.
If the extinguisher is out of date it can be tested, refilled, recharged and put back into service by professional fire supply store. Provided they will work you brand of bottle and it passed the tests.
If a professional fire supply company will only guarantee an extinguisher for 5 years I certainly would not trust an inexpensive one for greater than that.
Fire extinguishers are similar to other pressure vessels, like welding gas bottles and your CO2 bottles, have to be hydro statically pressure tested to insure its integrity.
The real difference in fire extinguishers is in the quality of the valve that sits atop the bottle.
If the extinguisher is out of date it can be tested, refilled, recharged and put back into service by professional fire supply store. Provided they will work you brand of bottle and it passed the tests.
If a professional fire supply company will only guarantee an extinguisher for 5 years I certainly would not trust an inexpensive one for greater than that.
Fire extinguishers are similar to other pressure vessels, like welding gas bottles and your CO2 bottles, have to be hydro statically pressure tested to insure its integrity.
The real difference in fire extinguishers is in the quality of the valve that sits atop the bottle.