I can speak from experience and Zak can also chime in from his racing
experience. I ran a BMW 2002 in Trans Am and the best extinguisher available
then and now for enigine - ie: Gas, oil, and petroleum fires is Halon. Yes,
Halon is all the things people say - but only in heavy, long term exposure. The
alternative of fire and smoke is much worse.
After you extinguish the fire with Halon you do not stick around in an enclosed
coach. The combined gases from the fire - Hydrocarbons, cyanide and other
deadly gases, along with the remains of the Halon are not something you want to
breathe for any period of time. Put the fire out, open all hatches, windows,
doors etc. and get help. If the fire is going strong forget the GMC and get
out. There are plenty more where that one came from. There is a limited number
of us fools who want to work and drive them.
If you can get Halon, get it. If not use a dry powder - also not good stuff to
breathe-
but have an extinguisher handy at all times. Gas, propane, 30 year old
machinery and high heat are not good bedmates.
On the other hand, common sense, good PM and inspection and being prepared goes
a long way in preventing such disasters.
There is also a new product on the market called "Fyr-Fighter". I know IHRA and
SCCA are using it and it is an excellent fire surpresser with almost no side
effects. It has tremendous thermal properties and works at reducing the heat to
below flash point. Halon starves out the Oxygen to surpress, this stuff absorbs
the heat to push down the temp to below flash point. Somewhere on the net thay
have a website.
This material is mixed with water and can be used in an old pressureized water
extinguisher. Some reccomend using nitrogen at 200lbs pressure instead of air,
to increase the efficiency, but air works fine. Check it out.
Again, if you can get the Halon extinguisher, and you use it wisely it is the
best way to go.
Done preaching.
Marcus
> Howdy back Scott --
>
> About foam extinguishers, I'm aware of any, but someone on this list may
> know. I looked in the usual places, but didn't find anything. Halon is the
> (snip)
> >
experience. I ran a BMW 2002 in Trans Am and the best extinguisher available
then and now for enigine - ie: Gas, oil, and petroleum fires is Halon. Yes,
Halon is all the things people say - but only in heavy, long term exposure. The
alternative of fire and smoke is much worse.
After you extinguish the fire with Halon you do not stick around in an enclosed
coach. The combined gases from the fire - Hydrocarbons, cyanide and other
deadly gases, along with the remains of the Halon are not something you want to
breathe for any period of time. Put the fire out, open all hatches, windows,
doors etc. and get help. If the fire is going strong forget the GMC and get
out. There are plenty more where that one came from. There is a limited number
of us fools who want to work and drive them.
If you can get Halon, get it. If not use a dry powder - also not good stuff to
breathe-
but have an extinguisher handy at all times. Gas, propane, 30 year old
machinery and high heat are not good bedmates.
On the other hand, common sense, good PM and inspection and being prepared goes
a long way in preventing such disasters.
There is also a new product on the market called "Fyr-Fighter". I know IHRA and
SCCA are using it and it is an excellent fire surpresser with almost no side
effects. It has tremendous thermal properties and works at reducing the heat to
below flash point. Halon starves out the Oxygen to surpress, this stuff absorbs
the heat to push down the temp to below flash point. Somewhere on the net thay
have a website.
This material is mixed with water and can be used in an old pressureized water
extinguisher. Some reccomend using nitrogen at 200lbs pressure instead of air,
to increase the efficiency, but air works fine. Check it out.
Again, if you can get the Halon extinguisher, and you use it wisely it is the
best way to go.
Done preaching.
Marcus
> Howdy back Scott --
>
> About foam extinguishers, I'm aware of any, but someone on this list may
> know. I looked in the usual places, but didn't find anything. Halon is the
> (snip)
> >
