Fire extinguisher from Enzo

scr11 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-29-2001, 03:00 AM

I'm about to buy a fire extinguisher from Enzo at Finishline. I was thinking about the 2.5 lb model. Any reason why I shouldn't buy this?
Thanks.

Ray Russell · #2 (**permalink**) 12-29-2001, 08:21 AM

I bought a 2.5 lb. chrome one...just like in the catalogue, from a local fire extinguisher dealer for 67.00 and saved the shipping cost.

4RE KLR · #3 (**permalink**) 12-29-2001, 08:39 AM

This is a subject that has been brought up several times. I will tell you from experiance. If you have a fire and loose a $60,000.00 car would it be worth it to have a $100.00 fire extinguisher?

I have two.

My .02

Ferrari Killer
Steve Parks

Ed Csoltko · #4 (**permalink**) 12-29-2001, 10:05 AM

You guys have it all wrong!

The fire extinguisher is used for putting out house fires when you see one while cruising, according to Bill Cosby and his 427 twin paxtons.

scr11 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-29-2001, 07:11 PM

Ray - thanks for the local idea, I hadn't considered that.

4RE KLR - Enzo charges $85 I believe. Are you suggesting I should buy a unit larger than 2.5 lbs.?

Thanks.

4RE KLR · #6 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 09:13 AM

NO, I am not saying you need two. I am saying you need one. I have two differant types. One is Halon, one is sodium. I bought the sodium one first and after talking to DV I decided to also get a halon one. It does a better job on fuel fires and has less mess. If you really want to know about fire extinguishers you should email DV and have him give you the low down. He is well versed on the right one and the wrong one to carry.

I have two because I had a fire once in a Jeep I had. The fire did over $8,500.00 damage in about one minute. You see I had the wrong type. The type I had did not do well on fuel fires and the fire kept reflaming. Luckily for me a guy that had a oil change store nearby had the right kind and put it out in seconds.

What I am telling you is $100.00 ( or $85.00) is cheap insurance. And hopefully we will never need them.

Ferrari Killer
Steve Parks

Double Venom · #7 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 12:50 PM

SCR11,

I think what Steve is saying, is to get one, anyone, but get one!

Have you ever seen fiberglass burn? It is ugly. Takes a bit to get it going, and not that much of a bit, but when it does, it is very hard to extinghuish.

Enzo is selling them for $85.00? Good for him! that is about $12.00 less than my cost! I would only suggest that you make sure you get a "HALON 1211" bottle. (Don't know if this is the one Enzo is selling or not.)

2.5 lbs is what is required by SCCA and all the Viper sanctioned racing events. It is a rather large bottle but can still be mounted in the Cobra fairly easily. We install the smaller 1.? bottles automatically in every Cobra we sell.

Yes, you can go to your local hardware store, marina, even drug stores carry the small home use types and for under $20.00! This IS better than nothing at all...maybe.

For example, lets say you had the old tried and true carb backfire, or in my case a power steering hose popped off that had been on for three years! Showering the hot headers with fuel or power steering fluid, or even oil for that matter makes for a very intense and immediate "cobra roast"!

Now lets say you bought one of the cheaper extinghuishers, lets even assume it worked on your gas/oil fire. (electrical - should work pretty well) Now you have the fire out, and lets assume since you had an extinghuisher to begin with and it was readily available, you sustained nothing more than some sooty fiberglass and valve covers. The only problem here is the Sodium powder!
Don't even think of starting that puppy up with all that sodium in the carb! Tow the car home, dismantle down to the heads at the minimum and thoroughly wash, and rinse before re-assembly.
OH-- then you can start on the guages, interior, wiring, etc. Heaven help if you have an EFI, cleaning all those injectors is real ugly!

Lets go to the same scenario with the Halon type system. "PULL OR SQUEEZE THE FRICKIN' TRIGGER!"

When the fire is out which will be almost immediately, find the problem at the "scene", fix if possible, then simply start up and drive away! The HALON will not leave any residue what so ever, in fact it is invisible, odorless and tasteless.

Safety, safety, safety......Sorry for going on and on. It's a safety thing to me. Ever seen a guy trapped upside down in a fully engulfed Cobra? Many of us have; Run N Gun, 1998 (?). The only thing and I mean the only thing that saved the drivers life was the fact that the driver of our car, Jay Kowalik, was behind the accident. Jay grabbed the extinghuisher and was out of our car before it stopped rolling, was able to extinghuish the "driver" (told you fires are quick!) and drag him out of the car. It still took months for that individual to recover enough to get out of the hospital.

I have this all on video, right to the point where I dropped the camera and ran to the scene.

Safety, safety, safety!
DV

#8 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 04:30 PM

LET ME TELL YA, FOLKS,

FIRE IS UGLY - - - - FIRE IS VERY UGLY - - - - FIRE CAN VERY EASILY BE THE UGLIEST DAMN THING YOU'LL EVER SEE.

DV IS RIGHT ON. (AS USUAL), YOU COULD VERY EASILY BE TALKING ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND/OR YOUR PASSENGERS LIFE.

I WOULD ONLY ADD THAT YOU OUGHT TO CONSIDER (AS IS IN "SERIOUSLY CONSIDER") INSTALLING A HALON FIRE SUPRESSION SYSTEM AS WELL. WE'RE TALKING $350.00 TO $500.00 HERE - TOPS. CHEAP - - - VERY CHEAP, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE VALUE OF YOUR COBRA AND YOUR LIFE.

AND, WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT; DON'T FORGET ABOUT A MASTER BATTERY/ELECTRIC CUT-OFF SWITCH AND FUEL AND IGNITION EMERGENCY CUT-OFF SWITCHES. IF USED IN TIME THEY MIGHT SAVE YOU FROM HAVING TO RECHARGE THE HALON BOTTLE OR AT LEAST THEY WILL GIVE THE HALON A BETTER CHANCE AT BEING EFFECTIVE.

MOST OF US ARE LOOKING FOR "COOL" WINTER PROJECTS FOR OUR COBRAS. PLEASE CONSIDER THE ABOVE. IF YOU "POKE AROUND", THE WAY I DO, IT MIGHT OCCUPY TWO CASUAL WEEKENDS. GUYS LIKE WADE C. WILL KNOCK IT OUT IN AN EVENING. TOPS FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE WILL PROBABLY NOT HIT $500.00.

I HOPE YOU DO IT AND "WASTE" $500.00 BY NEVER HAVING TO USE THEM.

THE VERY WORST THAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT YOU WILL WARM THIS "OLD DUDES" HEART. I'D REALLY - REALLY HATE TO SEE ANYTHING BAD HAPPEN TO ANY OF YOU GUYS. ALL OF YOU JUST MEAN TOO DAMN MUCH TO ME.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY - - - AND A WONDERFUL AND SAFE NEW YEAR.

BLACKJACK

Okiesnake · #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 05:12 PM

I thought that actual HALON was no longer available for anything other than the aeronautical industry. This is due to the destructive nature to the ozone of HALON. I recently purchased a chrome HALOTRON fire extinguisher form a local fire extinguisher company. (less than $100 including mounting frame). I was told that the new HALOTRON is the replacement for HALON and that it too is not destructive to aluminum like the sodium extinguishers.

Double Venom · #10 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 05:29 PM

Okie,
Your just about right on. That is why the new chemical is now called HALON II or Halatron. (At least I think they are the same)

DV

#11 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 06:06 PM

HEY OKIE,

HALON AND HALATRON ARE NOT THE SAME THING - - THEY DO, HOWEVER, HAVE ESSENTIALY THE SAME EFFECT AND WORK THE SAME WAY. "REAL" HALON IS SOMEWHAT MORE EFFECTIVE AND SOMEWHAT MORE EXPENSIVE.

REAL "HALON" IS STILL AVAILABLE (LEGALLY) AS A REFILL AGENT FOR EXTINGUISHERS ORIGINALLY LABELED FOR HALON.

FOR A SLIGHT "PREMIUM" SOME SOURCES HAVE A BACK STOCK OF THOSE EXTINGUISHERS AND IT IS LEGAL TO SELL THEM. THEY JUST CAN'T MANUFACTURE ANY "NEW" BOTTLES WITH THE HALON LABELING.

AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE COMPANYS WHO SOLD ME MY TWO DIFFERENT SUPRESSION SYSTEMS.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK

Okiesnake · #12 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 06:29 PM

I checked and the extinguisher label is “HALOTRON” with an “O”

Blackjack, where did you get your backstocked Halon system?

4RE KLR · #13 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 06:59 PM

Thanks for the imput DV we all know about 1998. It just gets under my skin about this subject. I know you believe that every car on the road should have one and I agree. Like I said before if you have ever been in a car fire you will Dam* sure not be with out one again. I am telling you a car fire is very ugly when you are strapped in and can't get out. As I said before I was in my Jeep and the hood started the smoking thing, you have all seen it. I drove over the curb to get out of traffic. When I stopped I was stuck in the dam* seat belt. It had locked and the harder I tried the tighter it got. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE!

Believe me I was praying to God above to help me out of that fire. I could see myself burning to death in the seat belt. If it had not been for a Buck knife that I carried in the Jeep , folks I would not be here. I cut the seat belt to get out. In my life I have never before or since been that scared. Just telling this story now the hair is standing straigt up on my arms. It was real and I was going to die, In a fire. Guys close your eyes and imagine. Just a second and you to will see what I am telling you.

At that time I would not have cared what kind it was so long as it worked. The one I had did not put out fuel fires. Very hard lesson to learn and "THANK YOU GOD " for letting me live to tell my friends.

Ferrari Killer
Steve Parks

Back in Black · #14 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 07:40 PM

Great advice about the fire extenguishers. I had a gasoline fire as a young man in my dad's ford truck, and the fire dept put it out . Still toasted the wiring in the motor compartment, although the motor was OK.
Carry a razor sharp pocket knife, clipped where you can draw and use it, and CUT THRU THOSE SEAT BELTS if you must. Do NOT hesitate...he who hesitates is a weenie roast!
One try at the seat belt and then my knife would come out. You might also be able to save a friend at a race or on the street with such a knife. Most who will not use it as a weapon ( and all racers, etc...) should get a safety tip type like the Spyderco Rescue or Rescue Jr. OR the (more bulky, but has a glass breaker) Smith and Wesson 1st response knife.
Can you imagine watching your friend, wife or anyone else burn alive in a seat belt while you watch, because you had no knife? Carry one, the best one you legally can.

Double Venom · #15 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 08:24 PM

Okie,

"That" is the exact extinghuisher we use! ALLRIGHT!

This topic is getting down rite ugly, as well as it should be. Fire is not pretty, let alone in a car. In 25 plus years of accident reconstruction, I've seen to many, hauled away to many.

I don't want to loose anymore friends...Just install an extinghuisher!
DV

** just for giggles the break down on the DV II - one on-board portable unit, one 10lb automatic with the tank in the left trunk corner. Fire heads/nozzels, one at the drivers legs, two in the engine compartment. Hey, this thing idles at 58psi fuel pressure!

Okiesnake · #16 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 09:25 PM

DV,
As long as you are never going to activate the automatic halon/halotron unit with any type of top (soft or hard) then it sound like a great system. However, if there are any automatic halon/halotron heads/nozzels in the passenger compartment (ie. drivers legs), it will suffocate the driver and passenger along with the fire. Halon/Halotron works by destroying all oxygen in the air.

Double Venom · #17 (**permalink**) 12-30-2001, 09:48 PM

Okie,
Right again. Being heavier than air and with the jet under the dash, pointing down into the footwell, we "assume" the Halon will go downward. There is not top, at least for now.

What's your thoughts. Think we are taking a gamble on this one? We deliberated on this one long and hard. If the top does comes to be, this particular nozzle will be turned off.

DV

P.s. The thermo switch is in the engine compartment. If there is a cockpit fire, he will either have to hit the button or grab the small onboard unit.

Okiesnake · #18 (**permalink**) 12-31-2001, 08:13 AM

I would guess that with the top off, you might be OK. However, even with the gas being heavier, I think the small cubic volume of the footwell would be quickly filled up and then come up into the driver's air space. How many cubic feet of gas is released from the nozzel? What do the pro racers do?

scr11 · #19 (**permalink**) 12-31-2001, 01:53 PM

This conversation has proven more than helpful. I'll check a local dealer for two (2) 2.5 lbs. extinguishers (Halotron). I'll mount one between the seats and one in the trunk.
As for the fire supression system, I'll do some research on that. Seems pretty interesting to me.
As I'm using a mechanical fuel pump, I don't think a fuel cutoff switch is possible, but I will look into a master battery cutoff.
Thanks again for the info!

4RE KLR · #20 (**permalink**) 12-31-2001, 02:49 PM

scr11

Some of us ( me included) are very passionate about this subject. If you have ever been Trapped in a car while it is on fire you will never forget it. Believe me I know first hand. I scared the heck out of me. I still get goose bumps over that day. Anything is better than nothing , but sounds like your after the right one to begin with. Thats Great.

Happy Ground pounding.

Ferrari Killer
Steve Parks