Investigating Fire Extinguishers

[CyclingSteve]

Hi Folks - one of the things I have to sort out for the van is engine bay fire protection so spent the afternoon trawling every thread I could find on search. Guess its either...

1. Gas (potentially VW Aircooled system with LED, Fuel cut-off etc.) £200odd
2. AIFF and the Firetec melting hose style £200odd
3. Fireblitz Gas with auto-engage but no warning, fuel cutoff etc £80

I know all the focus is on auto-engaging these systems - has anyone done anything with a manual activation? - i.e. I'm driving along, something happens, I see smoke and I hit a big button to extinguish the fire - similar to what FIA Touring Cars have ? Just thinking that the risk of "automatic" - is that it isn't !! and then you have no "safe" manual option short of lifting the engine lid and that isn't good at all.

I'll be running away anyway - but hitting a "save my bus button" on the way out would appeal to me...

No worries if no-one has - if anyone feels strongly on option 1-3 I'd love to hear from you, 'cos just now I have no idea what to go for out of the 3!!

CS

 

[BRAD]

Looked at that by the time you price it all up, I used DemonTweeks, it is a major cost between £600-£1000 depends on spec you could spend more.

 

[BRAD]

Oh yeah sorry, currently have fire retardant sound proofing, the cheap auto extinguisher hanging and I have a fire tech to add as soon as my mate makes me up a sheet with the holes in it so I can attach the hose work.
Once I've finished I'll try and post a photo.

Got three hand held extinguishers in the van, would like to think it makes me feel better.......... or paranoid :msn4:

 

[ballbag]

I've been considering one of these.

http://www.elidefire.com/products.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyGjUnJKbZk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[67westy]

StuF has one of the ball things installed and he has used them on non-bus fires.

 

[ozziedog]

I think with all of these systems and hand helds, you may have to think of them as a way to give you just a little more time to escape with your passengers just because you can`t cover every eventuality .. Prevention is by far and away the bestest. Fuel pipes, filters, vents checked very regularly and don`t forget your battery and electricals need inspecting as well. Lots of things have lasted for donkeys years and we are now replacing them with crap that might last a year with the wind in the right direction. A fuel cut off right at the tank outlet is almost essential and possibly on everyones to do list (me included)so that the fire is starved of fuel which is the major problem. That ball thing, and Stuf has one and rates them very very highly because he`s seen them in action so he has it fitted in a cage in the engine bay. As effective as they are, if fuel is still gushing out because the pipes have burnt through it will soon re ignite. I don`t know if I`d like to lift the engine lid if it were on fire in there, people say about the gush of oxygen when you lift the lid ? Is this true ? Or does it just appear that way when you lift the lid ? Considering the fire has two smashing half moon shaped vents already feeding it, and are they worth blocking off with jumpers or old blankets or rags ?
Wiggy and me saw a T25 I think it was, coming into a show somewhere, and it was trailing smoke, so we start waving wildly at the fella who starts waving enthusiasticly back at us and other people are waving etc etc , he must have thought it was the friendliest show ever until he pulled up at the other end of the field. Now I`m not sure of the exact numbers but it was something like three or four handhelds and three or four full size ones from the farm to put it out. Turns out it wasn`t electrical, and it wasn`t fuel although it would have been fed by the fuel if it had of burned through the fuel lines. Because this guy was lucky enough to catch fire where there were plenty of people with hand helds which were next to useless and the farm with real extinguishers which saved the day, because of this we found out what it was that had caused the fire after a bit of detective work and it was an oil leak that was dripping into the heat exchangers so the exhaust set it alight, not only that, but once alight the heat exchangers were to a degree protecting the fire from the fire extinguishers.
Regular maintenance, and a real good look at ` `Everything ` ` is the best thing I think

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Lets be careful out there peeps :mrgreen:

 

[sparkywig]

We used 4 handhelds and 6 full size extinguishers, and it still reignited due to the engine and heat exchangers being hot.

 

[RePhil]

Agree with the above about putting a fire out once it has got hold & also may have a fuel supply & hot bits to keep it going.
As Ozziedog says, good maintenance.

Having a good working OG heating system will deliver engine bay air to the dash air vents. I always have mine on, even during this scorching summer :lol: , & am constantly sniffing the quality of hot air. I would like to think that anything going awry might be spotted before it became a serious issue.
When I first got my bus on the road I smelled a petrol leak & pulled over immediately.
I now have better pipes, clips & solenoid (outside engine bay). Without the fumes being delivered to the cab, I doubt I would have known about it.

My 2 penneth.

Phil.