On-Board Fire Extinguisher With OR Without Hose?

[Fudster]

I came across the Element fire extinguisher almost a year ago. It has its use cases I believe and would work. I’m just afraid I’ll forget the discharge procedure in an emergency situation. And the short reach may not work well in a windy day.

My second proverb today @Fast-n-Furious is "the extinguisher most familiar to its operator is the one most effective at putting out a fire"

(The instructions, written by design in an idiot proof way, that can be followed in time of panic is on the Element's packaging.)

Get the device you like best /are most comfortable with. The Elements aren't cheap, but they keep extinguishing when canisters have already emptied.

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[Beachcomber72]

I've been wanting to get a Halotron fire extinguisher for my rig. It seems most of the vehicle mounted ones don't come with the hose, at least from those posted pictures. The one with the hose is cheaper to my surprise. I'd imagine using one with the hose would give you more control and longer reach for better target acquisition? Any insights?

From experiences in rescues and other personal situations you do not want the hose version. I say this because the hose version takes two hands to operate and in a life or death emergency you need as many hands free to do other things while trying to sort out a fire. Regardless of automotive or home use.

1. Calling 911
2. Holding a scared child
3. You may have one hand severely injured

1000’s of reasons to go with a single hand use extinguisher.

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

From experiences in rescues and other personal situations you do not want the hose version. I say this because the hose version takes two hands to operate and in a life or death emergency you need as many hands free to do other things while trying to sort out a fire. Regardless of automotive or home use.

1. Calling 911
2. Holding a scared child
3. You may have one hand severely injured

1000’s of reasons to go with a single hand use extinguisher.

Thanks fort he insights! Absolutely valid points and they make perfect sense! I failed to take these use cases into consideration.

 

[bjm00se]

That seems like a lot of money for a 2:BC

I know folks get concerned about the lingering effects of dry chemical if it's not fully cleaned away. But at the instant of the fire, the mandate is: Put The Fire Out! Worry about cleanup later. There's no cleanup worry if the vehicle, or whatever's on fire, burns to the ground.

So I carry this 3A:40BC:

https://amerexfireextinguishers.com/products/amerex-5lb-abc-b402?variant=34999427857

And it's only seventy bucks.

 

[Vinman]

I have an Element 50 in each of our vehicles, our travel trailer and one for the garage.
They claim the 50 size lasts 4 times longer than a traditional 5lb extinguisher.
Thats a lot of oomph in a very small package.
Also no maintenance required and indefinite shelf life.

 

[smokeythecat]

Like CIA and NSA?

No. Like 86 and 99.

 

[rkwfxd]

I just ordered two Element 50s, one for each side of my jeep.

 

[smokeythecat]

I went with an Amerex ABC, no hose. Admittedly I didn't put a ton of thought into it.

 

[Miloe]

Former job, I decide to be helpful and pick up some field guys from dropping their trucks off at the service center. Grab the keys to an open service truck, F350 4 door 4x4 long bed monster. Trucks empty, rear seats folded up, no big fuss.
First hard turn…. Bang, bam, rattle, clunk in the rear seat area… someone let an extinguisher loose back there. can’t reach it from the front, screw it, I’ll secure it when I stop.
Second hard turn… bang, bam,rattle, clunk… POOF… WTF whiteout.
Seems the field guys didn’t just leave the extinguisher loose in the back, they lost the hose, the plastic tie on the safety pin, the safety pin and then left it loose in the back.
Be assured, one of the small extinguishers will fill a truck cab RFN.

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

Former job, I decide to be helpful and pick up some field guys from dropping their trucks off at the service center. Grab the keys to an open service truck, F350 4 door 4x4 long bed monster. Trucks empty, rear seats folded up, no big fuss.
First hard turn…. Bang, bam, rattle, clunk in the rear seat area… someone let an extinguisher loose back there. can’t reach it from the front, screw it, I’ll secure it when I stop.
Second hard turn… bang, bam,rattle, clunk… POOF… WTF whiteout.
Seems the field guys didn’t just leave the extinguisher loose in the back, they lost the hose, the plastic tie on the safety pin, the safety pin and then left it loose in the back.
Be assured, one of the small extinguishers will fill a truck cab RFN.

Oh man what an experience! The guy who did the cleanup/detailing must have hated that job. The loose fire extinguisher could be a projectile during a crash...

The field guys could definitely use more attention to their in-cab equipment, safety is also a practice.

 

[Yogi]

Ideally, if you are going to run Halon, you plumb it into the engine bay with 2 to 4 ports around, and near the top of the engine bay and a 5 to 10 lb can mounted inside the cab. Usually they are triggered with a pull cable.
In a server room they are triggered by a heat sensitive glass trigger. When the glass breaks it dumps the halon in the room evacuating/neutralizing the oxygen in the room, depriving the fire of its catalyst.
The advantage of Halon is that you won't get powder all over everything so after-fire cleanup is easy, and downstream intake damage is non-existent if the engine is running when you let the Halon go.

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

Thanks everyone for all the valuable insights and suggestions! I finalized the idea and bought Amerex ABC from Bartact, cheaper than Amazon. And the AAL bracket with the Synergy quick release.

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