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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jan 3, 2023 14:36:11 GMT -8
In a front end crash where I can easily see a fuel system component getting damaged releasing pressurized fuel into that hot engine compartment i maybe see how a single car can wind up alongside a highway (against the midline barrier it possibly spun into?) burnt to a metal shell after its fuel went up.
My further poking showed up something about extinguishers that’s interesting. The dry chemical common extinguisher is commonly rated ABC, covering solid fuel (wood, paper etc.) B (gasoline, etc) and C ( electrical in all standard sizes starting at the 2.5 lb size while the more techie attractive as it doesn’t use a corrosive fire suppressant starts out at the usual weights of 2.5 and 5 lbs only rated B & C with the seemingly “simpler” solid fuel fire only with the 11 lb size getting ABC rated.
So for resource protection for knocking down a spark ignited brush fire before it grows, in line with the seeming sense of overlanding and the Island Beach recommendations a dry chemical extinguisher makes more sense as it‘s more effective per weight of material on those fire types than the new fangled Halotron (replaced Halon) types. Some reviewers noted even for simple engine compartment gas fires while the less damaging Halotron might seem tempting with no cleanup of the a corrosive element modern power packs have a lot of plastic and composite parts under the hood where the higher effectiveness of dry chemicals offer superior suppressing capability. For a smaller package, no ginormous 11 lb canister to try and conveniently store (and pay for; ouch).
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ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
Posts: 9,845
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Post by ErnieW on Jan 3, 2023 15:36:49 GMT -8
I believe electrical fires have two parts. One a high current that produces burning temps then two the insulation and surrounding plastics catch. Somewhere usually the short circuit gets broken when the conducting elements melt. A C extinguisher will put out the fire in the second phase.
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Post by nickhowes on Jan 3, 2023 15:38:01 GMT -8
At least in rural areas, a fire extinguisher can be useful to prevent a vehicle fire (even if it's catastrophic) from becoming a wildfire. We carry one in all our vehicles.
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