would a fire extinguisher likely explode in a car crash?

Giselle · Postby **Giselle** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:01 pm

I'm very safety concious and wouldn't mind storing a small fire extinguisher in my car. It looks like a good place to store it might be on the floor behind the passenger seat.

Since it's under pressure though, I'm concious about whether they'd explode in a car crash? Might be best to keep it out of the cabin then

olboy · Postby **olboy** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:06 pm

If the crash was bad enough to make it explode then I don't think you would care

doc · Postby **doc** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:15 pm

The pro's and con's for having, not having a fire extinguisher in your car are straight forward.
Ask anyone who has had an engine bay fire.
Put it out, or watch your pride and joy burn to the ground.

Evil Panda · Postby **Evil Panda** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:15 pm

They threw one in a fire on Mythbusters once and the safety valve just released the compressed air.
Assume it would do the same if it were being crushed.
But like olboy said, if it's at that point and it's in the cabin... what happens to a fire extinguisher is the least of your worries.

Giselle · Postby **Giselle** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:21 pm

Thanks

My car is fairly new (It hasn't even hit the road yet- garage queen) so I'm still trying to work out how to make the most out of the room that a NA offers

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:38 pm

The main consideration would be to bolt it down properly so it doesn't become a missile in the event of a prang.

Suspense · Postby **Suspense** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:40 pm

Make sure it's bolted down. You can buy brackets or make one fairly easily. Far safer than having a missile loose in the cabin in a crash.

Edit: my slow typing beaten by JBT!

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:51 pm

x2. They weigh about 2Kg and they're absolutely lethal if they're flying about the cabin in a crash. You should bear in mind the CAMS regulations for mounting extinguishers: "Hand-held fire extinguishers must remain restrained under an acceleration of 25G". So that means a 2Kg extinguisher should have a mounting strong enough to withstand 50Kg of force on it. Usually this means 4 6mm mounting bolts on an all steel bracket.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:59 pm

Yeah, they have safety valves.

Same as car LPG tanks.

Regie · Postby **Regie** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:31 pm

just don't crash

22Silver · Postby **22Silver** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:23 pm

If the crash was strong enough to blow up a fire extinguisher, you'd probably be counting your lucky stars that the cabin was full of non-flammable gas directly after the crash..

Assuming the drivers side of the cabin took like, less than 10% of the force that the passengers side with the extinguisher did.. Because fire extinguishers are made to contain a fair load of pressure.

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:09 am

The hazard of the extinguisher is that it's a brick that could become a projectile in a crash. Install one, but make sure the system for installing it is very strong. A 1kg extingisher in a crash causing a 100G load(injury but not certain death) will exert a 100kg force on that bracket. You want it to be STRONG.

22Silver · Postby **22Silver** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:27 am

Has anyone ever considered the pros and cons of fire blankets?

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:52 am

22Silver wrote:Has anyone ever considered the pros and cons of fire blankets?

They work great when you can cover the fire with them.

Unfortunately, cars don't really have many places you can easily throw a fire blanket over without it still having air gaps for the fire to breathe.

A 1kg extinguisher is the easiest to mount/carry, but just be aware that they're not really big enough to stop a decent fire (ie: engine bay)