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Kevin in NJ · 08-12-2011, 09:31 AM

All this talk of extinguishers and not talk about how they work and how to use them.

Halon is great, no mess. BUT it is does not put out all fires. It can only take away the oxygen. If you have a constant fuel source and constant ignition source the Halon is not going to do the job. Consider leaves and a blowing wind. The halon will take away the flame, but not the heat. The wind can bring the embers up to temp for more flame.

CO2 is the same idea.

Dry chem smothers the fire. Messy, but longer lasting.

I can remember a motorhome we had. It burned up the tranny going to Hershey and on the way home the field rebuild failed to clear all the crap from the converter. The tranny would move the motorhome and trailer, but at every stop you had to JUMP out and blast the tranny fluid that caught fire as soon as it hit the air as it squirted out at a stop. The drill was quick and simple. Stop, open door jump out on the ground and a quick short blast of Halon and the flame went out. One time I got out and there was a bit of a breeze and it did not go out so quick, a hairy half second of flame! Halon is great, but it has limits!!!

08-12-2011, 09:31 AM	#31
Kevin in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East NJ Posts: 3,398	Re: Fire Extinguisher All this talk of extinguishers and not talk about how they work and how to use them. Halon is great, no mess. BUT it is does not put out all fires. It can only take away the oxygen. If you have a constant fuel source and constant ignition source the Halon is not going to do the job. Consider leaves and a blowing wind. The halon will take away the flame, but not the heat. The wind can bring the embers up to temp for more flame. CO2 is the same idea. Dry chem smothers the fire. Messy, but longer lasting. I can remember a motorhome we had. It burned up the tranny going to Hershey and on the way home the field rebuild failed to clear all the crap from the converter. The tranny would move the motorhome and trailer, but at every stop you had to JUMP out and blast the tranny fluid that caught fire as soon as it hit the air as it squirted out at a stop. The drill was quick and simple. Stop, open door jump out on the ground and a quick short blast of Halon and the flame went out. One time I got out and there was a bit of a breeze and it did not go out so quick, a hairy half second of flame! Halon is great, but it has limits!!!