Fire Extinguishers For the Shop.

[Iron-Iceberg]

I would like to get 2 new Fire Estinguishers for the shop and I see their is a lot of different ones out there. Help me choose.
My shop is mainly automotive but I do some welding and all kinds of projects in there, even some wood work at times but not much. My shop is a metal building so Im not so much worried about burning down the building as I am of burning up a car or things inside the shop.

I dont really want an dry chemical F/E because the clean up on a nice car can be more damage then the fire.

I have heard of using a Carbon Dioxide F/E with good results and I also see their is a new Halon type F/E called Halotron 1

Anyone use a Halotron 1 F/E? Any good? Better then CD?They are not cheep but. If it saves a car it would be worth it.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Firetrucks]

Stick with the CO2 extinguisher.
A Halon extinguisher is usually a lot more in initial price and in my mind hard to justify in a "shop" setting. If you were in a high tech/computer area then Halon would be a consideration.
As someone who had a friend "help" by putting out a fire with a dry chemical extinguisher stay away from them if at all possible. I found out the hard way it is tough on a vehicle because the powder gets everywhere.

Scott

 

[Iron-Iceberg]

Ok here is some info Ive dug up.
Carbon Dioxide 15lb
U/L rating 10 B:C
12.5 sec. discharge time.
$239

Halotron 1 15.5lb
U/L rating 1A:10B:C
14 sec. discharge time
$450 WOW

So you do pick up the protection of an A rating (wood ect.) and another 1.5 sec. of discharge time it is at quite a cost. As in I could get 2 for less money so I think CO2 is the way to go.
Any other comments?

 

[REFLEXX]

I just got some co2 extinguishers from Costco. Like $30.

 

[bmwpower]

I just got some co2 extinguishers from Costco. Like $30.

$30?? How big?

 

[Iron-Iceberg]

Yes a 15lb F/E weights like 45lbs. Not sure how that works out but they are the big ones. Im leaning more towards the 10lb ones.

 

[jfelbab]

Several years ago I bought a dozen 10 and 15 lb units from a telephone company that was converting to halon. I paid $5 each. I had no idea how expensive these would become. I weigh them twice a year to monitor their charge and make the wife use one every so often so she knows what to expect when/if she ever needs one. Not sure she can haul one of these around very far though. I supplanted these with three dry chemical units in and around the home. I once put out a neighbors garage fire with the CO2 units. He was cleaning parts in gasoline. He was pretty happy I had them. I was too as his garage was close to my home.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Having several is a good idea. A CO2 and at least 2 smaller dry chemical placed near areas in your shop where flamable liquids are stored. Dont forget a LOUD smoke dectector also. The extinguishers should be in plane eye level sight for the benifit of anyone not familar with your shop. A neighbor might have an emergency and this would be for his benifit too.

 

[Abe]

If you decide to use a dry chemical you might want to use one with purple K agent in it. Purple K will not eat valuable, shiny aluminum parts like most dry chemicals will.

Abe

 

[DIGGER_DAVE]

Any "Dry Chem" creates a mess.

"CO2's" have one particular DISADVANTAGE; they DISPLACE oxygen. Which is one of the products of combustion.
It's also the stuff you need to breath!

In a small contained space, CO2 extinguishers (especially large discharge) can be dangerous.

Haylon type extinguishers will allow you to breath; but at the same time "snuff out" flames. (most commonly used in computer rooms; in enclosed spaces)

One type that hasn't been mentioned.
Pressurized WATER. It's good for normal combustables (cools the flame) like wood or paper.
BUT DO NOT use it on petroleum fed fires; it will just spread the flames.

I went with 10 lb. Dry Chem at each exit. CO2's (5 lb) at each work bench. And a 25 gallon Water type at the overhead door, with a 20 lb. CO2 beside it.

 

[KeukaDan]

For simplicity I would recommend getting a ABC dry chem and a CO2 extinguisher. To tell you the truth, most people will not be able to think clearly enough when faced with a fire to decide which extinguisher is the right one for this fire. Also in most cases the cleanup is the least of your worries. As a Captain for years in a fire company, we have used most every extinguishing agent availible and they all have their places, but in a garage, get a CO2 for B and C class fires as that will work well for that. Also get an ABC dry chem for A class fires and anything that cleanup will be less of a problem.

Halon is being phased out due to its safety and environmental issues and therefore is not a good choice. Water is good but you have to be very conscious of what you spray it on as it will only work on A and it is dangerous on B and C. Foam is good but cant be used on electrical fires in most cases. Purple K is great for fuel fires, (infact that is what we use at the race track for car fires, on everything from sports cars up to Nextel Cup and IRL cars, we also use foam extinguishers) the problem is it is best for B type fires and less effective on others. Ease of use is more important than cleanup. It is more important that you, or anyone else uses the right extinguisher and therefore it is important to have fewer options as you may get yourself into more trouble. The other thing I would reccommend is you should learn how to use the extinguisher and actually practice. One post said they had their wife practice, that is great but it shouldnt just be the wife, everyone should practice, even if you think you know how to do it. Everything changes when your house/car/garage is burning down and you are trying to stop it.

 

[Iron-Iceberg]

Keuka Dan, Thanks for the info. I have two ABC drychems in the shop now. And I will keep them for backup. My shop is a 30x33 box 15' high with two 12' high doors and I wanted to get a F/E for the side of each door.
I worry most about a car fire when tunning and doing carb work and that is why I am looking for something that wont trash the car but will still put out the fire.

 

[PAToyota]

Picked up three pressurized water extinguishers at an auction over the weekend. One question, can you put something like propylene glycol in them so that they don't freeze in an unheated garage? That is the one downside I see.

 

[KeukaDan]

Iron-Iceberg, I would get a CO2 and a drychem, maybe two of each, the CO2 for the car, and the ABC for anything else.

 

[TNToy]

Be careful buying dry chemical (powder) extinguishers on the cheap. I'll always have three large enough to put out whatever fire I might start in my garage, now.

Why? Let me put it this way: When discussing the cheap extinguishers you can get for around $20... I've used 'em twice in my life. On those two occasions, I've had a 50% failure rate.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Any "Dry Chem" creates a mess.

"CO2's" have one particular DISADVANTAGE; they DISPLACE oxygen. Which is one of the products of combustion.
It's also the stuff you need to breath!

In a small contained space, CO2 extinguishers (especially large discharge) can be dangerous.

Haylon type extinguishers will allow you to breath; but at the same time "snuff out" flames. (most commonly used in computer rooms; in enclosed spaces)

One type that hasn't been mentioned.
Pressurized WATER. It's good for normal combustables (cools the flame) like wood or paper.
BUT DO NOT use it on petroleum fed fires; it will just spread the flames.

I went with 10 lb. Dry Chem at each exit. CO2's (5 lb) at each work bench. And a 25 gallon Water type at the overhead door, with a 20 lb. CO2 beside it.

You are smart for having the dry chems near the doors. If you need on outside its the logical place to have them also.