Fire Extinguisher

[hauser]

What would be the optimum size and placement for the Pagoda?

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Ed Cave]

Perhaps more important is 'type'. For an automobile, a 2.5 pound HALON extinguisher is on the small side but perhaps best suited due to its smaller physical size. Be sure to keep it serviced, especially a halon unit and with only 2.5 pounds, aim well. If you lack confidence, [:0] get a 5 lb'er.

Other than "where you can get to it very quickly", I will defer to others as to the best mounting location.

Here is a thread from the Early 911 Registry forum that addresses this subject pretty thoroughly. http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9258&highlight=halon

One more thing. Don't wreck your interior. Get it in stainless steel, not fire engine red. Here is one of many out there...https://www.safecraft.com/product_page.asp?ProductCatID=1&ProductSubCatID=7

Be safe.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA


1971 280SL
1973 911S
2004 A4 3.0
2006 GS430

[mdsalemi]

Think I bought this one in the Costco auto section, maybe it was Pep Boys.  Has a Velcro-like mounting bracket, and it does not move.  Maybe $15 or so?  I don't remember, it was not an issue.

Download Attachment: FireEx.jpg
82.91 KB

And Ed, perhaps it is just me, but the "Fire Engine Red" of the extinguisher looks just fine on my car!  

You want Halon?  Cost $$$.  Check here:

http://shop.autobahnpower.com/products.asp?recnumber=234

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[TR]

Hauser -- I ended up going with 2 halon fire extinguishers.  You can see both in the Photos section: http://index.php?topic=4440

The area under the driver's seat already had a hole for mounting the smaller extinguisher.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[al_lieffring]

I may tend to be a bit too sarcastic, but I usualy tell people the best thing for a car fire is to carry a shovel, and use it to chase the firemen away untill the car is completly burnt down. Fire damaged cars are always a pain and people are rarely satisfied with the cars after repairs have been attempted. Unless the fire is put out in the first few seconds, you provably shouldn't want to keep the car after that. A fuel fire will often reflash after a small extinguisher is exausted, so if you are going to carry one get one big enough to get the job done.

113-042-10-014715
built 11 Jan 66
904/396 blue, Ivory Tex
condition- rust bucket

[Amanda]

Learning more everyday, how common are car fires?  My car came with an extinguisher, but it's in the trunk - doesn't seem like it would do that much good there.

Amanda
1966 230SL
Manual
Red/Tan
Los Angeles

[J. Huber]

Hello Amanda, my feeling is if the car is well-maintained and the wiring hasn't been messed with too much, a fire is probably pretty unlikely. Having said that, I keep a fire extinguisher in the trunk anyway. I could get it darn quick if I had too.

James
63 230SL

[Cees Klumper]

I have a standard (non-halon) one behind the passenger seat, affixed pretty much like Michael Salemi has his.

The reason I always carry one in the Pagoda is that I had a car fire (electrical) once and I know that if only I would have carried an extinguisher, it would have never turned into the mess that it did. Still, the car (a Ford Pinto) was fixed and all was well afterwards.

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[J. Huber]

Ahh, the Ford Pinto. I haven't heard reference to one of those in 20 years! I had the dubious distinction of driving a Mustang II in High School. What's worse, it was Baby Blue. But ya know what, it got me from one place to another -- which is all that counts when you are 16!

James
63 230SL

[Mike Hughes]

quote:Originally posted by J. Huber

Hello Amanda, my feeling is if the car is well-maintained and the wiring hasn't been messed with too much, a fire is probably pretty unlikely. Having said that, I keep a fire extinguisher in the trunk anyway. I could get it darn quick if I had too.

James
63 230SL

...unless it's locked!  I keep two in several of my cars, one in the passenger compartment within reach of the driver's seat and one in the luggage compartment, if it is separate from the passenger area.

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[Ed Cave]

Fortunately, I've never had to extinguish an engine but from everything I've learned if you have to do it, Halon = no residue whatsoever vs. Dry Chemical = huge mess that is very difficult to clean or remove, especially from an engine bay.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA


1971 280SL
1973 911S
2004 A4 3.0
2006 GS430

[George Davis]

I had a small car fire once due to a broken fuel line.  The Pagoda's fuel lines are all located away from the exhaust manifolds, but close to a possible source of sparks (the ignition system).  Replacing every fuel hose (and there are several) is a good bit of preventive maintenance if yours are 40-ish years old.

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[al_lieffring]

I guess my best setting a pagoda on fire story (yes there is more than one) was the time I was changing the fuel filter on a customer's ratty old 230. AS I was removing the filter from the housing the metal end plates on the filter contacted between the p/s resivior and an exposed spot on the battery cable. I hear a phfwoooomp sound and see that I am standing there holding the flaming filter. I toss the filter out into the center of the shop away from the cars as the mechanic from the next stall blasts me with a dry chemical extinguisher. The Mechanics from the other side of the shop said it looked like a comet flying across the shop with a tail of fire trailing behind it. Lots of excitement a little smoke, no damage to the cars, my eyebrows got a little cinged though.

Al  :O)



113-042-10-014715
built 11 Jan 66
904/396 blue, Ivory Tex
condition- rust bucket

[TheEngineer]

I carry a 2.5 pound Halon just fwd of the driver's seat. Hope I never have to use it. And yes, Michael, it's red & matches; and that is probably of the least importance. Also, I have learnt from the hot rod boys to have a quick disconnect switch at the battery: A quarter turn and all power is off. Once I touched the terminal at the alternator with a tool & got a sizable spark. I'm like a dog: Scare me once and I remember.

[graphic66]

Did MB offer a fire ext. option, and if so where did it mount and what size and type.

[DavidAPease]

Graphic,

Here is a photo I found somewhere (maybe on this forum) of what is supposedly the fire extinguisher that MB optionally provided with the car.  My '66 has a small metal "clip" on the short verical section of the floor immediately below the front of the driver's seat for securing it.

http://www.sl113.com/forums/uploaded/davidapease/200692717955_FireExtinguisher.JPG

-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[hauser]

I ordered a halon extinguisher from Safecraft last week should be arriving any day now.  Thanks Ed!

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Bob G ✝︎]

I have a question about  who to call for Halon refirbishing. I have two in my ford Mustang I use one for the 280SL when I drive it. but I am sur they should be checked and reloaded. So if they are doing away with this, How do you keep it fresh?

Bob Geco