Disco 2 Fire Extinguisher

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TorsionBhudda

TorsionBhudda

Well-Known Member
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Falkirk
I've got a 2Kg dry powder Fire Extinguisher for my daughters Discovery 2 and wondered where is the best location to fit it and wondered if anyone has pictures of how and where they have fitted their Extinguishers. I'm thinkinh of putting it in load area away from small hands.
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
use CO2 in vehicles, not dry powder..... If it ever is used, you will never get rid of the powder. It makes a god awful mess :(.
Click to expand...
I tend to think that a good fire could make even more of a mess. I would also prefer a CO2 extinguisher, but there are quite valid points about where and how they can be used, there are also cost considerations.

TorsionBhudda said:
I've got a 2Kg dry powder Fire Extinguisher for my daughters Discovery 2 and wondered where is the best location to fit it and wondered if anyone has pictures of how and where they have fitted their Extinguishers. I'm thinkinh of putting it in load area away from small hands.
Click to expand...
I have a dry powder extinguisher in mine. The problem with the LR recommended position, on the front passenger's side kick panel, is that it only applies to the Official LR accessory.
I was able to place it high up just inside the rear tailgate door, on the panel between the tailgate and the rear side window, where it can be seen from outside too.
No need for "In case of fire, break glass" jokes, I've heard most of them already.

20180717_114330.jpg


20180717_114402.jpg


Regarding fixings, I used 2x5mm domed or "pan" headed bolts with a pair of "penny washers" on the inside of the plastic trim to spread the load.
 
Last edited:
brian47 said:
I tend to think that a good fire could make even more of a mess. I would also prefer a CO2 extinguisher, but there are quite valid points about where and how they can be used, there are also cost considerations.


I have a dry powder extinguisher in mine. The problem with the LR recommended position, on the front passenger's side kick panel, is that it only applies to the Official LR accessory.
I was able to place it high up just inside the rear tailgate door, on the panel between the tailgate and the rear side window, where it can be seen from outside too.
No need for "In case of fire, break glass" jokes, I've heard most of them already.

View attachment 153450

View attachment 153451

Regarding fixings, I used 2x5mm domed or "pan" headed bolts with a pair of "penny washers" on the inside of the plastic trim to spread the load.
Click to expand...

I like the look of that. The reason i've asked for pictures is it's my daughters Disco and she has the final say in the location.
 
TorsionBhudda said:
I like the look of that. The reason i've asked for pictures is it's my daughters Disco and she has the final say in the location.
Click to expand...
Another reason for mounting the extinguisher as I have is that it is plainly visible which makes "regular" examination and maintenance that much easier. Dry powder does require a certain level of maintenance, namely a check on the stored pressure with the little pressure gauge and also a good shake-up every six months or so to avert the tendency of the powder settling, which could reduce its efficiency if ever it should be required.
Regarding the mess a dry powder extinguisher will make, I've always been taught that the fire services put fires out, a small extinguisher is there to aid the safe exit of people from the danger area and not to fight the fire in the hope of extinguishing it. Property can be replaced, people aren't so easily replaced.
 
brian47 said:
Another reason for mounting the extinguisher as I have is that it is plainly visible which makes "regular" examination and maintenance that much easier. Dry powder does require a certain level of maintenance, namely a check on the stored pressure with the little pressure gauge and also a good shake-up every six months or so to avert the tendency of the powder settling, which could reduce its efficiency if ever it should be required.
Regarding the mess a dry powder extinguisher will make, I've always been taught that the fire services put fires out, a small extinguisher is there to aid the safe exit of people from the danger area and not to fight the fire in the hope of extinguishing it. Property can be replaced, people aren't so easily replaced.
Click to expand...

At work we are told to only use a Fire Extinguisher if you are trained and confident I wouldn't expect my daughter to try and put a fire out with it I've shown her the basics and instructed her if there was ever a fire and everyone was safe then let it burn the Disco is insured after all. Only reason we have got one is the club has added it to the rules that everyone on a run must have a 2kg dry powder extingusher and a first aid kit. The club insurers have insisted on it.
 
The only time I have used a fire extinguisher on a vehicle was many, many moons ago on the A4 approaching the Hogarth roundabout. The bloke's car was in the middle lane, blocking the whole carriageway and I was wanting to get home. So I squirted it up under his dashboard, put the fire out and that enabled a few of us to push the thing to the side of the road to get everybody moving again.

Thinking back on it, no, I wouldn't do it again.
 
I'm quoting from a fire safety website here: Halons are low-toxicity, chemically stable compounds that have been used for fire and explosion protection from early in the last century. Halon has proven to be an extremely effective fire suppressant. Halon is clean (i.e., leaves no residue) and is remarkably safe for human exposure. Halon is a highly effective agent for firefighting in closed passenger carrying areas. Due to its effectiveness and relatively low toxicity, the FAA continues to recommend or require Halon extinguishers for use on commercial aircraft.

Extensive toxicity evaluations have been compiled by nationally recognized United States medical laboratories and institutions on Halon 1301 and Halon 1211. These evaluations have shown that Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 are two of the safest clean extinguishing agents available. Dual Halon concentrations of about 5% by volume in air are adequate to extinguish fires of most combustible materials. This concentration is equivalent to emptying twelve 2.5 lb. units in a closed room of 1000 cubic feet, which would be highly unlikely.
END of quote.

I have a small Halon I bought in the 90's, but I do see the problem for people today. It would be pricey, and not environmentally friendly. They stopped making Halon in USA in 1994 due to environmental laws. But it is safe, and I'm just wondering if my extinguisher is still good. I'll have to check it.
Thanks, all!
Mike
 
ObiWanKenobi said:
I'm quoting from a fire safety website here: Halons are low-toxicity, chemically stable compounds that have been used for fire and explosion protection from early in the last century. Halon has proven to be an extremely effective fire suppressant. Halon is clean (i.e., leaves no residue) and is remarkably safe for human exposure. Halon is a highly effective agent for firefighting in closed passenger carrying areas. Due to its effectiveness and relatively low toxicity, the FAA continues to recommend or require Halon extinguishers for use on commercial aircraft.

Extensive toxicity evaluations have been compiled by nationally recognized United States medical laboratories and institutions on Halon 1301 and Halon 1211. These evaluations have shown that Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 are two of the safest clean extinguishing agents available. Dual Halon concentrations of about 5% by volume in air are adequate to extinguish fires of most combustible materials. This concentration is equivalent to emptying twelve 2.5 lb. units in a closed room of 1000 cubic feet, which would be highly unlikely.
END of quote.

I have a small Halon I bought in the 90's, but I do see the problem for people today. It would be pricey, and not environmentally friendly. They stopped making Halon in USA in 1994 due to environmental laws. But it is safe, and I'm just wondering if my extinguisher is still good. I'll have to check it.
Thanks, all!
Mike
Click to expand...
That might be the case on your side of that little bit of water, but over here you just can't buy a small Halon or BCF extinguisher. They are only available for a very few specialist commercial uses, such as large computer installations and the aero-space industry, and even then they're in fixed installations. The only viable small extinguishers are dry powder.
 
brian47 said:
That might be the case on your side of that little bit of water, but over here you just can't buy a small Halon or BCF extinguisher. They are only available for a very few specialist commercial uses, such as large computer installations and the aero-space industry, and even then they're in fixed installations. The only viable small extinguishers are dry powder.[/QU
Thanks, Brian!
Click to expand...
 
Halon Fire Extinguishers
The ban on Halon fire extinguishers was implemented following the Montreal Protocol of 1987 and subsequent extension at Kyoto a decade later. The details are in EC Regulation 3093/94 and EC 2037/2000 and the UK Hazardous Waste regulations 2005

Exceptions to the Rule
The EU ban on the use of Halon in fire extinguishers actually came into force in October 2000 and was implemented in the UK in 2003, as a result of scientific research linking Halon and other CFC’s to Ozone depletion. The ban in practice is not total.

Existing owners and users of Halon 1211 portable fire extinguishers may be able to claim exemption to the EU ban for certain “Critical Uses”.

Broadly speaking this includes limited applications within the aircraft industry, military / armed forces, petrochemical industry and some specific marine applications. Refilling of existing Halon systems covered by these exemptions should also be from recycled Halon stocks. Halon 1301 is the version preferred in fixed fire suppression systems and its current use is also tightly controlled although it is installed in the Channel Tunnel. The exemption can also extend to applications that can be justified on the basis of National security.

Safe Disposal
Not only is it illegal to own a Halon fire extinguisher not covered by these exemptions it is also illegal to simply dump them or discharge the contents.

Identification
Older Halon extinguishers are normally colour coded British Racing Green so are easy to spot but variants on this colour are out there. The military use dark bottle green as you might expect and yellow and gold also turn up. They are now also supplied red with a green colour flash. You are most likely to come across a Green Halon fire extinguisher in an Aircraft where they are still permitted in the absence of an approved replacement.

Alternatives
Because of the strict regulations governing the storage and use of Halon it is not possible for anyone to stock or sell this type of fire extinguisher. For general portable use CO2 extinguishers provide the same protection for sensitive electronics and valuables. In fixed applications for example in boats, switch rooms, plant and machinery, FE-36 automatic fire extinguishers are available which are a more environmentally safe, non corrosive and non conductive gas based system.
 
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