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in all honesty we are all adults and can afford a very valuable car. if you don't know how to use one how in the world did you make it this fair in life?
I rather try to put out a fire and clean a little mess then deal with insurance.
I parked next to a fire fighter at Carlisle. He had the 911 tribute car. He checked out both of my extinguishers , one being the element. He was not impressed with the element and even suggested that I get a Halotron extinguisher. The element is A & B only (not C ) As for the other I carry it is A, B & C but he said it would leave a big mess. He told me that one of the most common mistakes made when using them is not holding them vertically. If you discharge it while holding it horizontal the pick up tube will quickly suck air and run out of propellent.
There was a certain Halotron number he recommended (1301 ? ) Like a dumb *** I relied on my memory and now can't remember.
I parked next to a fire fighter at Carlisle. He had the 911 tribute car. He checked out both of my extinguishers , one being the element. He was not impressed with the element and even suggested that I get a Halotron extinguisher. The element is A & B only (not C ) As for the other I carry it is A, B & C but he said it would leave a big mess. He told me that one of the most common mistakes made when using them is not holding them vertically. If you discharge it while holding it horizontal the pick up tube will quickly suck air and run out of propellent.
There was a certain Halotron number he recommended (1301 ? ) Like a dumb *** I relied on my memory and now can't remember.
Wrong. The Element is rated for A-B-C-K fires, as seen below from the Element website.
In the video that plasticman sent, it shows an engine fire being extinguished and the user walks towards the flames as he squirts the Halon into the flames. This is the feature that the Element does not have. I simply cannot imagine opening the hood on a burning gasoline fire and standing against the fender while trying to get a stream of smoke to go down and into the flames. My life is not worth much but it's worth more than my car. For a little backfire type fire it may be fine but for a leaking gas line that is already burning knowing that the fuel in the carb plus the fuel left in the line is still there, makes for a very explosive situation. Remember you won't know how bad it is until you open your hood which also pours fresh air into the flames. At that point, you are supposed to take your stick apart and strike it like a flare wait for it to start, and then hold it into the hood area while it is extinguishing the fire! If you plan on this scenario you can count me out. I think the Halon is the best answer but anything is better than nothing.
Insurance paid up? Forget about it. Burn to the ground . Collect insurance. Get another and skip the grief of tying to fix it bring it back.
Every encounter I've had with an insurance company about a claim has been a brand new adventure in grief.
The insurance people with whom I've dealt have been happy to loan me an umbrella when the sun is shining but they want it back as soon as it rains.
If I fix it myself instead of arguing with an insurance adjuster, it gets fixed more rapidly, it's done correctly (or at least to my standards) and the person with whom I have discussions (me) is generally agreeable to what I want to do.
My thing with insurance policy’s is I think my policy is good for going to car shows cruises and such as a pleasure car. They don’t want me to run errands or take it to work everyday. So in a event of claim I am not following their rules would they pay out in full or fight me tooth and nail I rather not find out the hard way
My thing with insurance policy’s is I think my policy is good for going to car shows cruises and such as a pleasure car. They don’t want me to run errands or take it to work everyday. So in a event of claim I am not following their rules would they pay out in full or fight me tooth and nail I rather not find out the hard way
The insurance policy is a legal document that they must follow. It protects the customer and the insurance company. You must follow their guidelines for the policy to take effect. Sanctioned car events follows their guidelines for full coverage. Know their other full converge guidelines and follow them. Even if your corvette was stolen at an overnight event the insurance company must cover the the total lost. " Know your classic car policy first, before doing any adventures" Always get a police report first for proof of damage or lost. A police report is a legal document and the proof that is needed for most claims except tow.
No one has mentioned the Purple K extinguishers, which is what I have behind the seats. Specifically intended for electrical and flammable liquid fires (B,C) but less damaging mess to clean up from ABC and less expensive than halon.
Call me paranoid, but I have both a dry chemical and an Element in my 67, both out in the open and within easy reach. I bought Element's magnetic holder. I once put out a friend's carb fire in his '60 Vette with the dry chemical one. The white powder was easy to wipe off the top of the engine, so I think the idea that it's somehow hard to remove is an urban legend. BTW his insurance paid to have his carbs refurbished, which surprised me. Jim's right, I should have an Element in my daily driver too, so will order one tonight.
I have a halotron extinguisher, mounted in front of the passenger seat (like in the above picture) of my 67 convertible. Hate to see my car burn to the ground because of a small fire under the hood that could be put out. One of those things you have and hope to and probably never will need to use.
The actual average weight for a 5 lb extinguisher is 9 lbs. 4 oz yet the discharge time is under 13 seconds. For years I carried an old Halon plus a 5lb dry chem under my storage jack but was always concerned unless super-well bracketed they might become dangerous interior missiles in a collision, or at best fly somewhere out of reach when needed.
Now I travel with Element 100. This lightweight stick isn't going to fly anywhere and 100 seconds is way more than I'd ever want to keep fighting a fire. FWIW the slightly smaller next size down Element 50 (50 second rating) is only about $50 less. I carry a 100 in each of my car, boat, trailer, home, etc. The relatively low pressure discharge is also an advantage with the K (grease/oil) rating where high-pressure extinguishers can actually cause the burning oil to spread out.
Nothing is perfect, and the only two valid criticisms I've read on the Element are that they're useless if you drop and lose the striker plug in the bottom, and that both hands are required to establish the initial strike. A traditional cannister extinguisher needs two hands to hold and pull out the safety pin, but then just one to discharge and hold with outreached arm.
Regardless, it's an investment I never hope to use, or at least not on something of my own!
09-10-2022, 10:25 AM
