i think it depends on what speed you're travelling, and how good your seals are....and what rpm you're turning so lots of variables
Opening lid fully gives a fresh unlimited supply of oxygen and will stoke the flames, hence the Just Kampers forum piece says only open a little and spray powder up into engine bay and settle down onto fire letting you then get a proper look at what is happening
here's an idea...air bags inside the intakes, that inflate when the engine bay reaches a specified temperature....coupled with an automatic CO2 extinguisher It just so happens that I have a mate who designs air bags for the auto industry....hmmmm....design and build a prototype for an apprentice's project methinks
Unsure of the relationship between what you are saying at what I've said.. If the deal is that good, it's a case of sealing the inlets and that's it..
Thanks for the link, Mabel I'm really glad you were all OK. This has certainly made some sobering reading but hopefully we can all gain from it. Clearly my small extinguisher is inadequate & I need to get something better sorted, what is the concensus on size & type of extinguishers to carry?
good question! I have an auto discharge CO2 unit located central to the engine compartment...this is linked to my electric fuel pump. if you're running a mechanical pump, the best solution is to fit an extinguisher which knocks out power to the coil, when it discharges
Sorry not making my point very well, the fire will burn well enough with the air in the engine bay I would think even after trying to block the top vents, plenty of gaps about and your foam seal will be gone. The idea is not to introduce a whole source of air that will immediately intensify the flames and have them rushing out to grab it. The idea of powder and foam extinguishers is to create a barrier of a flexible blanket to smother the flames by cutting it off from the air(oxygen) it needs to burn. Fire requires a heat source, fuel(any combustible material) and oxygen(from the air to) survive. Opening the lid fully is like stoking the fireplace fire, that's why the guy on the Kampers forum says open enough to shoot some powder up into the engine bay roof in order to get it come down and cover the flames like snow cutting of the oxygen as much as possible so you can get a proper look without the flames shooting out at you
Ah, fair one! Anyone seen those really old fashioned glass fire extinguishers that have some water based mix that you throw on a fire? Maybe some form of temp affected large plastic bag in the roof of the engine bay that simply dumps it's contents on the melt point?
It won't come out at you, its already ventilated very well, would/could be just as bad with you partially cracking it and standing there next to it shoving your hands up there, but yes you are right, you only want to be opening it at all if you have a decent size extinguisher with you to start with Or the safest thing would be just stand well away and call 999 and hope they are quick
Right - Just found out the farm shop owner was apart time fireman - hows your luck!!!! The pancetta wrappped, mushroom filled pork loins were amazing too! Visit WREKIN FARM SHOP, Burnham Road !!!!! The fuel pipe collapsed right at where it fits above the engine. When it went, the fuel literally just fell straight out and down and ignited on the engine. I think that there may have been a small split in the pipe which over the recent past has dripped onto the new fan belt, rotting that and when the fan belt snapped it hit the fuel line and the rest is history. The good news, so far, is that my insurers Just Kampers are sending an assessor tomorrow so cannot fault them for speed. Will let you know what they say. As for what put it out - the extinguishers are the powder based units that stand about 2 feet tall. Might take up a bit more room but i think i'll be getting one of those - with a firetec you are still going to fill the engine bay with powder but I am not sure it will have the direction you get with a hand held.
When I got to the back of the van, it was black smoking but I couldnt see flames so to assess the danger I had to open the engine lid - This then resulted as Buddy says, in a rush of additional air which also drew the flames out of the engine bay. Its a catch 22 - dont open the lid and the flames will incinerate what is in the bay and result in more damage or open the lid to gain access to put it out. In my case, i think the flames being drawn out gave us a few extra seconds and reduced the damage. At the same time, had we not had extinguishers the damage would have also resulted in write off. So the moral I suppose is, get everyone out and away, turn off the engine and only open the engine lid if you have a reliable extiguisher.
As my firetec is AFFF I'm more thinking a 3litre AFFF http://www.firesafetystore.co.uk/fi...uishers/3ltr-afff-foam-fire-extinguisher.html
