Fire extinguisher for workshop- advice

Exmoor beast

Exmoor beast

Hero member
Location
Minehead,Somerset, ENGLAND OF COURSE
I am building a new workshop from wood and I’m keen to get it right as this is my “ last” workshop as it were. I need to get a decent fire extinguisher should I get a fire- obviously it’s likely to be petrol related. I have only had to put out two workshop bike fires, one a C90 with no exhaust set fire to a puddle of fuel on a bench ( actually put that out with a handful of sand!) and a Z1300 injection that really went up pumping fuel out of a disconnected fuel hose. Neither were bikes I was working on but I put the Kawasaki out with a large powder extinguisher that once activated wouldn’t switch off. It put the fire out immediately but turned the workshop into winter wonderland, everything coated in fine powder that we were still finding years later! Montjuïc burst into flames on start up and I wheeled it outside alight- not to be practiced.
So my question is - Has anyone used CO2 extinguisher successfully on a petrol fire? If it were to happen, it happens quickly and I need to zap it straight away without it flaring up again. CO2 , Powder or Foam? I’m thinking of a couple one at each end of workshop .
 
CO2 isn't great on fuel fires, in my experience, particularly at injection pressures.
Flying, we got to keep Halon, which is the D's Bs on fires.
Not fun to breathe, but better than burning.
 
Could try, did this at Tech to get a Builder License, but it's been years. There are 4 types: A, B, C, and D. Some crossover, some are really specific for one type of fire. I like Co2. Good for chilling drinks as well. There is plenty of Google on this. Fire Blankets are cheap as well. Bike fires from seeing my XT500 burn to a crisp are bloody hard to put out once the tank fumes catch fire.
 
Vince said:
Could try, did this at Tech to get a Builder License, but it's been years. There are 4 types: A, B, C, and D. Some crossover, some are really specific for one type of fire. I like Co2. Good for chilling drinks as well. There is plenty of Google on this. Fire Blankets are cheap as well. Bike fires from seeing my XT500 burn to a crisp are bloody hard to put out once the tank fumes catch fire.
Click to expand...
My Montjuic caught when carbs coughed out flames, I rolled it back out of garage and yanked tank off ( held with rubber bands luckily) and threw it onto the grass, which also turned taps off. I thrashed flames out with a rag , badly. Lost eye brows and singed my jumper but very scary. Don’t want a repeat.
 
I was riding on a very soft dirt fire road, appropriate, back then that bike had a vertical fuel tap and unknown to me that would take a dirt core sample every time it was put on the ground. Add an exposed wire under the carb, overflowing needle and seat from that dirt, and the first I knew was suddenly feeling a hot leg while riding. I looked down to see a lot of naked flame. I stopped and got off very quickly, dropping the bike. The 10 or so others spent the next few minutes trying very hard to bury the bike in that soft dirt. Once the fuel tank contents started boiling, it was over. To add insult, we came back later that day with a trailer. It was down a very serious 4 wheel drive track so the HG Holden needed a hard charge to get up one hill, a protruding burned tree trunk, they tended to get Bulldozed just off the track after Bushfires and were pretty scary if impaled on a bike ended up impaling the remand of that burned bike and backfilpping it almost off the trailer. That bike was well finished on that ride. BTW, we regularly pass that track just off the Putty Rd, at Kangaroo Water Holes, 20 km south of Grey Gums Cafe. A bunch of us would do weekend camping and trail riding there in the late 1980s. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.a...i pine is one,is considered a global treasure.
 

Welcome to the Fire Safety Stick Website! - Fire Safety Stick

JOIN OUR MISSION TO #SaveSomeonesLife JOIN OUR MISSION TO #SaveSomeonesLife Introducing the Fire Safety Stick Extinguisher The most versatile, lightest and compact quick response early-stage fire solution for your Home, Hobbies and Businesses. Made in Italy. Sold in 35+ countries worldwide. Now...
firesafetystick.com
These are available in the UK.
I carry one on my bike when touring and have one in my van.
As much for my own use to save my van as to help anyone else.
Not cheap but take up very little space and as far as I know they work.
I bought mine from a garage that specialises in restoring Jaguar E Types and similar.
The company owner had an issue in a customers car and was saved by using one of these.
He was so impressed, he now ensures there is one in every car that leaves his workshop.

As for full on fire extinguishers, a powder is probably the best for petrol fires but as you mentioned once 'set off' they don't stop and you will be cleaning up powder for decades.
I will also take the opportunity to point out that some of the powders used are corrosive once wetted.
I was once asked to get a yacht started again, after the captain had let of the engine room powder system.
Allegedly, he had let it off not because there was a fire but he wanted to see what happened. Go figure!
So much stuff was covered with powder and would eventually start to corrode he had pretty much written off the engine room.

On the boats we use powder as its stipulated in regulations but in a confined area once released you can't see your hand in front of your face.

Look for foam extinguisher.

Types of fire extinguisher guide - Surrey Fire & Safety

All types of fire extinguishers and classes of fire explained in a simple guide. Discover how foam, water, CO2, powder & wet chemical extinguishers work.
surreyfire.co.uk surreyfire.co.uk

Make sure it's ABF class.

CO2 is best for electrical fires.

If you have the resources get a range. One for the building, you've written it is wooden construction.
One for the electrical side of things, CO2 as mentioned.
A powder if things go pair shaped and a ABF foam one.
 
Exmoor beast said:
I am building a new workshop from wood and I’m keen to get it right as this is my “ last” workshop as it were. I need to get a decent fire extinguisher should I get a fire- obviously it’s likely to be petrol related. I have only had to put out two workshop bike fires, one a C90 with no exhaust set fire to a puddle of fuel on a bench ( actually put that out with a handful of sand!) and a Z1300 injection that really went up pumping fuel out of a disconnected fuel hose. Neither were bikes I was working on but I put the Kawasaki out with a large powder extinguisher that once activated wouldn’t switch off. It put the fire out immediately but turned the workshop into winter wonderland, everything coated in fine powder that we were still finding years later! Montjuïc burst into flames on start up and I wheeled it outside alight- not to be practiced.
So my question is - Has anyone used CO2 extinguisher successfully on a petrol fire? If it were to happen, it happens quickly and I need to zap it straight away without it flaring up again. CO2 , Powder or Foam? I’m thinking of a couple one at each end of workshop .
Click to expand...
i am in the plan stage for a new workshop and there are sprinkler systems available for domestic use ,i will be looking into that but would def have stand bye extinguishers powder and a co2 .small cost compared to losing a bike and a shed .
 
brooky said:
i am in the plan stage for a new workshop and there are sprinkler systems available for domestic use ,i will be looking into that but would def have stand bye extinguishers powder and a co2 .small cost compared to losing a bike and a shed .
Click to expand...
Don’t know if a sprinkler system would work for my situation, the fire would almost certainly come from a bike not from the building and would be rapid. Sprinkler may even spread the fire- I don’t know. Certainly going to investigate everything and I’m not going to store gas/ petrol in same place- bins with oily rags can combust for a pastime. As you say, any cost for prevention is well spent.
 
Don’t know what you’re planning but suggest lining the whole interior with plasterboard. Our local standard cheap variety has a limited fire rating, expect yours will too, which would give you time to put out a fairly moderate fire before the building gets going.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top