What you need to know about car fire extinguishers

In our country, a lot of people believe that fire extinguishers for a car are needed only for technical inspection. But this is not at all true. The machine may catch fire in a matter of minutes, and the causes of fire may vary. A fire extinguisher should not only be in the car, but also be easily accessible to the driver. If you do not use fire extinguishing means in time , the vehicle may be completely destroyed.

On the shelves of shops you can find various fire extinguishers for a car, but not all of them are suitable for operation in a car, as they are subject to stringent requirements that are clearly stated in the SDA:

1. Volume. According to this criterion, each type of car has its own standards. So, for passenger vehicles, the volume should be equal to 2 liters, and for freight - 5 liters. At the same time, a machine with a high level of danger, such as a fuel truck, should be equipped with several 5-liter fire extinguishers.
2. Active substance. Car fire extinguishers can have a variety of chemical compounds designed to extinguish a fire. According to this criterion, the devices are divided into carbon dioxide and powder. Both types of fire extinguishers can be found in cars and trucks. But in machines with increased explosion hazard, only powder ones must be used.
3. Weight. For passenger vehicles, the mass of the product should not be less than 2 kg, because
   
   it is believed that otherwise a fire extinguisher for a car, the price of which may be lower, has less active substance.
4. Compliance with GOST. There are standards that each fire extinguisher for vehicles must meet.
5. Marking. The product’s marking is also very important, which includes the expiration date of the fire extinguisher for the car or the period until reloading, release date, manufacturer’s name, GOST compliance, type, type, storage conditions, weight.

Currently, there are 6 types of fire extinguishers, but only 2 of them are most widely used in vehicles:

- Carbon dioxide. The active substance in such extinguishers is carbon dioxide. Upon contact with a burning substance, it cools it and, as a result, extinguishes it.

- Powder. In its composition, this type of fire extinguisher contains powder. If it gets on a burning substance, it enters into a chemical reaction with it, the result of which is the formation of foam. The latter blocks the access of oxygen, and the fire extinguishes.

Fire extinguishers for a car are also classified according to the principle of generating excess pressure to displace the active substance by:

- Upload. In this type of device, the extinguishing agent after being pumped is in a compressed state. The products are equipped with a pressure indicator and a locking mechanism, which provides free opening and closing.

- With a high pressure cylinder. Inside the enclosure of fire extinguishers of this type is a built-in container with compressed air. The principle of operation is that after pressing the shutter, a special needle punctures the balloon, and the extinguishing agent is expelled due to the release of air.

- With gas generating element. This type of fire extinguisher in its composition has a filler with several components. After the shutter is pressed, the needle pierces the capsule and these components enter into a chemical reaction, as a result of which pressure is created in the cylinder, due to which the extinguishing agent is displaced.