Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 20:37:18 -0400
Reply-To: Dan Erlandson <danoer1@ECLIPSE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dan Erlandson <danoer1@ECLIPSE.NET>
Subject: Re: Fire Extinguishers
In-Reply-To: <FCEEIGDOKPNNIFBPGKDJAEINCOAA.steven@epochdesign.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Well... This is what I heard from a former student (I am a high school Chem
teacher) who was also on the emergency squad in his town. I can speak to
accuracy of the Chemistry aspect of this, but you'll have to fill me in on
the accuracy/truth of the story...
My former student told me that he was on duty on night when they received a
call about a vehicle on fire on Rte 287 in NJ. When they arrived the
vehicle turned out to be a Vanagon and luckily no one was injured, but as
the fire dept arrived and began to put out the fire the whole thing started
to really get going... the more they put on it (what were they using ???)
the worse it got... The Van was reduced to cinders (supposedly). What my
student told me was that one of the firefighters said that the engine must
have a fair amount of magnesium in it.
Ok so here is the chemistry info... Magnesium (they stuff they used to use
in the old time disposable flash bulbs) is pretty slow to react at room
temperatures with air, water... Acid makes it react very quickly at R.T.,
but turn that water into steam and Magnesium really reacts quickly... almost
like the floating fire effect if you have ever seen sodium or potassium
react with water. So it is true that if an engine had magnesium in it (what
% ???) and that engine caught fire, then the conversion of any water in/on
the engine to steam would simply accelerate the fire.
Two questions
1. Do Vanagon engines have magnesium in them?
2. Wouldn't fire depts know this (if true) and avoid putting water on these
car fires?
I'd weigh in on the fire extinguisher question and say any (except for water
based) would be ok.
-- -- Dan Erlandson
99 Passat
91 Vanagon GL
Flemington, NJ
> danoer1@eclipse.net
> From: Steven Dodson <steven@EPOCHDESIGN.COM>
> Reply-To: Steven Dodson <steven@EPOCHDESIGN.COM>
> Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 11:08:36 -0700
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Fire Extinguishers
>
> What is the best type of extinguisher for our Vanagons?
>
>
> -Steven Dodson
> Kneeland, CA
> "Inga" the 87 Syncro
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Larry Chase
> Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 8:09 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: vanagon Digest - 28 Aug 2002 to 29 Aug 2002 - Special issue
> (#2002-1044)
>
>
> OK, yah got my attention.
>
> "extinguisher would have eaten the metal of the engine block".
>
> What's this about?
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Larry Chase
> 85 Westy "RoadHaus"
> 90 Westy Syncro ... Soon
> Mesa, AZ
>
>
> - - - - - -
>
> Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 22:51:10 -0600
> From: Eric Nettles <enettles@IRAKUSA.COM>
> Subject: Re: Spare Parts List - Input
>
> Oddly enough, and just to add debate, I was lucky that the fire extinguisher
> didn't work when my van's fuel lines went up... The fire was small and out
> early, but an extinguisher would have eaten the metal of the engine block,
> doing more damage than the fire did. 'S just what the friendly local
> firemen said as they swapped stories about all the vehicles they'd burned
> themselves.
>
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