Compact, affordable fire extinguisher for the truck?

I have a 2½ lb, 2B-C Amerex Halotron mounted to the passenger-side footwell using a Bracketeer universal mount. It works, but it's awkward looking and interferes with the seat adjuster.

In the past time, Zoro, surprisingly was one of the cheapest by far places to get an Amerex extinguisher. The last one I got was about 2X what they were a few years ago, so probably worth checking around now.




I have a smaller Halotron and an H3R Performance fire extinguisher mount in my vintage Triumph TR3. I like that mount better, but it's a pricy little devil.

 

Honestly, here is what I'm thinking
am leaning towards narrowing it down to both front seats. Bed always has some other stuff, and putting it there can get in the way
and might do rear seat delete build

But, front seats seem good. The floor is always empty, and there's no room/need to access under the seats

though you bring up a good point about it blocking adjuster handle

am leaning towards Bracketeer, because it appears cheapest
with so many mods, it's kind of about keeping it cheap. Not blowing your load on one mod
I see there's nicer looking brackets, but idk if they function better. They cost more. Look better, yes, but you never look down there

unless anyone knows a better option, am leaning towards:
-bracketeer, both front seats
-one side, Element E50, fo have Halon capability, albeit small, for any small fires, sensitive components, etc. because actual halon/halotron is like $300
-other front seat, small 2.5-5lb fire extinguisher, likely powder or foam ABC whatever is common commercially. Bigger and more usable than the Element, general camp use, you name it, larger size, but not huge and heavy. Would probably learn towards something smaller in the 2.5 range to avoid any issues running a 5lb

whatever is price competitive and decent brand. Maybe something from Costco
likely better than those tiny spray can ones for kitchen use that look like cooking spray

actually, $60 bracketeer to hold an Element E50 may not be necessary, when it can be put into a MOLLE flashlight pouch, and attached vertically to a MOLLE panel somewhere, like getting a Hooke Road headrest panel that can hold more things.
But one Bracketeer still good, to hold an ABC unit. Per their website, affordable ones that fit are Kidde Mariner 110 and 5. 110 appears more capacity, but possibly too long. Both are ABC, $30, and may need extra part like clamp holder

 

I ran two in the back, secured with self tappers into the plastic, held up fine for years
Just cheap Walmart marine and regular extinguishers

 

installed 2 Bracketeers

trying to figure out
1. where to get the 2 metal c-clips to hold Element E50, for driver side

2. which extinguisher to get/will fit. Per Bracketeer, for ABC choose between Kidde Mariner 5 or 110. So, 5lb vs 10lb.
Just not sure how they fit, in terms of width and length.
Both seem not really stocked in store.
Supposedly they come with a holder bracket, to bolt onto the Bracketeer.

I believe they're called grip clips

 

I made my own bracket using some flat stock and the bracket that came with it. This is one of the Costco packs and it honestly doesn’t take much too much room. I added rubber feet on the bottom and back side of the bracket to help mitigate some noise.

 

They need to live someplace better. Twelve years with a Tacoma rear bed mounted extinguisher and six years with a Jeep rear roll bar mounted extinguisher and so far no thefts. It will eventually happen but at that point it's probably time for replacement anyhow.

 

I have an Element mounted in front of my driver’s seat and I also have the Costco big one mounted on my Diamondback. I like the idea of having one outside so I could get to it even if my truck is locked. Or anyone could get to it for that matter. Turns out that it did come in handy. I live in Ramona and have been through both the big fires. Was on my way into town and there was a brush fire with two CHPs were working it with shovels. Ran my extinguisher over to them and it was pretty much out by the time FD got there. I know someone could take it when it’s in plain view but maybe it could help someone too.
I also have a small Halon but don’t have it mounted yet, plan on mounting it to the front of my passenger seat.

 

I don't know why people mount a type ABC extinguisher on a vehicle, unless only for cargo-area or off-vehicle fires (campfires, etc.)

You absolutely must use either a halotron-type or type K "purple K" fire extinguisher for engine-bay fires to prevent very bad collateral damage from the corrosive compounds formed by type ABC extinguishers.

Halotron-types are the gold standard for zero collateral damage as they have zero residue, but they are extremely expensive to buy and to refill. My vehicle extinguisher setup is (2) x

$59 Amerex B410T, 2.5lb Purple K Chemical Class B C Fire Extinguisher

Amerex B410T 2.5 lb. Purple K Dry Chemical extinguishers, one in the cargo bed and one inside the cab.

Type BC extinguishers may also work but they don't perform as well on flammable-liquid fires as purple-K types: https://www.fivestarfireprotection.com/extinguishers-types
In my opinion a flammable-liquid fire is the most-likely kind of fire to occur in an ICE-vehicle engine bay.

 

I'd just add three things, first and foremost, occupant safety is paramount. Make sure whatever you get is properly secured so that it won't come loose in an accident and get everyone out and away from the vehicle before fighting the fire. Second, get some actual training on how to properly use a fire extinguisher, especially if you plan to use to use it on a vehicle fire. Most folks think it's as simple as PASS, it's not. Third, know when to back off and do so. It's entirely possible to put out some vehicle fires with a single extinguisher but unless you extinguish a vehicle fire very quickly you're probably not going to put it out with a fire extinguisher.

There's a reason serious off-roaders and racers have under hood suppression systems. If you do a lot of rock crawling or off-camber stuff where a roll over is a serious concern or just really want to be prepared (when I had my VW bus I knew several people who had them), it may be your best bet. Places like Summit Racing sell fire suppression systems, from relatively inexpensive (several hundred) to well over a thousand dollars.

Guess that's four.

 

Type BC also works. Maybe not as good as K but it works. It's the A component that causes the collateral damage.

 

Because most folks don't know the difference, they just grab whatever is in the big box stores. On the bright side, it works when they set their dinner or tent on fire.

 

Put the head rest post through the hole in the strap and tighten around the fire extinguisher and done

 

Interesting solution. Would you mind giving the O.D. of your extinguisher and the model #s or lengths of the various Wrap-It straps / grommets used?

 

The Fire Extinguisher came off the shelf from Wal*Mart and so did the straps they came from the electrical section where the extension cords are. All the straps have the same grommets. I just kinda eye balled the whole thing

 

I would put a Velcro strap, Quickfist or something around that bottle, those plastic clips aren't very secure to start with and in the event of an accident you don't want that thing bouncing around the cab.

<---Worked lots of wrecks over the years as well as high threat environment and offshore as a safety medic so I'm a bit paranoid about making sure stuff is well secured in vehicles. Just my opinion.

 

It’s been replaced with a metal quick release.