Fire extinguisher

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GreyGhost said:
As it was filling the bowl, gas vapour should get pushed out the overflow. I would be surprised if that was enough to burn but maybe it was. Seems like a combination of barely available fuel source and a random spark (if it was only running for a few seconds, you are probably right that there shouldn't be enough heat available).
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I was actually wrong about the timeline, it ran for almost 2 min. Would it be possible for the exhaust to ignite it and the fire be higher up under the airbox? I forgot that I have cameras! And to anyone who is going to suggest, no I will not post the footage! Although I do look very calm!
 
Fuzzbuster said:
I was actually wrong about the timeline, it ran for almost 2 min. Would it be possible for the exhaust to ignite it and the fire be higher up under the airbox? I forgot that I have cameras! And to anyone who is going to suggest, no I will not post the footage! Although I do look very calm!
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bike have a catalytic convertor? That would be screaming hot already. Headers would be hot enough I don't want to touch them but I have no idea if that's long enough to auto-ignite gas vapour.
 
GreyGhost said:
As it was filling the bowl, gas vapour should get pushed out the overflow. I would be surprised if that was enough to burn but maybe it was. Seems like a combination of barely available fuel source and a random spark (if it was only running for a few seconds, you are probably right that there shouldn't be enough heat available).
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As far as I understood, gasoline liquid doesn't burn - it's the vapor it gives off that does. An empty gasoline container is much more dangerous than a full one.
 
Relax said:
As far as I understood, gasoline liquid doesn't burn - it's the vapor it gives off that does. An empty gasoline container is much more dangerous than a full one.
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Yes, it is hard to get liquid gas to burn and you can extinguish matches in it if there is enough air flow to remove the vapour layer. Even burning "liquid" gas is really a burning vapour cloud that evaporates the liquid below and then burns the vapour.

I was just surprised at the quantity. A float bowl would have an ounce or two of liquid so probably 1000 times less that in vapour mass. A very small quantity of flammable material.
 
ReSTored said:
You have some electrical issue causing a spark or arcing that is igniting the spilled / drained gas.
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I've never had a fire sparked by hot engines or headers. Not smart enough to say it couldn't happen.
Any fires I've had were always started due to exposure to spark or flame - being stupid around plug wires while running, welding :rolleyes:

I'm with ReSTored on this one.
 
I've seen an Ohvale catch fire like this. The default routing of the carb overflow discharges directly onto the exhaust, apparently.
 
Relax said:
gasoline liquid doesn't burn - it's the vapor it gives off that does
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And the "vapour" has to be at a very specific ratio with air to burn.
If you have an open pan of gasoline, if you throw a lit match at it, the match goes out when it hits the liquid.
One cup of regular gas has the explosive potential about equal to one stick of CIL dynamite.
US military has a bomb that explodes and sends a cloud of petrol into the air, then has a second explosion that lights that petrol/air mix. It blows up REAL GOOD. HUGE fire ball... that doesn't do a lot of destruction, but burns all the oxygen so anything breathing: doesn't any more. Shades of Dresden....

Hot headers can light gas. I've seen it TOO many times. Gas fumes can ignite at as low as 500 degrees F, your header should be over 1000 degrees F up near the port at revs.
Hot headers will light transmission fluid too., I burnt buddie's Bronco to the ground when I got stuck in the mud, was doing the forward backward thing a little too energetically and POOF, flame pouring out the wheel wells when it spit up trans oil out of the dipstick tube. GOOD TIMES.
 
Wind Shear said:
I've never had a fire sparked by hot engines or headers. Not smart enough to say it couldn't happen.
Any fires I've had were always started due to exposure to spark or flame - being stupid around plug wires while running, welding :rolleyes:

I'm with ReSTored on this one.
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Does the problem originate with the float bowl needle? The ignition source is irrelevant under normal circumstances. Otherwise bikes would catch fire all the time.
 
GreyGhost said:
I've contemplated having a CO2 extinguisher around as a first line. They are pretty expensive new and I haven't come across any that were expired (and therefore very cheap).
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We have CO2 handhelds in data centres (first line of defence on the off chance someone is standing there when it starts) as a many millions of dollars of network and server equipment sucking in regular ABC will mean many millions in coming failures not related to the immediate fire. Same for electrical rooms. Next is the automated room system (FM, etc.) and then sprinkler (required by codes) which destroys everything in this context but saves the building and lives.

For the house I just have ABC, garage, beside fireplace, front door.... Debating on CO2 handheld in the garage with the ABC as plan B beside it.
 
backmarkerducati said:
We have CO2 handhelds in data centres (first line of defence on the off chance someone is standing there when it starts) as a many millions of dollars of network and server equipment sucking in regular ABC will mean many millions in coming failures not related to the immediate fire. Same for electrical rooms. Next is the automated room system (FM, etc.) and then sprinkler (required by codes) which destroys everything in this context but saves the building and lives.

For the house I just have ABC. Debating on CO2 handheld in the garage with the ABC as plan B beside it.
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The downside to CO2 is life safety. If my wife or kid grabs it and unloads it in the garage, is that dangerous to her? She won't know the difference between ABC and CO2 in an emergency. I think I'm ok as it looks like 10 lbs will be about 90 cu ft of CO2 and garage volume is enough that C02 levels wouldn't climb to dangerous levels. If it was a small single car garage on the other hand, between the fire and extinguisher, you could be hurting.
 
Another thing to note is that I didn't use the extinguisher located in my garage because there are sometimes things infront of it, so I automatically went for the one just inside the door which I knew was clear. I also turned it upside down at least twice after I grabbed it on my way back to the bike to hopefully move the contents around. I was told before to whack the bottom periodically with a rubber mallet because the contents can settle. My tags are also all expired, the frequency for getting them checked is ridiculous. I go by if they read charged or not. Just to confirm mine did read charged before I used it and now reads re-charge. Norwood is where I always had mine serviced.IMG_0353.jpeg
 
Fuzzbuster said:
Another thing to note is that I didn't use the extinguisher located in my garage because there are sometimes things infront of it, so I automatically went for the one just inside the door which I knew was clear. I also turned it upside down at least twice after I grabbed it on my way back to the bike to hopefully move the contents around. I was told before to whack the bottom periodically with a rubber mallet because the contents can settle. My tags are also all expired, the frequency for getting them checked is ridiculous. I go by if they read charged or not. Just to confirm mine did read charged before I used it and now reads re-charge. Norwood is where I always had mine serviced.View attachment 63384
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I never get mine tested/recharged. I buy a new one every few years and spread the old ones around. Quantity over quality. More than 5 in the garage now (spread around so one is always nearby).

I do shake/bang/check the gauge of the extinguishers every year. The one I have used in the past is between recharge and good. It's not full but not empty yet. It sits beside another full one. After a few more replacements, the oldest will move to outdoor locations (like near the fire pit) where I have little faith in their longevity but they don't owe me anything.
 
It's a horrible feeling reaching for one and finding that it's empty. Happened twice to me at the print shop i worked at.
 
Wingboy said:
It's a horrible feeling reaching for one and finding that it's empty. Happened twice to me at the print shop i worked at.
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And that's the reason for the yearly inspection. In commercial/high density residential, you know that at least once a year everything is ok. After the first time it happened in the print shop, it might have been a good idea for management to step up the inspection interval (get bob to check all gauges the first day of every week or month).
 
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