The Halon is Here !

After a short wait, my first shipment of Halon 1211 canisters has arrived! I now have inventory on hand of all four models that I'll sell -- red & chrome, 1.25# and 2.5#.

I'm pleased to announce that Ricambi America is now a distributor of H3R Halon fire extinguishers to our Ferrari community. As many of you know, Halon 1211 is the choice for fire suppression in a Ferrari.

Halon is a liquefied, compressed gas that stops the spread of fire by chemically disrupting combustion. Halon 1211 (a liquid streaming agent) leaves no residue and is remarkably safe for human exposure. Halon is most effective for flammable liquids and electrical fires (rated B:C) and is electrically non-conductive. Because it leaves no reside and is safe for your electrical components, extinguishing a fire in your Ferrari doesn't lead to years of electrical gremlins or difficult cleaning solutions. If you think an engine fire can be damaging, just imagine dousing the fire with the wrong suppressant!

For the past several months, we have turned to Ferrarichat sponsor H3R for these extinguishers. When I learned that H3R is exiting the direct-to-consumer market, I immediately feared this would be a loss to the Ferrari community. H3R is a wonderful company to work with, but their energies will soon be focused on building wholesale distribution in the automotive market for non-halon products.

Ricambi America will offer H3R's 1.25# and 2.5# chrome and red Halon 1211 extinguishers with the metal mounting bracket via our website. You can find our cylinders at www.ricambiamerica.com under the "Fire Suppression" category, or directly at www.ricambiamerica.com/index.php?cPath=627

The website doesn't calculate shipping just right -- these canisters will ONLY be shipped via FedEx ground. I will adjust shipping charges accordingly, but you can expect prices of about $10-$15 per cylinder throughout the U.S.

Drive safely. Be prepared.


p.s. If you're getting a new extinguisher, you should probably also consider the "Charness Harness" for secure, metal-to-metal mounting that'll pass muster in FCA track events: http://www.tradetutor.com/raceprep/

 

You say that, and I hear you. BUT, having witnessed a very dear friend wreck his Ferrari at high speed, you can be DARN sure, the first thing I did was run toward his car with MY extinguisher in hand, fearing the car being in flames, or my friend. I saw the accident occur, screeched to a stop, grabbed my Halon extinguisher and ran to help.

Maybe we want our personal cars to burn into a ash-heap for insurance purposes, but I doubt we want our friends to suffer a similar fate. For less than $200, you'll be able to make the choice whether to save the car or let it burn. You might also have the ability to save somebody else, who's in dire need.

I know, it sounds all mushy and left-wing idealistic. Watch one of your friends fly off the road, launch the car 40 feet, and slam (gas tank first) into a 100 year old oak tree. It changes your perspective.

I'm not an EMT, but having some level of prepardness always makes sense.


-Daniel

 

Ken -

Keeping it in the truck is certainly an option -- although not quite as handy as if it were in the passenger compartment. I put mine on the parcel shelf behind the seats of my 348: http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=134794741&postcount=2

In the luggage compartment, I would think you could easily mount it on either of the side walls, or maybe in one of the corners. You'll be compromising some storage capacity for sure -- but just make sure to mount it in a location where you can quickly get it, unstrap it, and return to the engine compartment.

-Daniel

 

I include an assortment of stickers, free, with the fire extinguishers. The assortment includes a small nose emblem, a large nose emblem, and a non-resin shield emblem.


-Daniel

 

You're right. Worldwide production of Halon has ceased. These are new cannisters, filled with "reclaimed" Halon by H3R (a former sponsor of Fchat). Although production has been banned, the sale of Halon remains entirely legal. In fact, the market of Halon in the aviation industry remains incredibly strong as the switch-over to "Halotron" is a very slow process.

I'm certainly no tree-hugger, but I suspect dousing an engine fire with Halon would have far fewer environmental consequences than :
(1) having an entire car burn/smoke/smolder into atmosphere
(2) having a partially burned car rebuilt/repainted using considerable manufacturing energies and resultant paint fumes.
(3) having a burned up car sent to the junkyard where it rots back into the earth

It's kind of like those Hybrid cars. I wonder if their lifetime savings to the environment is ever offset by the environmental damage caused by battery disposal or additional manufacturing energy used to produce the car in the first place... ?

Anyway, just some food for thought. Mark is right: new Halon production is banned. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Best Regards,
Daniel