Technical Element Fire Extinguisher - who said there is nothing new under the sun?

Have any of you guys bought or used one of these? I was completely unaware of this fire extinguisher and from what I have read it is far superior to the old powder type, it's much lighter & smaller but when in use last 5 times longer than the conventional extinguisher we are all familiar with, a big plus is no residue to clean up.

Much like the old halon fire extinguishers but it is reported to be safer to use, they ain't cheap but nether are our hot rods & customs.

Ever since Randy (Deuce Roadster's) engine fire I have been hauling a large ABC fire extinguisher in my sedan and wagon, they are heavy but if you need it- It could save you car or truck although the fire department sprayed the chemical extinguisher down the carburetor meaning the engine had to be rebuilt, the new Element fire extinguisher uses a gas so the potential of damaging the engine is almost non existent and non toxic. HRP

 

I've got one in each of my cars. Never used one. Hope I don't have to. Here's a good demonstration video on it from Jay Leno's Garage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjXecsF860

 

Well, ain’t that fancy !

sound like it checks all the boxes and a fire extinguisher is cheap insurance in our old cars

I’ve had 2 cars catch fire an old vw bug amd a 70’s mk2 jag, both times minimal damage as I had a extinguisher but man was it messy !!


These things ain’t cheap, but they seem to be the size of a road flare , and if it stops a fire with out all the mess, I’d say it’s a cheap investment.


They are made in Italy, so you might get a spaghetti sauce stain on something when ya use it !!

 

I had a engine fire in a 65 Dodge van and in my 1940 ford sedan when the holly loaded up in traffic, fortunately at that time I had a halon extinguisher, the local fire extinguisher place will not service halons anymore. HRP

The video states that the conventional chemical extinguisher last between 9 and 11 minutes because of the depletion of propellant the element extinguisher will last approximately 50 seconds

 

This is the first time I've ever seen those. I think I will be buying a couple. I lost my favorite truck due to a carb fire a few yrs ago. Thanks for posting this.

https://elementfire.com/

 

Pretty trick... A bit expensive on initial purchase but with no expiration, a longer discharge, much smaller size and no-mess cleanup this looks like a winner all the way around. Thanks for bringing this to our collective attention!

 

I've seen the Jay Leno video and it looks impressive, but what type of 'oxygen replacement' do they use? Is it harmful to breathe (down wind) or have any bad side effects? The price isn't so prohibitive when you consider the residue damage from conventional extinguishers. Just what I need...something else to spend $$ on!

 

Interesting.
Thanks for the heads-up on these. Seem to be plenty usable. I've been thinking that I need fresh extinguishers.
I've used my car extinguishers three times, but never on MY cars.

Mike

 

Mike, your a good man. HRP

 

• LONGER LASTING

• SMALLER & LIGHTER

• EASIER TO USE

• NON-TOXIC

• MAINTENANCE-FREE

• CLEAN. MAKES NO MESS!

 

I always have one on board my car. I think I stated on another thread that on the way to a car show one morning I ran into a guy on fire in a classic vette on the side of the road and I had to stop and put it out. Mine is also one of those bigger round red ones so that one your showing would be a better solution for most guys. I knew a guy that kept one in his trunk. He had one of those power trunk buttons but when his car caught fire it was an electrical fire and the wiring fried so his trunk wouldn't open and he lost his fifty Merc.

 

Having had a fire in a rig with the fire extinguisher hidden under the captains chair (where I forgot where it was) having that element unit right where it could be grabbed would be a big relief.

I had a Halon extinguisher (still have the unit) that my boss sent home with me when the environmental people said we couldn't have them where I worked anymore. That bugger worked when I had an engine fire on an OT truck I had. The good with a Halon was you didn't have to open the hood for an engine fire you could shoot it though the grill or side vents.

80 bucks for a fire extinguisher sounds like a lot of money until you end up with a car on fire.

 

As a retired firefighter we had something similar on our rigs to put out chimney fires. They were called Chimfex sticks All you did was place them in the fireplace and the natural draft took the extinguishing gas up the chimney and extinguished the fire. We only had to use them a couple of times, but they did the job. Like some others have said, the purchase price seems a little steep, but so is the cost of repairing a burnt car.

 

I have one of those chimfex extinguishers. Haven’t had to use it thank God.

What a cool item Danny.
Makes for a great Christmas gift for the kids and DAD.

 

I bought two of them a couple of months ago. They are small enough to fit in most consoles and a lot of glove boxes which appealed to me. I don't want to have to mount anything to the floor yet i also don't want to keep a F.E. in my trunk . Searching around and fumbling with keys is not what you want to do when there is a fire. I watched a rod go up in flames at the Woodward cruise a couple of years ago, it was sickening to watch.

 

Had not heard of these, and did a little investigating. Being an engineer, I always want to understand the how and why of something. Such as how does this Element Fire Extinguisher work? Here is what it does and how it works, compiling information from a couple sources:
But how does it put a fire out?
By ejecting potassium alkaline salts at the fire, the potassium’s tendency is to oxidize rapidly in the air – consuming all the available oxygen for the fire. So unlike a CO2 extinguisher smothering the fire, you’re removing the available oxygen.

The potassium alkaline salts are potassium nitrate (KNO3). Potassium has strong inhibitor qualities due to its weak ionization energies. The extinguishing agent being used is composed of Potassium Nitrate, organic oxidizer, and plasticizer resin. When Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) discharges from the extinguisher it vaporizes in the environment followed by the condensation of its extinguishing substance. When it reacts (inside the body of the extinguisher) it breaks down and the aerosol that is formed is made up primarily of free radicals of Potassium K+, of Nitrogen N (an inert gas), and water vapor.

 

80 bucks is cheap

 

Cost doesn't matter at all after you have had to stand back helpless and watch all of your money and hard labor go up in flames I would have paid $500 to borrow one.

 

I have them in all my cars, think I got them in 2018. Haven't used one.....damn handy to carry and keep close in your vehicle.

 

Also a retired Firefighter and have them in my cars

 

Just ordered a couple of these. I have a halon in the trunk because of lack of room to mount it up front. Always worried about getting to it if God forbid I ever needed it. Thanks HRP. D

 

Man, I thought this is a recent addition to fighting a engine fire, but I plan on ordering a couple of these for the Deuce sedan and the Ranch Wagon, no more swapping out that big fire extinguisher from car to car. HRP

 

I saw the Leno youtube demo video in 2018 Danny and ordered them for all my vehicles. Besides being effective, the thing I like the most on these is no effective expiration. No checking a pressure gauge, no recharging/replacing when the gauge shows recharge.

 

Thank you sir, HRP

 

Maybe the firefighters in this thread can talk about the pros/cons of opening a hood that you have an engine fire in?

I only mention this because I was always told by my cousins (one a retired Chief, the other I don't recall) is never open a door if you suspect fire on the other side, has to do with a rush of air/oxygen and can cause lots of issues.

I kinda assume it would be the same if you opened your hood as well?

Just trying to keep ya'll safe, but I'm no where near a gnats ass on an engine fire guy.

 

Halon are my Preference, will look into the Elements if No Mess

 

These also come with a handy dandy mounting bracket......I can just grab mine from under the dash.

 

I carry two 10 # ABC extinguishers on my welding truck and have had to use them on other people's vehicles that were burning on the side of the road. It cost me $70 each to re-charge the ABC's after they're used and a fairly hefty fee annually for inspection so the Element extinguisher is less expensive over all. I know a lot of folks have the conventional extinguishers but if they aren't used, people tend to forget that the conventional units need to be shaken from time to time. The powder will settle and you may not get all of it when you need it.

The way my wife cooks, I think I'd be money ahead getting a couple for the kitchen. Common joke from our kids in our house when the smoke alarms goes off is " Dinner's ready. Mom's cooking again ".

 

Would love to hear from someone who used this on an active engine fire.
Modern car of course.