Latest info about Element fire extinguishers (1 Viewer)

[FerrisBueller]

The Element fire extinguishers (E50, E100) are pretty popular on here, and I even have 2 of them. However, I've started noticing in feeds elsewhere that they have been getting a bad rap lately for not really being effective at very many real world situations. It's making me second-guess whether I should even have one in the vehicle at all if it ends up causing more delay before containing a fire. You can easily find reddit and youtube examples where it simply does nothing to a fire.

It's easy to keep them in the drawer, but it might be a false sense of security... I'm curious if anyone else has additional personal experience, good or bad?

Here are two examples, one where it works fine, and one where it does not:

Where it works okay:




Here's a failure:

 

[FerrisBueller]

Here's another of each.

Working:




Failing:

 

[bicycleagent003]

Yeah, I'm not buying one of those Element fire extinguishers. I carry a 2.5 lb. ABC fire extinguisher in my 80 Series.

 

[Eyedaho]

Yikes, that's not very reassuring. I have put out diesel fires with CO2 and dry chemical ABC extinguishers in training, and was able to put them right out with no problem. CO2 is prone to having a fire relight once the CO2 disperses, if the heat is still there. Dry chemical makes a mess, but for a legit vehicle fire I'm more concerned with putting out the fire.

 

[gasman4u]

Yikes. I have a few of these and some ABC fire extinguishers too. I didn't have questions before, but now I do.

Were the element fire extinguishers that failed bought from amazon? If they were legit element fire extinguishers, this would be a stark departure from all the promo/review videos they had a couple years ago.

 

[FerrisBueller]

Yikes. I have a few of these and some ABC fire extinguishers too. I didn't have questions before, but now I do.

Were the element fire extinguishers that failed bought from amazon? If they were legit element fire extinguishers, this would be a stark departure from all the promo/review videos they had a couple years ago.

Yeah, I was just as surprised. That's a good question - I had not considered that people might be getting counterfeit units on Amazon. I guess we can't be confident in the performance unless someone runs some tests on units that were purchased directly from the Element website.

 

[gasman4u]

Yeah, I was just as surprised. That's a good question - I had not considered that people might be getting counterfeit units on Amazon. I guess we can't be confident in the performance unless someone runs some tests on units that were purchased directly from the Element website.

I realize it's a nitpick on my part, but think they would have been shown to be charlatans a while back if their product was indeed garbage. I am hoping it's some sort of counterfeit, but time will tell. If legitimate Element, it leaves me scratching my head whether or not it's worth investing in the silver auto canister type extinguishers.

 

[Corbet]

I’ve used an ABC and a Halotron fire extinguisher on actual truck fires. Both worked. But I can definitely see where any gas based extinguisher has a disadvantage over the chemical. Once you spray the chemical it pretty much stays put and you can move on to the next area. The gas simply blows in the wind. So if you can’t completely immerse the flames with the gas you’re in trouble. I think those videos reflect that. The wood fire also showed how something really hot will reignite its self.

All that said I currently carry a Halotron and an Element. I don’t want to ever have to clean up the ABC again. That crap is so corrosive. Pretty much just ruins your truck after the fact.

Reality is if you don’t get on it quick it will not matter what kind you have. A short blast from a small unit is not extinguishing an engulfed engine bay.

The ABC can become compacted inside the unit from road vibration. So good to pull it out regularly and shake it. Rotate it. Etc.

 

[PAToyota]

But I can definitely see where any gas based extinguisher has a disadvantage over the chemical. Once you spray the chemical it pretty much stays put and you can move on to the next area. The gas simply blows in the wind. So if you can’t completely immerse the flames with the gas you’re in trouble. I think those videos reflect that. The wood fire also showed how something really hot will reignite its self.

From the first pair of videos, that's definitely the issue. The first (successful) video there is a contained space and if the gas fills the area and smothers the whole fire it goes out. The second (failure) video the pans and wood fire are all open, so as soon as the gas disperses the fire reignites. I'd also note that in the first video they're using "regular" extinguishers with limited results. It does look like their use of them is haphazard, though. You have to focus on what you're doing and not just spray here and there.

The second pair of videos show similar results. Even though the first (successful) video is open, there is a good breeze blowing across the tray. He waits for the fire to die down a bit and then works from the one side to the other with the breeze to smother the fire and the breeze helps to keep it from blowing back and reigniting what he's already worked over. The second (failure) video looks enclosed, but is pretty open underneath and you can see the gas blowing up and out of the engine bay. There isn't enough containment to smother the fire.

Putting out a fire definitely isn't a "point and shoot and it goes out" operation. You do have to have some knowledge of what you're doing. I've watched people with "regular" extinguishers be totally ineffective because they just wave it back and forth at the fire. A disadvantage of the Element is the limited amount of time you have and that once you strike it you have to be effective with it. The "regular" extinguisher you can "squirt," step back and assess, and "squirt" again - repeat as necessary. I see people with the little aerosol extinguishers and you're going to have the same issue with them as the Element as far as capacity - but you don't have to use it all at once either.

I've got a couple Element extinguishers and a few ABC extinguishers. I feel confident that both have the potential to be effective, but I also know they both have their limitations. A downside of the Element is the cost - in that you're not going to want to just blow $90 to practice with one - but you really should practice with any fire extinguisher. I had the opportunity to use some extinguishers through a fire safety course and have used my expired extinguishers. I have to admit that I haven't used an Element, but I probably should. In the heat of the moment, you have to be confident about what you are doing.

 

[PAToyota]

The second pair of videos show similar results. [snip] The second (failure) video looks enclosed, but is pretty open underneath and you can see the gas blowing up and out of the engine bay. There isn't enough containment to smother the fire.

Thinking about this a moment, the first thing I'd do (with any extinguisher) is shut the hood to help to smother the fire and then spray the extinguisher in from underneath or through the grille to extinguish the fire.

 

[aztoyman]

Good point. I've seen video of people opening the hood to put fire out and the hood directs the fire/smoke RIGHT at them. Same with opening the engine cover on boats. In some cases you have to have access to the fire though. So I guess we need to THINK before we do when it comes to using an extinguisher. Even though it's a stressful situation.

 

[PAToyota]

So I guess we need to THINK before we do when it comes to using an extinguisher. Even though it's a stressful situation.

And that is where practice helps. It is extremely stressful and being able to coolly and calmly think through what you need to do and do it makes a difference.