Element fire extinguisher?

[Tucker74]

Anyone have any thoughts or experience with these? Have been wanting a fire extinguisher in the truck for safety, but don’t feel traditional or even halon are going to do much in a portable size. Came across this option:

https://elementfire.com/

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[Underwhirled]

I’ve been looking at these as well. They are a bit expensive, but they appear to really get the job done.

 

[WattTruckMatt]

I have had one of these for years that I carried around in my old Tacoma. I've recently seen some horrible reviews on them and have switched to a proper, traditional fire extinguisher in the Rivian.

Unsure how scientific this test was but you can make up your own mind:

 

[NY_Rob]

I bought a new extinguisher for our jetski this year, I purchased a 2nd one for the Rivian... this one is only 12" tall:

 

[Chewy734]

After seeing that burnt Rivian in the other thread, I was also looking into this. It didn’t seem to do much though in that video Matt shared. ?‍

 

[SparkyR1t]

Here is one of the deionized water and vermiculite extinguishers designed for lithium battery fires

https://www.proboat.com/2022/09/licell-fire-extinguishers/

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I have had one of these for years that I carried around in my old Tacoma. I've recently seen some horrible reviews on them and have switched to a proper, traditional fire extinguisher in the Rivian.

Unsure how scientific this test was but you can make up your own mind:

I think he's holding it too close to the fires. That isn't using the smoke to engulf the fire and snuff it out. He's blowing the smoke THROUGH the fire instead of suffocating it.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

By the look of the way this extinguisher works it uses the inert smoke to smother the fire out. In the enclosed space of this jeep the smoke built up to the point all the oxygen was replaced and the fire went out. So for something like a vehicle fire I would think the element would work rather well. But a wide open fire it probably wouldn't work.

I think it, just like most things, requires a proper use case in order to work.

 

[madgrey]

I just watched 1/2 dozen demo videos. The ones sponsored by Element went pretty well. The others were a mixed bag. I think I want something with some pressure and throw, especially in an outdoor setting where you're likely to be using this.

 

[atebit]

Here is one of the deionized water and vermiculite extinguishers designed for lithium battery fires

https://www.proboat.com/2022/09/licell-fire-extinguishers/

Isn’t vermiculite bad to inhale? I would think burnt/burning vermiculite would be even worse?

 

[pfbz]

The element IMHO is better than nothing.... Maybe.. Barely. Except that it likely gives you a false sense of protection.

A small dry chemical extinguisher if used properly is very effective and cheap (but makes a hell of a mess).

Halon-alike extinguishers are very effective, very expensive, less compact for similar effective suppression than dry chemical, but make zero mess.

No extinguisher is effective if not used correctly, and for some reason, training of the general public on how to use them is almost never done. More people have training in CPR than how to properly use fire extinguishers (and as the jeep video will show you, most really don't have a clue).

Why do I dislike the Element? Look at the Element demos videos.... they usually show it against small, non engaged, non fed fires. But more importantly, they put the user in a VERY unsafe firefighting position WAY too close to the fire.

Most would rather have their vehicle burn to the ground then potentially have third degree burns all over their face, hands and arms.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Anyone have any thoughts or experience with these?

I would not use that, personally. As someone else said, "better than nothing. Barely." Better to get a real fire extinguisher, imho.

 

[BrayBay]

Good thread, I'll be keeping close watch.

Anyone have experience with this? https://www.elidefireus.com I saw it mention on a home building show for garage fires, but unsure how effective it is.

May just go with a traditional extinguisher instead of trying the unknown.

 

[CharonPDX]

I have had one of these for years that I carried around in my old Tacoma. I've recently seen some horrible reviews on them and have switched to a proper, traditional fire extinguisher in the Rivian.

Unsure how scientific this test was but you can make up your own mind:

It is great for very small fires that are just "going due to fuel". It would be of absolutely no use for an EV battery fire. *MAYBE* the recent charge port one, if it was caught quickly enough.

A fire needs three things - fuel, oxygen, ignition. This interrupts oxygen.

As demonstrated in that video, a big enough fire that it can't completely put out (the grease fire in a big bin,) it interrupts oxygen while it's actively pointed on it, but the grease fire is big enough that it just re-lights. The wood fire still has ignition (the coals) and fuel (the wood,) so again, you're just interrupting oxygen. As soon as you take it away, oxygen becomes available again, and it re-lights. (Hold it long enough, and it will cause the flames to die down enough that the coals won't be enough to re-light. If the fire were bigger (proper campfire size) that little stick wouldn't be enough.)

If you ever get a fire that is an actual battery pack fire - nothing you can carry in your vehicle will be enough to put it out.

 

[VSG]

Isn’t vermiculite bad to inhale? I would think burnt/burning vermiculite would be even worse?

Most of the vermiculite produced in the US used to come from a deposit in Montana that also contained asbestos. And a lot of that was used as home insulation and is still dangerous because it can release asbestos fibers into the air if disturbed or burnt.

https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/protect-your-family-asbestos-contaminated-vermiculite-insulation

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