TLDR
Gamma Motorsports is carrying Element fire extinguishers and accessories in stock! For a user operated option (as opposed to a system you activate and it operates on it’s own) they’re one of the most advanced options on the market. Element also has a line of mounts for these if you want a solid mount for it. Those range from seat rail brackets to magnetic mounts.
We carry just about the full line that Element offers. If you’d like to take a look at their catalog, it can be found on Element’s website.
I talk a lot in this post, but if you have any questions, I enjoy this topic. Please do not hesitate to ask me about it with the options over on Contact Us!
Leno did this video a while back on these extinguishers. It’s a good starting point.
Why Fire Safety Matters
I still need to get an About page put up, but for those that don’t know my background, at one point in time, I was a mechanic in a nuclear power plant in the back of a submarine. Turns out it’s hard to call a fire department in one of those, let alone for them to get to you, so guess who got fire training? As a result, I take this stuff kinda seriously. Plus being locked in a steel tube with fire kinda changes your perspective on it as well.
There’s a lot of ways for your car to burn itself to the ground before we ever go messing with it. No matter your level of pride, we all make mistakes, and don’t naturally have machine level tolerances.
Things happen, and as much as you spend on your car, you can do things to make sure that in the event of a fire, the whole thing doesn’t end up a smoldering pile of rubble. Also know that your insurance policy probably doesn’t cover any modifications you made to the car unless you specifically sought that out. Consider some kind of fire safety measure to be your cheap supplement to that insurance.
Upsides to Element
Just a quick list of Element’s bullet points:
– These are maintenance free with no shelf date
– They’re lighter and less bulky than a pressurized bottle
– They last longer than a pressurized bottle
– The contents are not pressurized, so you don’t have to worry about splashing fuel, oil, etc around with it and spreading the fire
– They’re non-corrosive to electronics and there’s no residue
– They don’t displace oxygen, so you can breathe around it (It probably has to be said, pointing any extinguisher at your face and discharging it is stupid, be reasonable.)
A Little More Detail
These have a dry chemical inside of them that you basically light off like a road flare to start them. They’re entirely stable otherwise. They do get warm during operation, which is why they have an insulated handle on them, but they don’t get super hot.
Regular pressurized bottles require upkeep and inspections to ensure they work. They do have a possibility of failing or losing their pressure. The Element extinguisher is perfect for someone who may not think to look at the gauge on a bottle regularly to make sure it’s still going to work when they need it.
Your average 5lb pressurized bottle will last about 12-13 seconds of continuous discharge. The Element E50 is designed for 50 seconds of discharge, and the E100 is designed for 100 seconds. That extra time of suppressant is invaluable in getting someone else there to back you up, whether that be with another extinguisher or a hose depending on what’s available.
For the Fire Nerds
Element Extinguishers are designed for class A, B, C, and K fires.
Element does not displace oxygen to combat the fire. If you remember your fire triangle, fire requires fuel, heat, oxygen, and there’s that secret answer D of the chemical reaction required to sustain fire. Element takes the chemical reaction approach. The sodium based compound inside the extinguisher pairs with the molecules required to sustain that reaction and breaks it down.
I’ve had people ask for an actual video of it putting out fire. I didn’t make this video either, but it’s a great demo.
Are There Drawbacks?
If there’s anything to be considered a “drawback,” I constantly harp on anything gas based not leaving any protection once it’s dissipated from the area around the fire. Wind will obviously speed that process up. Element lasts for a long time, and as long as you get rid of your ignition source, you’re going to have a good chance of extinguishing whatever your problem was, but if it’s something that isn’t properly shut down quickly, it could potentially reignite.
I’m also a fan of AFFF, even though some of the older variants have been replaced for being possible carcinogens. Fireade has an excellent product if longer coverage is needed, you’re just going to have cleanup involved after, along with potential runoff. There’s give and take to every option.
The second thing is these do cost a little more than a traditional pressurized user operated bottle setup, but as long as it’s not absolutely breaking your bank, the benefits far outweigh the cost. These things aren’t even a dent in the budget of what’s spent on most street driven enthusiast cars, let alone anything put together for the track.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to also remember, I focus on cars here, because that’s mainly what we do, and the product is focused on that application. Remember though, there are plenty of places fire can happen, and it’s a good idea to be ready for it. Kitchens, server closets, garages, your car trailer… there are many places these things will fit in.
Even if you have a full suppression system in your car, these are a great supplement. Hit your suppression system, grab your Element, evacuate the car, assess the situation, and if you can safely get back in to hit it with the backup method of the Element, it just offers you more time for safety crews or help to get to you.