Fire Extinguisher & Tested / Approved Electrical Parts Compilation Thread

[Felix808]

Doing some reflection on this whole thing and I really appreciate all the feedback that has been given to both threads.

Also wanted to once again thank @Canyon Coolers for reaching out about the corrosion from the dry element fire extinguishers. The Bronco has been sitting since we got back and conflicts have come up that’s prevented us from being able to swap out the parts. Had we not had a heads up on the corrosion I can’t imagine what it would look like under the hood. That shit was already forming on the ECU and other components on day two. And it took us washing it down five different times to get things under control.

People often don’t speak up on issues as they don’t want to seem controversial or offensive. But again-really glad you did.

Alright-back to learning.

Yep, use a Dry chem / PPK type extinguisher & your vehicle is pretty much done anyway. They are heavy & highly corrosive. Having been on the scene of a number of Car-B -Que's, it does not take long for a 2.5 lbs. extinguisher to run dry & the fire to come back stronger. Finding a real solutions is a challenge.

That said, I carry an Element 50 on the door sill & pray I never have to use it . If I do I hope it works, as well as my insurance. Most vehicle fires pretty much write off the vehicle

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[SierraBronco]

Yep, use a Dry chem / PPK type extinguisher & your vehicle is pretty much done anyway. They are heavy & highly corrosive. Having been on the scene of a number of Car-B -Que's, it does not take long for a 2.5 lbs. extinguisher to run dry & the fire to come back stronger. Finding a real solutions is a challenge.

That said, I carry an Element 50 on the door sill & pray I never have to use it . If I do I hope it works, as well as my insurance. Most vehicle fires pretty much write off the vehicle

Yip-learned that the hard way. Never thought I’d have a $450 fire extinguisher, but here we are. (Never thought I’d spend $150 on a single fuse either. That also happened)

 

[JediMcMuffin]

I'm fine to drop some coin on a fire extinguisher, and I understand why folks shit on the Element sticks (thanks Snacktime!), but can someone point me at one that isn't $390 but a worthwhile investment for someone who goes out infrequently?

 

[BroncoB]

Safety professionals don't fight fires with fire extinguishers. I have a vendetta against those E50 sticks...

Sorry, but professional firefighters are trained to use portable fire extinguishers and they do. Every fire apparatus will have one or two on it.

 

[SierraBronco]

I'm fine to drop some coin on a fire extinguisher, and I understand why folks shit on the Element sticks (thanks Snacktime!), but can someone point me at one that isn't $390 but a worthwhile investment for someone who goes out infrequently?

one of the guys found a few PRO’s on ebay for pretty cheap. Members here snagged them up but maybe it’s a recurring thing? Couldn’t tell ya. I had a hard time finding more affordable options that had a store that seemed reliable so ended up just dropping the coin for H3R direct.

They did include a big bag of gummies if it’s any consolation. Not a little one. Big bag!

 

[CalvinT]

I was at Overland Expo West in Flagstaff back in May. I talked to several vendors who sold the Element extinguishers. All told me they weren't suitable for putting out a camp fire. That they were basically a BC extinguisher. I think it's because an Element won't douse the embers to make sure the fire won't start again.

I was interested in them at first but got to thinking about actual use. I can see where one could be useful, but I wouldn't make one my only extinguisher. For one thing they won't knock down a fire the way a dry chemical or CO2 extinguisher will. But they could be good for a fire that won't go out right away, such as a tire that's caught fire but is still on the car. I've tried to put out such a fire with a 2 3/4 lb dry chemical. It only knocked it down until the chemical ran out. It didn't extinguish the fire because I couldn't get to the base of the fire. Use of the dry chemical followed by quick use of an Element E100 before the fire flashed back might have worked.

My background. US Navy firefighting training, Motorola fire brigade (training provided by Rural Metro), fire fighting training with my last employer (also gave a demo of putting out an oil fire with water). Don't try the last unless you REALLY know what you're doing.

 

[Num Num]

Anybody seen this extinguisher?
https://www.ake.com/
Expensive but looks like it works real well.
discuss…..

 

[SierraBronco]

Anybody seen this extinguisher?
https://www.ake.com/
Expensive but looks like it works real well.
discuss…..

Geez. I thought the halon was expensive

 

[CalvinT]

Even their refills are expensive. It would be interesting to look up their patents to see how they work. They have halon and some other gasses. I like that they're not dry chemical, so no corrosive powder residue.

They claim a Lifetime guarantee. Except for the Element, all the extinguishers I'm familiar with need to be replaced or serviced after a certain period.

They may be worth what they're charging since they don't need to be replaced or recharged after just one use. And you don't have to buy a new one or have it serviced every 6 years.

 

[jtgensler]

Quick connect for extinguisher (can personally confirm it works as designed in an emergency. It doesn’t come with mounting bolts or washers)
https://a.co/d/dVMzYIG

After reading your story, I ordered an extinguisher & this same quick release mount.
I'm curious where/how you mounted it on your rig?
I'm leaning towards making a bracket to bolt into the two threaded holes on my roll bar & bend over to keep it on the inside of the roll bar for easy access.

 

[SierraBronco]

After reading your story, I ordered an extinguisher & this same quick release mount.
I'm curious where/how you mounted it on your rig?
I'm leaning towards making a bracket to bolt into the two threaded holes on my roll bar & bend over to keep it on the inside of the roll bar for easy access.

Right up front on the aftermarket overhead panel. Very quick access. At first we didn’t like it blocking the Aux switches but decided to stick with it. Glad we did. We’ll put the backup in the back.

 

[nolimits]

Quite frightening. Today I looked up ANL fuses and the cheapest 100A fuses available from Amazon popped within 1%, where the more expensive Blue Sea fuses (thought to be reputable) didn’t pop until 224! So I don’t even know what to believe anymore. I hate everything.

Potential scenario where the cheapest does the bare minimum and then fails? Whereas the brand name made it “tougher/better” but failed to recognize failing at X point was the end goal.

Or maybe, that one test caught the one fuse that was abnormal. Seems unlikely. I haven’t looked (yet) but does Blue Sea do any QC testing of their products that is available for public review?

Updated OP to include the following-


Continuing the learning path aka going down a rabbit hole, and this video probably gave me more anxiety than any feature film I’ve watched. Literally jaw dropping.

For the too long, didn’t watch crowd-he puts 150 amps through a 100 amp fuse and waits, while checking temperatures. It takes…a long time…to finally pop. At least 12-15 minutes. But during this time it exceeded his flir device at >800F for what seemed like a frightening amount of time. The temperature also works it’s way into the 4/0 wiring, heating the wire all the way to the source and to the point the heat shrink adhesive melts.

Thanks for sharing. My inner nerd is dying to find a few minutes to watch this.

They did include a big bag of gummies if it’s any consolation. Not a little one. Big bag!

Not sure what type of gummies you got but word to the wise….certain gummies should not be eaten after consuming multiple bottles of whiskey earlier in the day. And you certainly shouldn’t eat the whole bag quoting random things like “these little fuckers don’t do shit”. Roughly an hour later you may find yourself slumped in a chair staring at the sky and your buddy asking if you’re okay.

Gummies = 1; nolimits = 0

 

[SierraBronco]

Potential scenario where the cheapest does the bare minimum and then fails? Whereas the brand name made it “tougher/better” but failed to recognize failing at X point was the end goal.

Or maybe, that one test caught the one fuse that was abnormal. Seems unlikely. I haven’t looked (yet) but does Blue Sea do any QC testing of their products that is available for public review?



Thanks for sharing. My inner nerd is dying to find a few minutes to watch this.




Not sure what type of gummies you got but word to the wise….certain gummies should not be eaten after consuming multiple bottles of whiskey earlier in the day. And you certainly shouldn’t eat the whole bag quoting random things like “these little fuckers don’t do shit”. Roughly an hour later you may find yourself slumped in a chair staring at the sky and your buddy asking if you’re okay.

The blue sea stuff seems to held in high regard, and it’s UL certified too. If I remember that particular video correctly I don’t recall the creator going into any details on fast burn vs slow burn. He simply stated the rating. There could be more to the story. Now with that said, I wasn’t impressed with a distribution block cover that came in from blue sea. Was flimsy and cheap. And didn’t do a good job protecting the terminals from contact or elements. Though maybe they’re expecting it to be used in boats and not under the hood of a car. I returned their distribution block and cover to get something better for automotive use. Will probably keep the class T fuse holder though.

When it comes to gummies there are the good ones made with the sugar, the good ones for sleeping made with THC and sugar, and then there are the calorie free gummies that should be avoided at all costs unless you need to evacuate your bowels. Thoroughly.

 

[B Miller]

MOST fire apparatus carry three extinguisher's for fire firefighting. Large ABC dry chemical, Large CO2, water can, and foam capabilities. Firefighters will choose the correct method of extinguishment depending on the type of fire.

MOST departments will use water, foam, and or ABC dry chemical for stubborn vehicle fires.

In regards to fire blankets, they're reserved for electric vehicle fires (covers the entire car) Doesn't put the car out, just keeps it contained until the batteries are done burning. Plus, they're super big and heavy. Not practical for overlanding.

Halon displaces oxygen. That's how the fire goes out. The problem is the fire can re ignite. That's the advantage of dry chemical. It creates a crust over the hot surface where the fire was, keeping the fire suppressed. Halon is used by computer companies as not to damage electronics. Floods the room with Halon for a period of time. We're outside dealing with plastic, rubber, fuel, and all kinds of other combustibles.

I don't mess around with mystery extinguishers like the Element. Not that they don't work, but the testing I've seen is not realistic in regards vehicle fires. Shown are small easily controlled fires. Plus, you have to get your hand in there for it to be effective. Not always possible and likely to burn yourself.

Use what's proven to work (most of the time) an actual vehicle fire is not the time to see if they are effective. You don't want to lose your Bronco and start a large brush fire.

In regards to mounting, anywhere on the vehicle is close enough. Don't lock or bury it under stuff. My advice is keep it in the rear because most fires start towards the front and you want access without flames or smoke making it difficult. Plus, it's a pressurized canister. Rear is a good choice.

Myself, I carry two extinguishers. 2.5 pound BC Purple K and 2.5 pound ABC dry chemical. If you have the ability to carry bigger versions of those extinguishers...awesome. Don't worry about corrosion, you want the fire out. Insurance can replace parts.

I had a Bronco fire last month in the desert. Sage brush build up on the skid plate, caught a spark somehow melting a hole in the fuel tank. The BC Purple K make fast work of it. Saved the Bronco and a possible brush fire. I'll have that video out in a week or so.

These links will get you set up
Hope this helps!
2.5 Pound BC Purple K
2.5 Pound ABC Dry Chemical
Roll Bar Mount

 

[SierraBronco]

MOST fire apparatus carry three extinguisher's fire firefighting. ABC dry chemical, CO2, water can, and foam capabilities. The apparatus itself has a 2.5 pound ABC Dry Chemical. Firefighters will choose the correct method of extinguishment depending on the type of fire.

In regards to fire blankets, MOST departments will use a ABC dry chemical on a kitchen grease fire. They do use blankets, but are reserved for electric vehicle fires (covers the entire car)

Halon displaces oxygen. That's how the fire goes out. The problem is the fire can re ignite. That's the advantage of dry chemical. It creates a crust over where the fire was, keeping the fire suppressed.

I don't mess around with little mystery extinguishers like the Element. Not that they don't work, but the testing I've seen are not realistic in regards to a vehicle fire. Shown are small easily controlled fires. Plus, you have to get your hand in there for it to be effective. Not always possible and likely to burn yourself.

Use what's proven to work (most of the time) an actual vehicle fire is not the time to see if they are effective. You don't want to start a large conflagration fire in the wilderness.

Myself, I carry two extinguishers. 2.5 pound BC Purple K and 2.5 pound ABC dry chemical. If you have the ability to carry bigger versions of those extinguishers...awesome. Don't worry about corrosion. Get the fire out.

I had a Bronco fire last month in the desert. It was on top of the skid plate melting a hole in the fuel tank. The BC Purple K make fast work of it. Saved the Bronco and a possible brush fire. I'll have that video out in a week or so.

Hope this helps!

How did the fire get started on the skid plate?!?

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