Although these type of extinguishers (brilliant items) are available in the UK, this particular news item is primarily aimed at our many North American readers.
Every second counts when a fire occurs, especially in a race car or a shop full of combustible materials. If you can’t get a fire under control quickly, the chances of injury or total loss rise dramatically.
Element Fire Extinguishers are the better way to fight a fire. Unlike traditional fire extinguishers that can be heavy and awkward to operate, Element extinguishers are significantly smaller – up to 80 per cent smaller – and simple to activate.
More importantly, they discharge fire suppression agent for a longer period of time. For example, an Element E50 extinguisher has a 50-second discharge time – four times longer than a typical extinguisher with a five pound bottle – and the larger E100 has a 100-second discharge time. That puts the maximum amount of suppression agent on a fire before it has a chance to get out of control.
These extinguishers use solid potassium nitrate powder as the suppression agent. When the extinguisher is activated, the powder shoots out in a stream that immediately oxidises and turns into a gas that attaches to the oxygen feeding the fire, depriving it of its main fuel and choking off the combustion process. The potassium particles have a slow degradation rate, which helps prevent a new fire from starting once the initial fire is extinguished. Potassium is also non-toxic and leaves no residue to clean up.
As they have no moving parts or compressed gas so they’re safe and never need servicing. They’re unaffected by extreme temperatures, humidity, or vibration, and can be used to fight all major classes of fire:
• Class A: combustible materials like wood, fabric, and plastic
• Class B: flammable liquids and gases like fuel, oil, and propane
• Class C: electrical
• Class K: cooking oils and grease
Summit Racing also carries mounts for Element Fire Extinguishers:
• Roll bar mount for E50 extinguishers
• Flat surface magnetic and rubber mounts for E50 and E100 extinguishers
• Plastic mounting clips for custom installations