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Reply to "Fire Extinguisher Recommendations"

Robert,

 I went to their website and checked the FAQ and questions and specifications and model information and I am not very impressed at all. 

 Traditional extinguishers are rated in the type of fires they can successfully combat and the SIZE of the fire they are rated to successfully extinguish.  The importers of the Element extinguisher, it is made in Italy, state that their extinguisher does not meet definitions required for testing and certification.  I found nothing in their literature where they offer any information on the size of the fire their extinguishers are capable of extinguishing.  Whatever the true story, these extinguishers are also not legal where they are legally required such as boating and transportation applications.

 They mention the types of fire the extinguisher is rated for and the length of time the extinguisher .... operates.  They make absolutely no mention of the size of the fire this extinguisher can successfully combat. 

 The extended operating time this extinguisher offers, their biggest selling point, is in my humble opinion a totally and completely worthless specification,

for example:

 I have a gallon jug of water that I grab to fight a paper fire. I can take that gallon jug, unscrew the cap and dump it on the fire and the jug is empty in say five seconds. 

 I have another 1 gallon jug of water in which I punch a quarter inch hole and I watch it trickle out to put out the fire, and it takes five minutes for that water to drain from the smaller hole. 

 Because it took longer to drain out of the jug does that mean that I have more fire fighting power? I don’t think that is how it works, do you? 

 This extinguisher is not legal where legality is required and does not indicate what size fire it can successfully combat. 

 I will stick with my fully rated and approved Halon extinguishers, thank you very much.  

 Despite what some may have heard, Halon extinguishers are still legal to buy, sell and refill. The restriction on that gas applies to the manufacture of that gas, not the continued use of that gas. Much like the old refrigerant R-12. 

Larry

 

P.S. -  if my reasoning above is not enough for anyone to question the benefits of this extinguisher, keep in mind that Robert said the ...Ferrari... guys really liked it.  😉

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