Lyle Chesley had been out shopping with his family when he got a call telling him that his house was on fire. He came home to find it nearly in ashes. That experience sparked something within him and he set out to create an automatic device that would help prevent this from happening to others reports Homer Tribune.
The heartbreaking loss of his home inspired Chesley to create the “Hot Shot” and “Sentry” electrical fire prevention devices, which plug into the wall. He recently obtained patents on these inventions.
The “Hot Shot” is a small canister placed inside the wall and connected to an electrical outlet. According to Chesley, if the temperature of the outlet reaches 250 degrees (combustion occurs at 426 degrees), the canister ejects a special foam that cools the wires, displaces oxygen and insulates the surrounding combustible materials. The foam spills out of the outlet, indicating that a fire has been prevented and that the outlet should be serviced. The foam is non-toxic and non-staining. It dries to a crust that is easily broken down into a powder and vacuumed up. The “Sentry” acts in the same manner but is made to be mounted on the wall above, or attached to the front of a circuit breaker box.
“Unlike other systems, these components do not have to be built into the home during construction, and are far less expensive than a centralized system.” Chesley said. The Hot Shot and Sentry devices are especially appropriate for single family homes older than 20 years, owner built homes, and homes that have had modifications made to the original electrical system.
Photo by Doug Shick