Engine-bay protection for buses and heavy equipment

Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Suppression

Fogmaker · AFEX · Ansul Canada & United States $$$ · Per-vehicle quote; no public price

Engine-compartment systems for buses, trucks and mining, forestry and construction equipment detect fire and discharge water mist, dry chemical or a dual agent. Insurers and some jurisdictions require them on certain vehicles.

Why we like it

Fogmaker systems need no power for activation or monitoring
Discharge continues cooling to help prevent re-ignition
Choice of water mist, dry chemical or dual-agent systems

Watch out for

Must be installed by a certified installer for the function to be guaranteed
Requirements in Canada and the US vary and is not published
No public price

Best for

Buses, mining and forestry machines, and construction equipment.

Read the full market guide — costs, install effort and alternatives ↓

Market guide

The whole commitment, end to end

What this actually is, what the market looks like, what it really costs, and how much of your time it wants — before you spend anything.

Buying it Moderate

Installing it Major project

Living with it Moderate

Up front

No reliable public figure — get quotes per vehicle.

Lead time

Depends on distributor and fleet size

Time to install

No reliable public figure — ask the distributor

How it works

Fogmaker uses a pressurised detection tube and a piston accumulator at 100–105 bar: when fire bursts the tube, the accumulator drives high-pressure water mist through nozzles in the engine bay, with no electrical power needed for activation or monitoring. AFEX and Ansul (CHECKFIRE) use dry chemical or dual-agent systems with linear or infrared detection. In each case discharge is designed to keep cooling after knock-down to prevent re-ignition from hot engine parts.

Who needs it

Mining and forestry equipment operators (often under insurer or occupational health and safety rules), bus fleets, and owners of construction equipment.

Codes, standards and listings

Canada: Requirements vary by province and sector and is not published; mining equipment is often covered by insurer or occupational health and safety rules, and NFPA 122 addresses mining equipment.
United States: Requirements vary by state and sector and is not published; NFPA 122 addresses mining equipment. In Europe, buses fall under UNECE R107. Fogmaker publishes its certifications on its website.

What the market looks like

Sold and installed only through certified distributors and authorised service technicians. Fogmaker states that guaranteed function requires a certified installer and operates in North America through Fogmaker USA. AFEX and Ansul vehicle systems serve mining, forestry and heavy equipment. We found no public pricing.

Features that actually matter

Water mist (Fogmaker): High-pressure mist cools and smothers. Fogmaker offers a PFAS-free liquid, Eco 1.
No power required (Fogmaker): Activation and monitoring are mechanical and pressure-based.
Dry chemical and dual agent (AFEX, Ansul): Dry chemical knocks fire down; dual-agent designs add a liquid for cooling.
Detection options: Linear heat detection or infrared, depending on system.

What it really costs

Up front: No reliable public figure — get quotes per vehicle.
Consumables: Agent refill after a discharge. No reliable public figure — get quotes.
What else you'll need: Downtime for installation and service. No reliable public figure — get quotes.
Over five years: Fogmaker requires annual controls plus 5-year and 10-year services. No reliable public figure — get quotes.

No public price was found; vehicle systems are quoted per vehicle by certified distributors.

How it differs from the alternatives

Water mist versus dry chemical: Mist cools hot surfaces that cause re-ignition; dry chemical is fast at knock-down. Dual-agent systems try to do both.
Check the fluid: Fogmaker's Eco 1 liquid is PFAS-free; earlier fluid formulations should be checked.

Buying it

Effort Moderate

Where: Not sold to end users for self-install — through certified distributors and authorised service technicians (Fogmaker, AFEX and Ansul dealer networks).

Lead time: Depends on distributor and fleet size

Ask your insurer which systems it accepts before choosing.

Installing it

Effort Major project

Time: No reliable public figure — ask the distributor

You'll need: Certified installer

Fogmaker states that guaranteed function requires a certified installer.

Living with it

Effort Moderate

Fogmaker: annual controls plus 5-year and 10-year services. Follow the maker's schedule for AFEX and Ansul systems.

If not this, then what

Portable extinguishers on the vehicleNeeded regardless, but rely on the operator noticing the fire and stopping safely.
Automatic tube suppressionSimilar detection principle for fixed machinery rather than vehicles.

Caveats

Fogmaker offers a PFAS-free liquid (Eco 1); check the formulation of older fluids.
US and Canadian requirements for buses and equipment vary by province, state and sector; check with your insurer and regulator.
Ask the distributor for the certification that applies to your vehicle type; European bus approvals (UNECE R107) do not automatically carry over.

Our verdict

For buses and heavy equipment, an engine-bay system is the realistic way to stop a fire the operator cannot see. Check what your insurer and jurisdiction require, buy through a certified installer, and confirm the fluid is PFAS-free.

We don't take payment for placement and we don't sell these products. If you think we've got something wrong here, tell us — we'll correct it.

Sources

Need this installed or serviced? Find a licensed contractor near you →

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