Fire Extinguishers

[larryinnewyork]

I have 3 Fire Extinguishers.
They are all for ABC fires and contain a 'dry' chemical.

I have read some people suggest shaking them periodically.

Extinguishers:

No.1 is 18 lbs. That's way too heavy to shake effectively.
Bought in 1986, kept in Basement.

No.2 is 12 lbs. Still tough to shake.
Bought in 2002, kept near Hall Closet.


No.3 is (2 lbs.) kept in vehicle.


Question: Has anyone ever been concerned about the 'dry' material inside settleing to the bottom of extinguisher and not working properly ? ? ?

Question: Anybody ever experience the settling of "dry' chemical ? ? ?

This Summer if I'm still concerned, maybe I'll discharge the 1986 extinguisher and see how it performs. Then have refilled.

 

[UNC017]

The dry powder is in just about an ideal environment- nothing in there to cause contamination or clumping other than mechanical compaction of the powder. But the violence of discharging the extinguisher would probably break it all free. If not, my shaking hands when confronted with a real fire emergency probably would...

 

[totegoat]

From a quick search:

"Inspect fire extinguishers at least once a month (more often in severe environments).
Fire extinguisher maintenance is important for everyone’s safety.

You must ensure that:

The extinguisher is not blocked by equipment, coats or other objects that could interfere with access in an emergency.
The pressure is at the recommended level. On extinguishers equipped with a gauge (such as that shown on the right), the needle should be in the green zone - not too high and not too low.
The nozzle or other parts are not hindered in any way.
The pin and tamper seal (if it has one) are intact.
There are no dents, leaks, rust, chemical deposits and/or other signs of abuse/wear. Wipe off any corrosive chemicals, oil, gunk etc. that may have deposited on the extinguisher.

Some manufacturers recommend shaking your dry chemical extinguishers once a month to prevent the powder from settling/packing.

Fire extinguishers should be pressure tested (a process called hydrostatic testing) after a number of years to ensure that the cylinder is safe to use. Consult your owner's manual, extinguisher label or the manufacturer to see when yours may need such testing.

If the extinguisher is damaged or needs recharging, replace it immediately!

IMPORTANT: Recharge all extinguishers immediately after use regardless of how much they were used.

What is the difference between a fire extinguisher inspection and fire extinguisher maintenance?

Fire ExtinguisherINSPECTION
An inspection is a “quick check” to give reasonable assurance that a fire extinguisher is available, fully charged and operable. The value of an inspection lies in the frequency, regularity, and thoroughness with which it is conducted. The frequency will vary from hourly to monthly, based on the needs of the situation. Inspections should always be conducted when extinguishers are initially placed in service and thereafter at approximately 30-day intervals.

MAINTENANCE
Fire extinguishers should be maintained at regular intervals (at least once a year), or when specifically indicated by an inspection. Maintenance is a “thorough check” of the extinguisher. It is intended to give maximum assurance that an extinguisher will operate effectively and safely. It includes a thorough examination and any necessary repair, recharging or replacement. It will normally reveal the need for hydrostatic testing of an extinguisher."

 

[Darwin1138]

From what I understand of the link they should be recharged once a year. So yours is 28 years overdue of a recharge. But Maybe the "once a year recharge" is a marketing ploy to increase the profit of the people that make fire extinguishers.

I suggest that you discharge the oldest extinguisher to see how it performs.

 

[dnewton3]

Commercial units that can recharged are typically larger and more money. I presume this isn't what you have in your home, but given the sizes you describe, they could perhaps be refillable?

The smaller consumer-type extinguishers can last a fairly long time if not used, stored properly, and come with a decent warranty. I have 5 in my home, plus two in the barn. They are all dry-powder type ABC. Just last year, I decided to start replacing them (all were 10+ years old). They all had good pressure, and we discharged them before tossing in the trash (to avoid explosion upon crushing). They were all fine. This type unit is disposable; I don't think they are meant to be recharged.

The one issue I would wonder about is using a typical consumer-type unit while stored in a car. A vehicle's constant road vibrations may make the powder want to compact and either not work, or work poorly? Obviously this isn't a concern in my home, but it may well be a concern for vehicles. The best way to "know" is take one that's be subjected to this and fire it off. Much better to spend $20 now and know, then really need it and wonder if it's going to work!

 

[JTK]

The 12 and 18lb units would probably be OK for a 5-10 second blast and they'd be done for.

I recently had to use some 30lb dry chem and CO2 extinguisher for a fire at work, plus we get "trained" on them at a regular frequency. Even those are only good for a couple 10sec blasts at best.

 

[Kruse]

I have watched some fire extinguisher employees "check" some fire extinguishers and then apply a new inspection sticker to them. Their "check" involved turning the fire extinguisher upside down, smacking it with a rubber mallet about a half a dozen times, and then looking at the gauge. They then applied the new sticker that was good for another year.

 

[larryinnewyork]

Well, I discharged the 10 Lb extinguisher.
Dry Chemical ABC
It was sitting in my basement for 29 years.
I weighed it 'before' and 'after'.
10.5 Lbs. of powder came out.

So, it was still in good condition.
But the only way to know was to discharge it.