How do I discharge fire extinguisher for disposal?

In the 70's I had a fire on my Stella half way between Ostend & the Longsand Head. It took 2 brand new Chub extinguisher ( freebies from Chubb for adopting Chubb extinguishers in my factory) to put it out as the petrol kept floating about on the water in the bilges & I could not get access to it.
The mess was horrendous. Plus I managed to fill one of the crews open bags with powder on top of his suit ( Dinner in Ostend at a rally)
When we tried to wash some of the powder out of the cockpit with buckets of water the whole thing turned to a skating rink.
The powder just flies everywhere around the boat. Takes ages to clear up the mess.
But they are effective. Comes out with some force. Just be prepared for it going everywhere, if not carefully contained
 
Sandy said:
Sounds like you have an opportunity to put out a small controlled fire, perhaps in a dustbin, and do some training.
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I agree. Hold a fire drill for all your crew. It’s surprising how many people have never operated a fire extinguisher, so it’s a good opportunity and a way for them to experience it so it’s not a shock the first time they pull the pin in an emergency
 
When I had to replace a fire extinguisher I had SWMBO let it off into a wheelie bin on the grounds she had never used one, always better to have experience without a fire than go into a situation clueless.
It freshened up the bin no end too.
Once de-pressurised it's just scrap metal, unscrew the top and dispose of through regular recycling.
 
I asked the local harbourmaster about this once. He told me to let it off and squirt the powder into the bin, then put the dead extinguisher on top.

If it comes to a choice between the boat going up in smoke and the mess, I'll choose the mess, but if a bucket of water's got a chance, I'm trying that first!
 
I just skooshed mine into the skip at the boatyard, and then chucked the empties into the skip. I didn't consider it a problem.
 
duncan99210 said:
No. Most small dry powder extinguishers are built on the same principle as an aerosol can: they don’t have a separate gas cartridge, rather the whole can is pressurised. To disassemble them, you need to get rid of the pressure before you can safely remove the trigger assembly. So Graham’s idea is a good way to minimise mess: invert the extinguisher and trigger it. You’ll get a burst of powder then just escaping gas. I’d then simply take the extinguisher to the dump as it will be discharged from the pressure point of view, which is what the council employees are worried about. The powder is messy but non toxic.
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It might not be toxic but trust me you don't want to be tasting it or breathing it in.

W.
 
penfold said:
If there's a fire fighting training centre anywhere near you they will have them off you for demos.
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Having spend many days doing official fire warden training I strongly recommend that everybody sets off an extinguisher. Far more useful that giving it to somebody else to use, hence the suggestion.
 
I once had to clean up after an extinguisher went off by itself in a cockpit locker - I just vacuumed up powder. I have used one once to put out a paraffin fire on a cooker . People pay a lot to do a course with fire training in Cowes for super yacht crew so surely any chance to practice firing off outside at a barbecue or whatever is a useful lesson.
 
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