Out of date fire extinguishers

mad_boater

mad_boater

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What do you do with fire extinguishers that still show on the gauge that they are full but they are out of date what ever that means I don't fancy setting them off as I am told as they are filled with powder it doesn't seem like a good idea.

The date thing puzzles me,I was led to believe they only had a 5yr life,but looking back on past posts if they are still showing to be in the green sector they are ok.
Reading the insurance documents it says fire ext should be sufficient,what ever that means.I wonder what they would do if the boat set on fire and they discovered your 10yr or older fire ext didn't work even though it showed full.
Any way I've just picked up 3x 1kg ones from Lidle £7.99 each,but next year I have to replace the engine one at £220 so if anyone can throw some light on these subjects I will be grateful.

Ta
 
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if you find out the contents for definite, it would be helpful.

I am having about 28 extinguishers (CO2, foam, water, AFFF) refilled, tested and certified for a shade under £500 to keep our H&S person happy. It makes insurance sense to have critical response devices in date and tested.


(Powder ones MUST be shaken about at least once a month to prevent the contents settling and jamming, BTW)
 
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Get them checked and "serviced" by a professional company.
They will have a quick look, check it out and put a new sticker on saying when it was last inspected.
Hey presto - it's up to date.

Should be inspected every year.

Yes I think when it gets to about 10 years old, maybe more they may have to discharge , internally inspect and recharge it, which for small boat sized exts is more than the cost of a new one, but they'll tell you that when it applies
 
sarabande said:
if you find out the contents for definite, it would be helpful.

I am having about 28 extinguishers (CO2, foam, water, AFFF) refilled, tested and certified for a shade under £500 to keep our H&S person happy. It makes insurance sense to have critical response devices in date and tested.


(Powder ones MUST be shaken about at least once a month to prevent the contents settling and jamming, BTW)
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If you're referring to the Lidl f.x. They are powder ones
 
Based on a person-in-the-trade advice I put my out of date 1Kg powder versions (still green on the dial) next to all the other out of date extinguishers at the recycling tip. There were plenty there!!

I was also told that you should not let them off unless there is a fire as they are not good for the environment.

I was also told that the powder can be bad news for anyone who has asthma (my SWMBO) or other lung conditions. The powder can also obscure visibility when used in an confined space (can't see the fire source in the cabin?) and clearing up afterwards can be tedious to say the least.

I bought new 2ltr AFFF (foam) extinguishers as replacements (5 year life) from an Internet supplier at less than £5 per extinguisher per year (includes delivery). The 2ltr were cheaper than the 1 litre. Still more expensive than your 1Kg powder from Lidl but I breathe easier with foam on board. (Or rather I hope I don't have to find out if that is true!!)
 
I think foam is the best for the boat interior and inert gas for the engine bay.
But the dry powder extinguishers are quite compact, which is a space saving advantage. They have no date on them - if they have a gauge.
How do you know a new one is better than one you bought 5 years ago and hasn't been sitting in a warehouse for a few years?
 
MartynG said:
I think foam is the best for the boat interior and inert gas for the engine bay.
But the dry powder extinguishers are quite compact, which is a space saving advantage. They have no date on them - if they have a gauge.
How do you know a new one is better than one you bought 5 years ago and hasn't been sitting in a warehouse for a few years?
Click to expand...

Problem with foam is it not a great idea to use on either an electrical or cooking fire. I know dry powder makes a mess, but it its much more universal and when you havent got a selection of extinguishers on board it makes more sense.
 
landlockedpirate said:
Problem with foam is it not a great idea to use on either an electrical or cooking fire. I know dry powder makes a mess, but it its much more universal and when you havent got a selection of extinguishers on board it makes more sense.
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There was (and probably still is) a video of a test on various extinguishers on a galley fire. Inside a boat the foam was a clear winner.
Agree powder is good in theory but they seem prone to failing to discharge and can create a complete white out, no doubt not too good on the lungs.

The following off the fire service website

''Foam Fire Extinguishers, also called AFFF FOAM (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) create a smothering film of foam over the fire, which starves the fire of oxygen. The foam also penetrates porous materials and cools the fire through evaporation of the water content in the foam. As the foam creates a foam carpet on burning liquids like petrol, foam extinguishers are also suitable for flammable liquids and areas where man-made fibres in soft furnishings and carpets might liquidise under the influence of heat. Foam extinguishers are safe for use with electrical equipment if they had a successful dielectric test and are used at a safety distance of 1 meter. The electrical equipment will of course be damaged by the liquid.''
 
Our insurers required a survey last time. The powder extinguishers were out of date and fhey insisted they were replaced. Good old Lidl at 8 quid each.
 
landlockedpirate said:
Problem with foam is it not a great idea to use on either an electrical or cooking fire. I know dry powder makes a mess, but it its much more universal and when you havent got a selection of extinguishers on board it makes more sense.
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Fire blanket on board for the cooking fire. Foam more risky to the user if its an electrical fire but not if only the 12V/24V systems are live. In weighing the balance of risks I choose foam over powder...
 
It was as cheap to buy new extinguishers at work than have them tested and certified.

We let off a very (20 plus) year old foam extinguisher to see what happened and it worked perfectly! Clearly I'm not suggesting you use that as an excuse to have out of date equipment on board but in this case it worked. You can feel dry powder moving around in the extinguisher when checking to make sure it hasn't gone solid.

I can confirm the powder is both acidic and bloody horrible if you are in a confined space. Race cars use dry powder and I had a brake fire whilst re-fuelling (never a good combination) during a 24 hour race. I had to carry on driving through streaming eyes, nose and a not all together pleasant taste in my mouth. Not unlike drinking battery acid I would imagine.


Henry :)
 
MartynG said:
I think foam is the best for the boat interior and inert gas for the engine bay.
But the dry powder extinguishers are quite compact, which is a space saving advantage. They have no date on them - if they have a gauge.
How do you know a new one is better than one you bought 5 years ago and hasn't been sitting in a warehouse for a few years?
Click to expand...


Before I bought them I checked the date, I had to nearly wreck the box to find out (naughty naughty) anyway they had manufacturing date of 6/14.They even beat Screwfix by £5 per item I know it's not a fortune but if you can save why not?
 
AAF said:
I was also told that you should not let them off unless there is a fire as they are not good for the environment.
Click to expand...

On the other hand.. it's quite fun to let the old ones off!

I had an auto extinguisher from my engine room a few years ago - required replacing under the coding regs. I took the old one home and wondered what would happen if I applied heat (fag lighter) to the sense element.

Put it on a gate post - stood to one side and clicked the lighter....... nothing.. for second or two.. then an almighty bang / huge cloud of dust / and the extinguisher had hurtled itself some 50 yards away.

The fag lighter never worked again!
 
robmchugh said:
Put it on a gate post - stood to one side and clicked the lighter....... nothing.. for second or two.. then an almighty bang / huge cloud of dust / and the extinguisher had hurtled itself some 50 yards away.

The fag lighter never worked again!
Click to expand...

How long did it take for your eyebrows to grow back? :D
 
We have this issue with the boat safety scheme on the Thames. Most manual extinguishers have a date stamp on them but this is usually the date the canister was made, not the date the extinguisher was assembled, which could vary by several months. As other posters have said, a professional extinguisher company can inspect, service if necessary and sign them off. As long as their sticker and inspection date is visible, they pass BSS.
 
sarabande said:
if you find out the contents for definite, it would be helpful.

I am having about 28 extinguishers (CO2, foam, water, AFFF) refilled, tested and certified for a shade under £500 to keep our H&S person happy. It makes insurance sense to have critical response devices in date and tested.


(Powder ones MUST be shaken about at least once a month to prevent the contents settling and jamming, BTW)
Click to expand...

I know mine haven't been shaken as regularly (as I suspect a lot of peeps on here will admit to, too).So should I didtch them?
They are all showing green and were bought new in December 2010
 
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