Recertifying Fire Extinguishers

[CJ13]

We have Fire Extinguishers made in 2006 marked 'warranty expires 2011'. An number of queries:
1. Is there any requirement to have them checked and recertified prior to 2011?
2. In 2011 i assume they should either be discharged and refilled or replaced - is this correct?
3. Are the requirements in France the same as UK?

Many thanks

 

[Refueler]

Difficult to answer as you say Warranty expires ...

If you said Expiry date 2011 - that is another matter. Basically means they are time exired and no longer considered "in date" .... same as flares. Normal recourse then is to replace with new "In date" extinguishers, using old as Shed / Garage extinguishers ....

If your present extinguishers are serviceable - usually recognised by a label on the extinguisher that allows service engineer to record date etc. - then yes of course you can - Contact local Fire station for details. But on a yacht unless using commercial size extinguishers is unusual.

Re-certification of extinguishers of course depends on type, but usually means :

Pressure testing of extinguisher body.
Replacement of A + B compound foam mediums
Replace foil seals
Replace actuation CO2 cylinders
Replace CO2 extinguishers completely
Replace Dry powder


do I need to go on ? I used to do with with various companys such as Resuscitators Marine .... who were licenced Fire and Safety Certification Engineers ....

Best IMHO is to just replace and consign old to less important job like the garden shed ! Most retail extinguishers are not serviceable and designed as fit ... time expires ... throw away - replace.

 

[emandvee44]

Most fire extinguishers on yachts are not serviceable (as we found out to our cost), as opposed to those on big ships, which are.
There is a 5 year life and then throw them away or use in the garden shed as has been suggested. You can keep them on board but there may then be insurance issues in the event of a claim.
We had to replace ours, which were 5 years old, and got a very good deal on line with Fire Protection Centre Limited.

(We will be selling the old ones!)

Hope this helps,

Michael.

 

[Bodach na mara]

Either Lidl or Aldi will have a deal on them sometime before your old ones expire.

 

[William_H]

The typical small boat Fire Extinguisher is the dry powder type. Thhese often have a pressure gauge which if in the green indicates pressure is OK.
The other problem with powder is that with vibration it can pack down tightly so it won't come out. Turn the extinguisher upside down and shake on a regular basis to improve chances of it working. The cost of these usually means replacement when time expired. Most other types are serviceable. Though for CO2 types this means just weighing to check gas contents and pressure testing recharge after a longish period. olewill

 

[Refueler]

[ QUOTE ]
The typical small boat Fire Extinguisher is the dry powder type. Thhese often have a pressure gauge which if in the green indicates pressure is OK.
The other problem with powder is that with vibration it can pack down tightly so it won't come out. Turn the extinguisher upside down and shake on a regular basis to improve chances of it working. The cost of these usually means replacement when time expired. Most other types are serviceable. Though for CO2 types this means just weighing to check gas contents and pressure testing recharge after a longish period. olewill

[/ QUOTE ]

Problem is that most small extinguishers designed for Boat / Caravan / car - is the a date is stamped into the them. You cannot alter that date and any officiuos little twerp in some country could argue the subject.
Here in Latvia - there are strict rules about extinguishers, buoyancy aids, boat bouyancy itself etc. And they inspect their own registry boats annually. I know that if I altered to Latvian Reg'y - I would have to swap out my ext's as they would be expired under their rules. Fact that they are serviced is immaterial. 1) Stored pressure Foam type - unusual but in good order, 2) Dry Powder of the conventional powder + CO2 cylinder charge ( same style as lifejacket ).

TBh - though - locally here I can buy small ext's at about a tenner each. Is it worth the hassle of servicing instead of replacement ? I intend to replace mine this year and retire the old to barn use ! In fact I may add one more to the inventory ...

I know this drifts the thread of a bit ... but IMHO not only the working condition is important with Ext's - but also the location of their mounting ... how many have their ext's 'deep' inside the cabin and not near companionway ? can you reach it when outside so as to fight fire from safer position ? If galley catches fire - are your ext's close to that and soon unuseable ?

mmmmmmmmmm ????????

 

[CJ13]

Many thanks everyone - sounds like i simply replace them in 2011, which suits me fine.