Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I've always practiced with my expired ones, once they'd been replaced. (In this case I use the term practice somewhat loosely), though the last time was probably back in the late 90's and extremely disappointing. While the car size bottle still had pressure, the DP had set solid - I've seen more powder come out of a talc bottle than that extinguisher! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhutch Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 How funny, a quick Google sort of looks like it's cheaper just to replace a 6 litre size, (DP), once it's got to the point of needing refilling and re pressurising. That just seems wrong some how! Sadly I have found the same. I do a lot of boating on the canal (mainly historic and steam narrowboats) and each has to carry enough make up the required rating (typically 3x2kg DP, or 2xDP 1Foam) and these are checked every four years by the BSS which is the boat equiv of an MOT. Daniel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tisme Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 A wee tip for all your expired extinguishers - if you've never operated one before (or Ebenezer if you have), take yourself to an open area and set it off. This'll give you a good idea of how they work, and just how messy they can be too! Slightly digressing (but along the same lines iyswim) - I once let off a yacht handheld distress flare in the back garden one November 5th - embarrassing or what .......choke, cough cough, splutter "how long does this damn thing last ....." Getting back to extinguishers (no, I didn't need one on that occasion but the neighbours very nearly called the fire brigade) - I wouldn't even bother with an extinguisher that didn't have some form of gauge on it - probably not 100% accurate but better than expecting something to come out only to find nothing more than a dribble !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHew Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 What's the normal "shelf life" of a new extinguisher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab (bombero) Reid Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 I wouldn't even bother with an extinguisher that didn't have some form of gauge on it - probably not 100% accurate but better than expecting something to come out only to find nothing more than a dribble !! The ones without a gauge are 'gas cartridge' type and with, are 'stored pressue'. It's only a means of discharging the contents. Certainly, the gauge type can provide some visual reassurance but the cartridge type means that the contents aren't under constant pressure. Don't ever recall one being favoured over the other. What's the normal "shelf life" of a new extinguisher?IIRC, it's 5 years for all types apart from the CO2 which is about 10 years. The extinguisher should have either its year of manufacture and/or an expiry date on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyPee Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Bill, that's very good advice indeed. Sorry to hear about your fire and thanks for sharing your experience! When was your fire? The fire was July 2011. We had only just bought the car and the fire extinguisher had come with it. Could have checked it but it never crossed my mind, hence why I think its good advice. Another thing that has occurred to me. In your advice you say not to panic but I did and I suspect that panic will be a common reaction amongst owners seeing their car on fire. Testing the use of an out-of-date extinguisher sounds like a good way to minimise panicking. Also I think knowing what to expect would help me if this ever happened again, i.e. it didn't "explode" but, once the fire had taken hold, the flames and smoke went much higher than I could have imagined. Also, popping tyres make you jump! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab (bombero) Reid Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 Thanks Bill! Yup, I maybe should rephrase it to say '(Try not to) panic'. You're right that it would be the natural reaction to seeing flames or smoke bellowing from one's car. 'Flapping' would be another good description, haha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptune Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 This is such a great article thanks Robert. Is there anywhere srtickes likd thus can be pinned so it is readily accessible and ibviuos to all ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welly Jen Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 This is such a great article thanks Robert. Is there anywhere srtickes likd thus can be pinned so it is readily accessible and ibviuos to all ? +1. Worth a move to FAQ? Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 Agreed and moved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveB21 Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 Great topic - this and Thall1's recent post-fire rebuild post made me check my fire extinguishers - as a classic car owner I have 1 in the car and 2 in the garage. Good new is that the car extinguisher was in date - bad news was both garage extinguishers were well out of date - and were dry powder, not foam. So, off to Screwfix today for a couple of new foam extinguishers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960dave Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/car-essentials/anaf-powder-fire-extinguisher/p39401 Is that one any good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim RS Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 I've been reading good things about extinguisher sticks. They are more expensive but they have 10 year storage life, operate for longer than small pressurised units and are extremely compact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 Storage is one of the big issues with powder extinguishers, from what I understand, (from a little bit of marshal training, nothing more specialist than that). if they're not agitated every so often, the powder can clump together and stick, so that they don't really work properly when needed. I have no idea if the motion of the car counts. But I've certainly had old powder extinguishers in the past, then when set off did way less than expected! Since finding that out, the loose bottles in the house and garage tend to get upended a couple of times to shake them up once a month or so. But I too am tempted by one of the sticks for the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHew Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 The daft thing is that if the firesticks were half the price they are now, they'd likely sell 10 times the volume. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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