Out-of-date Fire Extinguishers - are they any use?

[ukfetchfan]

I know there are some current and retired Firefighters on the site - so seeking their professional opinion.

We currently have 4 Fire Extinguishers in our motorhome - three of which are out of date. We carry them because we think they might be useful - but would they?? Or are we carrying them around for no benefit. They weigh quite a lot and take up space - so if they are of no benefit I shall dispose of them / refill them.

They are all powder extinguishers. One was manufactured in 2011 and says refill after 5 years (British) Another says manufactured in 2002 with no indication as to how long it lasts (French) and the last says manufactured in 2008 and must be removed from service after 12 years (USA)

The British one, that I think came out of a car we owned in the past, says it should be refilled. Where can this be done? Don't want to throw in to landfill if it can be refilled - even if it is cheaper to throw it away.

Bearing in mind we do have one 'in date' extinguisher would these 'out-of-date' ones be useful as additional extinguishers - or would we find the powder clogs up and the extinguisher wouldn't work?

Thanking you in advance for your advice

 

[MisterB]

As I said, it seemed strange to quote someone and then re-write what the person had said.
I'm not questioning your expertise nor didn't expect a full curriculum vitae of comparing yesteryear's brigade with the present.
I've no doubt that you've served the service well, as does anyone who works/worked.
Good day to you too

I'm sorry but I just don't understand what your issue is. Look at virtually every thread and often people add to previous comments, it makes answers sometimes clearer or adds to and complements previous contributions and helps build a complete and thorough answer. I'm very much old school in that I prefer to know or be informed just a little bit more than I prob need to be. But that's perhaps just an age or an 'era' thing.

As an aside, it's a good job I didn't provide my full CV then ... It would have bored everyone to death .... Still I suppose if someone is offering tech advice, it must be reassuring at times to the OP to know if the person offering the advice has any competent knowledge in the subject. Have fun, I'm off to count my FRS pension savings ....

 

[jumar]

I'm sorry but I just don't understand what your issue is. Look at virtually every thread and often people add to previous comments, it makes answers sometimes clearer or adds to and complements previous contributions and helps build a complete and thorough answer. I'm very much old school in that I prefer to know or be informed just a little bit more than I prob need to be. But that's perhaps just an age or an 'era' thing.

As an aside, it's a good job I didn't provide my full CV then ... It would have bored everyone to death .... Still I suppose if someone is offering tech advice, it must be reassuring at times to the OP to know if the person offering the advice has any competent knowledge in the subject. Have fun, I'm off to count my FRS pension savings ....

Climb down you guys...any differences should be discussed over a cuppa in the Messroom....we are all ex and serving brothers.....I quickly know by postings who have done time in the Service.... I retired over 20 years ago.....things were different then....I suppose I am old school too...but I don't need to outrank, or provide my CV to answer a simple question on whether an out of date DP extinguisher should be discarded..what's the point....let's offer a simple solution to the Funsters who might need a positive not necessarily a professional answer..

 

[MisterB]

Climb down you guys...any differences should be discussed over a cuppa in the Messroom...

I think you may find we already had climbed down, from mutual respect for each others point of view

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Firstly dry powder extinguishers are not obsolete. We use them at work.
Used on the correct fire, they’re good.
We’ve used them in addition to a hose to smother a car fire petrol tank leak and they’re brilliant, so don’t discard using them.
The downside of them is that they have no cooling qualities (like water or foam) so you need to ensure that the fire is out and won’t reignite.
In answer to your question, it all depends on the storage conditions. Some have a pressure gauge and needle which may indicate when the pressure is down.
However, the needle may point within the green section but if it’s been stored in a cold and damp environment, the powder solidifies and won’t work properly.
I’d suggest replacing with a mixture of types.
Buy a cheap dry powder (small) for the cab.
Buy a water for the habitation along with a fire blanket.
Fit a smoke alarm in the habitation.

The idea is that the extinguisher is to be used at an early stage of the fire to knock it back. When that doesn’t work you get out/away and leave it to the fire service.

Reason I suggest a small cheap one is that you can just throw it away after 12-18months and replace.
Aldi sell them occasionally.

Aldi have them at the moment £8.95, in an ally cannister, so a bit lighter as well. I couldn't see a mounting bracket on the picture shown on the box though.
Mike

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[Castlehawking]

Don't you just love the interaction of members like MisterB and GAVLAD. Makes for some interesting reading after a night on the pop after an entertaining night with my Friday night Grumbly ol Men drinkers

 

[Minxy]

We were at a car boot sale last Saturday and someone was selling a kit which included a powder extinguisher, it was 'as new' but I asked what the date on it was, the chap selling it didn't have a clue so hubby had a good shuftie and managed to find it eventually ... 2008! No doubt that the powder in it would have been well and truly solid by then but despite us telling him he just put it back in the kit and probably sold it to some poor soul who wouldn't realise it was useless, hopefully they'd find out before the time came for them to actually NEED to use it!

 

[Gaston aires]

Powder extinguishers are basically obsolete. I would chuck them and replace with water mist.

I agree but being a fine citizen I asked the staff at the recycling centre about disposal. We can’t take that, the fire station will.
Fire station said we can’t take that the recycling centre will ?
Next time I recycle it’s going in a bag in the landfill unless anyone has better ideas.
Phil

 

[MisterB]

We were at a car boot sale last Saturday and someone was selling a kit which included a powder extinguisher, it was 'as new' but I asked what the date on it was, the chap selling it didn't have a clue so hubby had a good shuftie and managed to find it eventually ... 2008! No doubt that the powder in it would have been well and truly solid by then but despite us telling him he just put it back in the kit and probably sold it to some poor soul who wouldn't realise it was useless, hopefully they'd find out before the time came for them to actually NEED to use it!

Perhaps he sold it as a ladies make up accessory - a powder compact .....

 

[ianp]

Water mist fire extinguishers are good but you shouldn’t use one on an oil fire. If you have the room I would fit a fire blanket close to the kitchen area.

why is this?

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[cmcardle75]

why is this?

It is not. Water mist are actually very good at extinguishing oil fires, unlike straight water extinguishers, which are a complete disaster and likely to cause a mini-explosion and spread burning oil around the room. As with all oil fires, you still need to be careful not to displace the oil by firing directly at it. It is still worth having a fire blanket, though.

 

[ianp]

It is not. Water mist are actually very good at extinguishing oil fires, unlike straight water extinguishers, which are a complete disaster and likely to cause a mini-explosion and spread burning oil around the room. As with all oil fires, you still need to be careful not to displace the oil by firing directly at it. It is still worth having a fire blanket, though.

Yes that is what I thought too....they work by reducing the O2 in the air as well as cooling I believe. Common in enclosed engine rooms etc though I'm not too sure how an individual would fair being in such an area with one released. At work it was always a requirement to isolate the mist system if people were to work in the enclosure because of the reduction of O2