Safety alert: Extinguisher cartridges.

[AnthonyB]

I've never had problems with Express Fire either, they've gone out of their way to help me in the past & I've never had a duff unit (unlike others I could mention)

Some of the Total models are quite unique and maybe not of much use to 99% of the market, but at least it's all solid reliable stuff as is expected from the German market. The Chinese stuff they sell isn't the worst there is aboutand at least you have a choice of ranges German kite marked or imported CE marked from the one supplier - some of the other 'cheap' independents stuff that is all import and CE marked only can often be found to suffer valve leaks and in one case a 1L AFFF was found to have been filled with Powder!

The best kit is that made in Germany, UK & America as borne out by history - all the main innovations and reliable brands since extinguishers were invented came from these locations - Minimax, Pyrene, Read & Campbell (Waterloo), Nu Swift*, etc

We seem to be straying off the main topic here though and product alerts are fair enough, but unless you have problems you are willing to back up with examples that you can substantiate from experience we should avoid saying people are rubbish (we are all guilty of this to some degree).

For my part I have no problem with my suppliers who I am happy to recommend: www.xpressfire.co.uk www.jactone.com & www.pjfire.co.uk

* I may have a dislike of Nu Swift (& associates) current practices and pricing but I still recognise their major contribution to development of new technology and quality product in their earlier life as J Blakeborough in the 1920's through to about the 1970's

[The Reiver]

Sorry to go off topic there AB (I blame that pseudonym guy)

The TG cartridge problem I have not come across since the infamous "white skinned" re-call. However I am investigating with various trade contacts as I'm typing this.

As for the CO2 situation mentioned by f500:
I think a year is a bit of an understatement. The Chinese (copy) 'o' ring problem has been about for nearer 3 years. It's basically down to a sub-standard copy of the approved nitrile 'o' ring.
The copy is in fact porous to CO2 gas. As the gas leaches through it also partially dissolves the nitrile rubber, hence the black streaks oozing from the neck.
Another interesting point is that the absorbed gas actually expands the 'o' ring to approx. 3 times the original circumference. Remove one from a cylinder and you can actually witness the "solid" 'o' ring deflate.

Being a politically correct kinda guy, I will not go into the excuses used by those who have manufactured with this 'o' ring. But some of them verge from hilarity to down right negligent.

What I will say is that if anyone is just discovering this problem now (3 years after its initial discovery) then it may not just be the 'o' ring that could be the problem. These things have leaked since day one of manufacture.

[f500]

Good information, thanks "The Reiver".
I wonder just how much money per o-ring they are actually saving by using cheap immitations, can't be much surely?

[AnthonyB]

Not much I guess - but I think its a lack of QA as well as cost - Having seen photos of the Chinese factories (& there are at least a dozen) they are churning out hundreds if not thousands of extinguishers every day, mass production & low overheads being king.

CE only marked stuff is gradually eating away at the UK market, I'd say it's up to a third of the market & growing, with Lloyds Register being used by some as an alternative to traditional BSI kitemarks or the lesser used LPCB scheme. I've seen more failures in non-BSI & non-LPCB kit over the years though.

If a particular model is subject to regular & potential failure that could be a hazard, then contact the importer/supplier -  normally they should help (poor products = upset & disappearing customers) - if not then the situation should be reported to the appropriate regulatory bodies and Trading Standards.

[rb health and safety]

Good to know.