Author Topic: CO2 Fire Extinguisher charging (Read 12982 times)

cbfire999 · « **on:** August 03, 2006, 09:35:20 PM »

Can anybody help me? I am looking to recharge a number of 2 kg CO2 Fire Extinguishers. Can anybody inform me of where I can get this done? Preferably in the South East area. Thanks

Gasmeter · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2006, 08:47:05 AM »

BOC may have a depot convenient to you.

cbfire999 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2006, 10:46:10 AM »

Thanks for your reply. I have tried BOC and they are unable to help! Any ideas?

Gasmeter · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2006, 04:15:15 PM »

You could try Chubb, although they won't be the cheapest:

Chubb Fire Ltd
Chubb House, Staines Rd West, Sunbury-On-Thames, Middlesex TW16 7AR
Tel: 01932 785588

David Rooney · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2006, 06:07:58 PM »

CO2's are not normally recharged "on demand" so to speak, you would normally get a "service exchange unit". - They take yours away and give you a fully serviced unit....

Any fire extinguisher company should be able to help. Try Yellow Pages, it's worth ringing around for quotes....

AnthonyB · « **Reply #5 on:** August 04, 2006, 10:25:06 PM »

Yep there are loads of extinguisher service & refill companies. Smaller ones you'll wait a week or get an exchange unit as they can't fill them and have to send them off to a trade filling station, the larger ones with their own CO2 transfer pumps will fill on their site and if it's only a couple of extinguishers wil give a quicker turnaround (while you wait, same day, next day).

If your CO2 extinguishers have had 10 years pass since the last mm/yy date stamped in the neck then they will require an overhaul incorporating a cylinder safety pressure test. In which case you will be waiting at least a week if you insist on getting the original extinguishers back or otherwise you do a straight swap with your existing extinguisher for one that has been tested, , revalved, resprayed & refilled.

Some companies will insist on trying to sell you a new extinguisher if yours is >10 yrs but this is an unecessary expense (a new one only lasts 10 years at a time between tests anyway)

cbfire999 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 05, 2006, 08:57:04 AM »

Thanks for your replies. I have since found a company that will recharge my extinguishers and at a very reasonable price. However, some companies must think people like me were born last night! One company insisted that these could not be serviced and the only way around it was to buy a new unit at a cost of £40 odd quid each!! As I have been involved in the Fire trade for approaching 20 years I feel that I am reasonably qualified to realise these people are taking the mickey!

Nevermind, it all came good in the end. Thanks

AnthonyB · « **Reply #7 on:** August 06, 2006, 09:48:48 PM »

£40 isn't bad at all for a new unit and where yours are over 10yrs since last test, isn't much cheaper than exchanges - after all one renowned company charges £250 new!

Lots of excuses are trotted out such as the infamous 'round bottom' or cast iron cylinder' excuses to scrap a CO2 despite the fact that Steel body extinguishers are still permitted and still manufactured and are mainly still used in the marine industry as aluminium bodies usually don't meet the 'ships wheel' mark standard requirements.

For those of us enlightened to the absolute dross that comes out of many servicing companies it is no problem, but each year thousands of pounds are spent unneccessarilyon PFE - money that could be better used for other fire safety measures.

Gasmeter · « **Reply #8 on:** August 07, 2006, 08:51:02 AM »

We pay £3.50 to have a 2kg CO2 recharged and £32.50 for a new one, it's worth shopping around, but always stick to FETA registered companies!

kurnal · « **Reply #9 on:** August 07, 2006, 06:57:41 PM »

Gasmeter
Surely you must be talking large quantities to achieve recharges at that price? Otherwise I might think about loading up the van!
I currently pay almost double that for a recharge for about 6 a month- including replacing the tamper seal, any pins etc .

cbfire999 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 07, 2006, 08:44:57 PM »

Kurnal

Load up the van as that is about what I was also quoted! Not for large numbers either. I mentioned that I had 10 that required to be charged. If the rig is running they will also be done whilst I wait!!

Regards

CB

AnthonyB · « **Reply #11 on:** August 07, 2006, 10:16:08 PM »

CO2 is a very cheap agent, powder is vastly more expensive. Those fill rates are at the top end of trade price, the new equipment prices again barely above trade.

The advent of cheap imports and non kitemark stuff means extinguisher costs have plummeted & only insane people pay the £100+ some places charge.

The downside is it's difficult to make both a decent living and an honest buck with margains so atrociously low

Gasmeter · « **Reply #12 on:** August 08, 2006, 08:45:46 AM »

Hello Kurnal, we recharge about 70 2kg CO2s per year, the same firm charges £18.75 to recondition older ones. I have found another place that only charges £1.65 for a recharge although their equipment looks rather dodgy and I won't use them!

AnthonyB · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2006, 09:59:32 PM »

£18.75 retail cost? Sounds like they are just stamping and repainting without pressure test - a dangerous practice that has been uncovered before or are on very very low margins.

£1.75 - can't see that being possible at the prices of CO2 gas itself - perhaps they use 'condemned' full CO2's as donor cylinders for the gas?

Gasmeter · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2006, 08:55:36 AM »

The company's contract with us was very competitive, I think they regret some of their pricing now!

That other ultra cheap charging place is not somewhere that I would recommend, their staff would put one in mind of the film 'Deliverance' and I wouldn't want to question them as to where they get their gas!

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Author Topic: CO2 Fire Extinguisher charging (Read 12982 times)