Factory Sealed extinguishesr

[Tom Sutton]

If a company has 2Kg ABC dry powder extinguishers, factory sealed, for use in company vehicles, I would suggest the only meaningful test you can do under BS 5306-3:2009 is part of commissioning procedure and the visual inspection. This would be well within the abilities of a competent maintenance person; therefore I would think that there would be no need of a servicing engineer or does anybody know different?

[AnthonyB]

If you mean aerosol types such as Firemaster, First Alert, some Kidde models, Fireblitz and Jactone there are no servicing actions beyond user visual and user check weigh, with replacement at the end of the 5 year warranty.

Some of the other disposable/factory sealed types which in effect were non rechargeable versions of 'traditional' extinguishers such as those used in the past by Kidde & Guardian and gauged aerosols as used by Firemaster in the 80's/90's in theory can be subjected to the full Basic Service as you can remove pins and re-tag, gauge verify with a tool etc, the only difference being should recharge be needed or it's 5 years are up for Extended Service is has to be replaced.

I judge it on a model by model basis, most I come across are well past expiry so end up straight in the bin.

The ones with no maintenance possible are handy for vehicles and very small businesses as it's far cheaper to buy a new one every 5 years than have it serviced annually (which would cost more than the purchase price!)

Kidde have been misleading with some of their product aimed at the non commercial market as they label it maintenance free despite being standard commercial Gloria powder models which are fully subject to Basic & Extended services - some workplaces that bought these from B&Q and similar have got a nasty surprise when being written up for non maintenance of extinguishers as a result.

[Tom Sutton]

Thanks very much Anthony I have a further question in BS 5306 Pt 3 it states the extended service for powder - primary sealed  extinguishers is 10yrs so they would not require disposing of for 10yrs?

[AnthonyB]

Primary sealed was the BSI's way of saying Nu Swift Powder extinguishers....from the 60's through to the present day Nu Swifts larger powder extinguishers were unique in that they have a primary sealed pressure charge i.e. the whole body of the extinguisher complete with Powder and CO2 is sealed under pressure  (akin to a gas cartridge) and an operating head and hose is screwed on.

Only piercing the seal by striking the plunger pressurises the operating head.

With disposables & all other makes of powder extinguisher the extinguisher body is not sealed and the operating head is under constant pressure, it's valve holding the contents back - you wouldn't remove the head from one of these that is full, you can with a Nu Swift.

So the 10 year rule only applies to this make (although Britannia Fires' maintenance free extinguisher claims a 10 year life, but I don't think it is truly primary sealed from the early patent drawings)