Thomas Glover 2kg CO2 Extinguishers & 26/4/13 Update - Now on Chubb CO2's

[lancsfirepro]

Carried out a service on Friday where we installed 9 Thomas Glover 2kg CO2 extinguishers in Feb 2012. All 9 were leaking from the neck. Called our supplier who confirmed that TG did have a small problem with their 2kg CO2s dated 11/2011 where they leak. Knightmare. If you haven't come across this, look for signs of a brown tacky liquid (assuming grease or sealant) around the neck seal and you may notice small bubbles. They seem to be losing about 200g a year and need replacing.  

[AnthonyB]

I'll keep my eyes open!

2010 Jactone 2 kg CO2 have had the same problem for being empty, not interested in honouring their 5 year warranty either!

[TFEM]

Jactone are good at that....that's why I haven't dealt with them for 6 years.
Thanks for the tip....will make engineers aware.
John

[TFEM]

Don't suppose there's any official notification from TG is there?

Thought not.

John

[lancsfirepro]

Have rattled a few cages.  Let's see what happens.

[lancsfirepro]

Apparently it's something to do with the wrong o-rings being used where the valve meets the cylinder.  Allegedly the o-rings absorbed CO2, swelled and sealed up.  The absorbed CO2 then leaches from the O ring over time giving an appearance of bubbling which could be confused with leakage.  They maintain that there is no leaking issue which strikes me as strange as the ones we've found are clearly still bubbling and are down on weight.  Will try and take a video when I get my hands on them.

[TFEM]

Just issuing instructions to engineers.....to clarify, these are Firepower units not Gloria units correct?

BTW....TG's explanation sounds a load of old twaddle. Any that we find with ANY weight loss will be returned, never mind the 10% of contents tolerance.

Reminds me of the Gloria CO2 problem from 2001. Unloading a delivery and thought some of the boxes were a bit light. Turns out they had a massive problem involving contents loss which took me years to get somebody to acknowledge....still don't know what it was and no official announcement was made.

John

[lancsfirepro]

Yes as far as I know it's limited to Firepower and the first lot we've come across are clearly still leaking.
I'm just dreading the next few months servicing when I just know we're going to find these all over the place.  Never any mention of compensation for the fire companies that need to traipse back and forth swapping these over.  

[lancsfirepro]

Another one found today; we didn't supply this one last year.  Client was happy I just changed it under the manufacturer's warranty.

[Psuedonym]

No question there of leakage ! Good photo too!

[John]

I've found a few of these recently, had some of the Jactone 2010 problem too.  I haven't had any problems returning faulty items to Jactone.

[lancsfirepro]

UPDATE: Yesterday I found a Chubb 2kg CO2 with the exact same problem.  The date on the cylinder was 03/2012.  Not sure how big of a problem this is going to be but remember where you heard it first!  
I'm no Steven Spielberg but I've uploaded a video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWhA72MOI6U

[AnthonyB]

I wonder if the Chinese factory knew production for Chubb & TG was being taken off them to move to Europe so they stopped QCing as well as before (not that it was perfect to start with what with all the poly linings not lasting 5 years on wets)

[lancsfirepro]

I wonder if the Chinese factory knew production for Chubb & TG was being taken off them to move to Europe so they stopped QCing as well as before (not that it was perfect to start with what with all the poly linings not lasting 5 years on wets)

I was speaking to one of our suppliers yesterday; he told me that the CO2s are assembled at Hams Hall, Birmingham.  So you can't blame the Chinese Anthony. Made in England mate.  Oh the shame!

[AnthonyB]

I wonder which one that was.......

Assembled of course isn't the same as made, the cylinders, valves, O-rings and horn could all have been on a slow boat from China.