Toss Fire Extinguisher

[l008com]

Can bad fire extinguishers just be thrown in the trash? Or are they like TVs and need to be specially disposed of?

Also, what causes a fire extinguisher to go from full to empty? And the answer isn't "using it up", I had no fires this year.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

The pressure can leak out through the valve packing over time. I don't know about any disposal regulation.

 

[l008com]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

Can you recharge or refill them? Or are they one-time use?

 

[Alumarine]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

Can you recharge or refill them? Or are they one-time use?

Depending on size, often the cost to refill them is greater than the cost to replace.

 

[l008com]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

90' Chaparral 2000SL
5.8 Cobra
67' MFG Westfield Regal
80hp V-4.

This is way off topic but, 90' means 90 feet. '90 means 1990. I was looking at your sig thinking, damn this guy has some big boats. Then I wondered how an 80hp motor would push a 67 foot boat

Anyway, I'll just toss this thing. If no one has heard anything about not being able to toss them, then you must be able to just toss them. Seems like iBoats doesn't sell extinguishers or extinguisher brackets, how come?

 

[rollo1002]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

Also, what causes a fire extinguisher to go from full to empty? And the answer isn't "using it up", I had no fires this year.

What was this an off year for you?

Causes are loss of pressure from slow seepage around seals. Yes you can sometime recharge it or you have to take it to you sanitation department and dispose of it as you would hazard waste. The chemicals inside are toxic and remain even after the pressure is gone.

 

[l008com]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

i've never had a fire. I've had a few sinkings, but never a fire

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

This is way off topic but, 90' means 90 feet. '90 means 1990. I was looking at your sig thinking, damn this guy has some big boats. Then I wondered how an 80hp motor would push a 67 foot boat

Anyway, I'll just toss this thing. If no one has heard anything about not being able to toss them, then you must be able to just toss them. Seems like iBoats doesn't sell extinguishers or extinguisher brackets, how come?

Your the first person that mentioned that in all the years I've been posting. Your absolutely right and I'll correct it one of these days lol thats just too funny.

 

[KellyC]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

As for refilling extinguishers, it can be done depending on its size and when made. But to refill if it is an older one it will have to be hydro tested before refilling, and that is where it starts to get spendy. Usually just cheaper and easier to get a new one. I dont know of any regs against throwing them away but I do not think that you are supposed to. But there are lots of things that are thrown away that the regulators don't know about either. I am sure that your local Fire Department could tell you what to do with it. Just like the sherriffs deputy took care of my old flares that were falling apart.
Good luck

 

[l008com]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

Hmmm one of my facebook friends is a local fireman, I'll ask him.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

Everything pressurized will eventually loose pressure, I often times help a buddy of my that owns a Bear Spray/Pepper Spray manufacturing company, and as he explained it to me, anytime you pressurize a canister, the propellant in the can is in a constant fight to equalize with the surrounding atmosphere, this is increased and decreased based on the temperature, so you have a continuous cycle going on wearing at the seals..and this does not happen just because it gets warm outside causing expansion, it also happens when it gets cold and the outside tries to equalize with the inside...

He has a test room that we subject cans to various environmental situations and it is quite fascinating to watch what goes on!

 

[df909]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

Not only do extinguishers lose pressure over time, but the dry chemical settles and clumps on the bottom of the can. You should take it out once in a while and give them a good shake for 15-20 seconds to make sure that the chemical is nice and loose, ready to squirt out.

If you need to get rid of them, contact your local fire department. We often give classes on how to use an extinguisher and since it's training, we can use them even if they're expired. So, maybe the fire department can use them.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Toss Fire Extinguisher

Your the first person that mentioned that in all the years I've been posting. Your absolutely right and I'll correct it one of these days lol thats just too funny.

We discuss it often behind your back. We elected him to finally tell you...