Old fire extinguisher, worth keeping?

[aczlan]

Picked up 3 fire extinguishers the other day, 2 were water ones (to have on the hay equipment), one was a odd looking Ansul one, anyone seen anything like this?
Any good way to check if they still have propellant?
Powder is loose (can hear/feel it move as powder).

Aaron Z

 

[Lilyota]

Looks like someone didn't know how to spell

 

[bigun]

Cousin took one apart drilled a hole near the top and put in a metal tire valve fill it with water and 50 or so PSI of air and you have a squirt gun that puts the super soakers to shame.
We have alamp made from one also
Oops miss read thought you were asking what to do with them. Best bet would be take them in and have them checked by professional

 

[M92PV4U]

I'm pretty sure that is out of a cotton picker. After they are so old they have to be tested to be legal the test is worth it on the bigger ones but not on the small ones like in a vehicle.

 

[CDA 455 II]

I kept a 5lb extinguisher in my truck for about 12 years.


Went to a welder shop that also specialized in all gasses (welding/medical).

They told me you should discharge them once a year.

Since I haven't done that to mine, they said I should shitcan mine because it held that pressure for that long (12 years).

YMMV

 

[Az Scooter]

That one is from Belgium. Typical European fire extinguisher. If you want to use it, get it tested. Otherwise, it is just a cool,piece that may, or may not, work.

 

[rockdog57]

It would probably be worth it to have it tested. Pretty pricey to buy one like that. The school building I used to work at had to have all of the extinguishers checked once a year by a company. When they were over ten years old they had to be replaced. I got about ten of em that were replaced. I asked the tech if the old ones he replace would still work. He said absolutely. I have one in my barn just like the one you posted. I figure for free, why not.

 

[Wheelerfreak]

Those can be collectable to the right person. The old brass ones moreso, but I wouldn't scrap them or shit can them. List it on CL or whatever facebook listing and see what someone will pay for them. I see guys making lamps out of them or restoring them for use as decorations all the time.

 

[larboc]

The cannister on the side should be liquid co2 and should have a minimum full weight written or stamped on it.

 

[KarlVP]

That's a PKP extinguisher. We use those extensively in the Navy. The extinguisher is filled with PKP "Purple K" or potassium bicarbonate powder and the CO2 tank on the side charges it. The powder itself gets rock hard over time so you have to keep them agitated.

Don't use them on electrical fires. They will fuck wiring sideways. Ask me how I know this.

 

[granitestatedestroyer]

Don't use them on electrical fires. They will fuck wiring sideways. Ask me how I know this.

I have always argued this statement. If securing electricity doesnt put it out, and you are using the extinguisher to put out a fire. The wiring is already fucked because its ON FIRE!.

That said, CO2 would probably work better for that type of fire anyway.

 

[aczlan]

Cousin took one apart drilled a hole near the top and put in a metal tire valve fill it with water and 50 or so PSI of air and you have a squirt gun that puts the super soakers to shame.

The reason I bought it was that for $30 I got this one and 2 of the big water extinguishers (which come with a schrader valve on them).
The gauges on them say to fill them to 100PSI. Going to pickup a couple new gauges (as the faces are cracked and they will be outside), then fill to the line with water, dump in a healthy dose of hand dish washing soap, put the top on, pressurize it and mount it on the baler.

That's a PKP extinguisher. We use those extensively in the Navy. The extinguisher is filled with PKP "Purple K" or potassium bicarbonate powder and the CO2 tank on the side charges it. The powder itself gets rock hard over time so you have to keep them agitated.

Don't use them on electrical fires. They will fuck wiring sideways. Ask me how I know this.

Interesting, looking at the label it says A-20-E which appears to be for dry chemical (the ones for sale that say PKP have P-20-E as a part number) it doesn't say anything about it other than the symbols. The powder inside is loose, I can hear it shift when I rotate the extinguisher.
Would it be under pressure now (ie: could I pop the top off and take a look inside)?

I will ask the guy who does the extinguishers at work what it would cost to have them check it out if I can find out when he is coming next.

Aaron Z

 

[KarlVP]

The reason I bought it was that for $30 I got this one and 2 of the big water extinguishers (which come with a schrader valve on them).
The gauges on them say to fill them to 100PSI. Going to pickup a couple new gauges (as the faces are cracked and they will be outside), then fill to the line with water, dump in a healthy dose of hand dish washing soap, put the top on, pressurize it and mount it on the baler.


Interesting, looking at the label it says A-20-E which appears to be for dry chemical (the ones for sale that say PKP have P-20-E as a part number) it doesn't say anything about it other than the symbols. The powder inside is loose, I can hear it shift when I rotate the extinguisher.
Would it be under pressure now (ie: could I pop the top off and take a look inside)?

I will ask the guy who does the extinguishers at work what it would cost to have them check it out if I can find out when he is coming next.

Aaron Z

They are not under pressure until you break the seal that releases the CO2. You can pull the cap off the top and look inside.

 

[billdacat]

Fucking Navy boot camp circa 1970's . Insturctor covers a bleacher full of boots with "foam" (insturctor claims it is made from bovine vagina juice); then discharges a few PKP extinguishers over us. We weren't really purple, but a nice shade of lavender; sort of sexy when we blinked.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Fucking Navy boot camp circa 1970's . Insturctor covers a bleacher full of boots with "foam" (insturctor claims it is made from bovine vagina juice); then discharges a few PKP extinguishers over us. We weren't really purple, but a nice shade of lavender; sort of sexy when we blinked.

Be happy you had an instructor with a sense of humor.

 

[Hooptie]

Ansul "Red Line", the French tag is interesting. They still make and sell the same model. They are available in Purple K, but that one says Foray, which is Ansul's general purpose ABC powder. Powder should be pale yellow in color. As long as powder is free moving, seal is intact on cartridge, and hose doesn't look rotten it would still seem usable.

Some models (maybe newer) have a clear bubble with a red pop-up indicator inside to see when the cylinder has been pressurized.

I have never seen the "E" rating, as the "C" rating is for electrical, but may be a European deal. We won't service any non-US manufactured units, so not much experience.