Terry B 73 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Learnt something new today. The downside is that at my age, I'll have forgotten it by tomorrow. Didn't know that you "should" (in survey it's compulsory I think?) get extinguishers tested every year (approx $11), and if they're over 5 years old they wont test them as they need to do a refill which is WAY MORE expensive than just replacing them. Just thought I'd pass that on in case there's other sailors who thought that checking the needle was still pointing in the right area on the dial was sufficient. It ain't. So I now have a new extinguisher for the boat and an older one as a spare to it's bigger brother in the garage................. That is all. Carry on regardless. Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin McCready 83 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 FWIW I inherited old extinguishers and replaced them. I tested an old rusty one with the dial stuck by giving the shower stall at home a squirt - the extinguisher worked fine but the stink and tiny particles and the clean up!!! Never again. So don't let anyone convince you that fire extinguishers contain nothing more than just harmless compressed CO2 or sodium bicarbonate. And also, FWIW, I am told that the Government has now forced the NZ Fire Service (NZFS) to cease doing free community training sessions. In the old days you could ring the local fire station and make a time to take your old extinguishers around to practice putting out a little fire. Apparently it's taking away business from other trainers and we can't have that. NZFS is also not allowed to do any "commercial" training anymore. The same source told me that the navy ship and indoor fire fighting training is at Ngataringa Bay near Devonport Auckland. Link to post Share on other sites
Ed 151 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 When was the change in commercial training... Did some myself in that last couple of months? Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I test my extinguishers annually by pulling the trigger and see if it squirts stuff out. So far so good. I was told that for powder extinguishers on a Boat or anything where you get Vibration, it is good practice to regularlry up end it and tap it against a surface to ensure the powder remians free flowing. Apparently they can pack due to vibration. Link to post Share on other sites
rossd 16 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Your 1st comment is wrong wheels but your second is correct as someone who did extinguisher sales and service for some years with Firewatch. After a test squirt of a dry powder unit it will then go flat after a day or 2 as powder gets under the seal. May get away with it with CO2 or water based. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 A guy was sitting on a stool beside a puddle with a fishing rod dangling in the puddle. A stranger walks passed and smirks, "caught anything yet?". Yeah replies the fisherman, you're the third so far. Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 255 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I was aware of the powder settling problem, but not aware that although the guage is showing OK they still should be checked, it seems to be an anomally and counter intuitive to have a guage saying it's OK but bureaucrats saying the opposite?? Re inflateable life jackets needing testing, I read somewhere of a form that you could use for self testing that was acceptable to the authorities ( I think in Aus. ) Could that be acceptable in NZ?? Link to post Share on other sites
rigger 47 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I was aware of the powder settling problem, but not aware that although the guage is showing OK they still should be checked, it seems to be an anomally and counter intuitive to have a guage saying it's OK but bureaucrats saying the opposite?? Re inflateable life jackets needing testing, I read somewhere of a form that you could use for self testing that was acceptable to the authorities ( I think in Aus. ) Could that be acceptable in NZ?? As long as I have been working on boats a vessel in survey has been required to have the portable fire extinguishers inspected annually and pressure tested every five years - many extinguishers use a gas cartridge so the entire extinguisher is not under pressure thus when you pull the trigger the cylinder comes under pressure - a corroded cylinder could fail. Inflatable Life Jackets - commercial operators have to have them inspected/tested by an approved service agent (https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Publications-and-forms/Commercial-operations/Shipping-safety/Liferaft-service-stations.pdf) every 2years (http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/rules/rule-documents/part42a-maritime-rule.pdf page 12). My work life jacket is getting close to retirement - it has a service life of 10years. It costs around $40 to have an inflatable life jacket tested last time I looked at the bill the company got. Link to post Share on other sites
rossd 16 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 The gauges on cheap extinguishers are the cheapest it is physically possible to make and are unreliable especially as they sit in one position all the time. we had a serviceman blow up a 10 litre water cylinder (split apart down the seam with a hell of a bang, luckily the seam was pointing away from his belly not towards) )when pressuriseing it because he was looking at the cylinder gauge instead of the filling gear gauge. I personally wouldnt use dry powder on a boat, it settles, and make a hell of a mess if used, and that can be accidentally. I like foam spray for everything. The cartridge extinguishers (as rigger refers to ) are more reliable and user serviceable but have gone from the domestic market now unfortunately. With inflatable life jackets with so many being sold now its only a matter of time before some disasters happen with non inflation. I think owners could be a lot more proactive with service but then you do actually have to do it and now, not some time. From my experience chaff of the CO2 cylinder is the main issue. The varnish type coating rubs off and rust starts and could easily make a pinhole. I have some times sanded them off and put some varnish or resin on them which of course is a big no no, you supposed to biff it and put on a new one! You need scales to check weigh them. The mechanism is plastic so don't seize up as a rule. The other thing is holes in the fabric, not sure about that one, I guess you could blow them up manually and see how they last. Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 speaking of inflating life jackets - I had one on last weekend that hadn't been out of the cupboard in five years. Forgot I had it on when I jumped over as we came in to shore. Inflated within 3 seconds of hitting the water I reckon - works fine. $40 to replace the cylinder kit probably! Link to post Share on other sites
johnMi 2 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 think it cost me $75 when the same thing happened to me Link to post Share on other sites
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