mounting fire extinguishers horizontal instead of vertical

[jeffywestcoast]

I was told from a friend it is a bad idea to mount your fire extinguisher vertical instead of horizontal because the powder inside can overtime settle out rendering it useless, just wondering if anyone has herd of this problem as i see alot of people mounting them vertical in boats and am just wondering which way is best as i am no expert. I just replaced mine as it was expired and i mounted the new one horizontal to the side of the back seat box tight against the floor where it is easily axcessible.

 

[Sculpin]

That is a good question. Profisher is the expert on this. I just look at every one we have in our shop and service trucks and they are all mounted vertically.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

My friend and good fishing buddy stated that over time the dry chemical can settle out while the boat is sitting and when you go to use it what you are left with is a dud. Dunno as i have never had a boat before untill this year, i know all our water and vacuum trucks in the oilfield have them mounted on the horizontal but it could just be a space issue.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

I found this little blurb on a safe boating website "Some basic safety rules on your boat: check your fire extinguishers often for correct operating pressure and make sure that you and your guests know how to use them. Have a qualified person service the extinguishers and recharge them as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Take dry chemical devices out of their bracket and give them a few hard shakes in the upside down position (about once a month).

 

[casper5280]

Just finished my MED-3A and SVOP courses and this topic was talked about in the course. We were told that the pounding of the boat packs the powder in the extinguishers and they may not work then needed or may limit there time. Mounting them horizontal gives it a larger surface area and when pulled from the mount the powder will move to the bottom. We were also told to turn them slowly end for end every so often so the powder frees up. The biggest thing I have learned about fire extinguishers when we visited the fire hall is how very little time you have before they run out. The other thing was that out of the 20+ or so extinguishers we used 6 failed to fire. Just some food for thought.

 

[Seafever]

I heard that those ones like people buy and put under the kitchen sink out of sight for ages.......they are supposed to be taken out and shaken up on a regular basis to prevent settlement and hardening .

 

[MRACER]

the dry chem can settle and cake--possible in humid conditions--that said, it will cake in either position, so a good thump on the bottle bottom will usually do the trick--same can be said for salt shakers out here as an example. The extinguisher is made to be held and stored vertically to assist the CO2 expellant. a class ABC extinguisher is most usefull, but a CO2 ext is great if you don't m ind the expense. Halon used to be common, but most are outlawed--they would be great in an open area, but displace oxy in a closed situation. hope some of that is useful.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

Excellent stuff people thanks, just prefer to be in the know when it comes to safety , i guess that might also be one of the reasons they out-date after 4 years too.

 

[profisher]

I would be more concerned with just mounting it in a usable location over worrying if it is vertical or horizontal. Do shake it up or smack the bottom with a rubber mallet a couple times a year. The propellant is nitrogen not CO2. Co2 area high pressure extinguishers (800-1100 psi) designed primarily for fluid or electrical fires in more confined spaces. (engine rooms would be a good example on a boat) Dry chem extinguisher operate at low pressure (175-190 psi)

 

[MRACER]

Sorry- I use pro quality fire extinguishers which use CO2 for propellant not the Canadian tire specials- You can use a good one for life and refill or check the powder on an annual basis. This is what Casper would see at the firehall- In 32 years as a firefighter I never saw a failure- something was amiss at that station???

 

[casper5280]

Sorry- I use pro quality fire extinguishers which use CO2 for propellant not the Canadian tire specials- You can use a good one for life and refill or check the powder on an annual basis. This is what Casper would see at the firehall- In 32 years as a firefighter I never saw a failure- something was amiss at that station???

Just to clear things up these extinguishers were not the fire halls extinguishers. I think they were donated from a company that refills them. They were just for training use only for the sake of the Power Squadron training. I don't think that a local fire hall has the resources to let people blow off 20+ extinguishers. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

 

[profisher]

I sell commercial grade fire exintguishers and all dry chems are pressurized with nitrogen. If you pressurized a dry chem extinguisher to 1100 psi with co2 you would have just blown yourself up. Dry chemical extinguishers are hydro tested to about 450psi. Co2 are hydo tested to about 3500psi.

 

[MRACER]

my bad- I meant CO2 extinguishers-

 

[profisher]

Also CO2 when under pressure is a liquid...that wouldn't work well with dry chemical. Not sure spraying goo would put out a fire. I figured you meant CO2 ext'ers.

 

[MRACER]

profisher- thanks for cutting me some slack- gets tense on here sometimes-LOL
minus 400 degree frost is generally an easier clean up than powder- right...

 

[profisher]

It evaporates on it's own, so no mess to clean up except what the flames do. Just remeber Co2 isn't rated to put out A type fires. Which are combustibles like wood, paper, carpet, etc etc. It is rated for B & C fires only. (liquid and electrical)