CO2 fire extinguisher

[JackOfDiamonds]

I need extinguishers for my garage but I can only seem to find dry chemical ones.

It really seems like CO2 is best to me. It's all that is approved for where I work, and I like the idea of not spreading the dry chemical (what is it?) everywhere. But where can I buy CO2 fire extinguishers?

 

[4xdog]

I’ve bought most of my recent extinguishers on Zoro. A quick look shows eighteen different CO2 fire extinguishers of various sizes from different makers there.

 

[nadogail]

Is there a professional fire extinguisher shop near you?

Check them for Reconditioned Previously Owned extinguishers.

 

[matt_i]

Depending on how much you discharge I'd recommend leaving the area immediately as the concentration you need to put out the fire, applied to the room, is going to make you unconscious if you stay.

 

[rlitman]

I need extinguishers for my garage but I can only seem to find dry chemical ones.

It really seems like CO2 is best to me. It's all that is approved for where I work, and I like the idea of not spreading the dry chemical (what is it?) everywhere. But where can I buy CO2 fire extinguishers?

What sort of fires to you expect to encounter? CO2 is B rated, but has NO A rating.
What that means is that it is good at extinguishing pools of burning liquid, but will NOT put out burning solids.

 

[NUTTSGT]

What sort of fires to you expect to encounter? CO2 is B rated, but has NO A rating.
What that means is that it is good at extinguishing pools of burning liquid, but will NOT put out burning solids.

Actually, it will, by displacing the oxygen and cooling it down. It may not be rated for it, but it will.



If you're looking for a CO2 extinguisher, I suggest finding a local shop to buy one from. A place that sells and services them. Once you discharge it, you'll need to get it refilled. Might as well get to know them now.

 

[Dragfluid]

I hope to hell that EVERYONE here has an extinguisher or more in their garage/shop!!

Please.

 

[sz0k30]

Look into "Element". Not cheap, compact, works on all classes of fires, great for cars because it doesn't leave any residue.

 

[aggie113]

I ended up buying mine from Amazon. They had a good price and it seems it's gone down since I ordered. The model I got was an Amerex 322. listed at $169 right now.

 

[pcmeiners]

"Depending on how much you discharge I'd recommend leaving the area immediately as the concentration you need to put out the fire, applied to the room, is going to make you unconscious if you stay."

For that to happen you would need a very large CO2 tank, in a small closed room, and a tee shirt with graphics stating your going for a Darwin award.

 

[Rockhouse]

For future readers... I looked at the inspection stickers at my brother in laws hardware store extinguishers and contacted the company. I bought 2 10 lb reconditioned chemical units for $35 each and he gave me a CO2 unit for free. Call around local...

Sent from my SM-G970U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Jlbc212]

Actually, it will, by displacing the oxygen and cooling it down. It may not be rated for it, but it will.

That is true, but if the class A material isn't completely extinguished by the CO2 there is a possibility the fire will flare up again. That's why CO2 extinguishers are not recommended for Class A, common combustible materials.

By far the best course of action is to always do whatever you can to prevent a fire from ever starting or getting to the point where it's beyond your control.

 

[aggie113]

I only have one CO2 extinguisher in my garage (many other dry chem ones) and it's placed near the front of the lift where the engine bay would normally be. It would be the ideal choice for a fire in the engine bay as it will not add to the damage of the components while putting out the fire like the dry chemical extinguisher's would.

 

[Showkey]

The main reason the BIG a box stores don’t sell CO2 is the cost. They are 3-4 times more expensive, not A rated, so the general buying public are not going to spend $200 per unit.

YES, CO2 has some real advantages over dry chemical for a shop/garage/vehicle fire and the clean up aspect is a HUGE part.

 

[southalabama]

Our local fire department sells them. They are about the same price as zoro but I went locally.

 

[3GsDad]

Pardon the ignorance but are CO2 extinguisher a get and forget, i.e. doesn't need serviced as long as it doesn't leak? Mine doesn't have a pressure gauge! Also, what does a 5 lb bottle recharge of C2 cost? No one around here sells/services them although I do live in the sticks..er desert.

 

[ItsNemo]

I've got a 10lb CO2 reconditioned one in my garage that I got from a local safety place, you won't find them in big box stores. They are rated B and C, not just B and great for vehicle fires given electrical or fuels are what they're designed to put out without causing secondary damage.

I've also got a 10lb ABC hanging right beside it, depending what might go up in the garage. I highly recommend you always have both in the garage placed near the exits.

 

[jmk68618]

I have to ask about your aversion to dry chemical extinguishers. Is it that where you work only has approval to co2, or more likely is it that they chose to use a co2 years ago, and because of cost of switching to a dry chemical ABC extinguisher, they have chosen not to switch over?

In a previously life I worked fire safety, technician work on extinguishers and fire suppression system. What I typically saw when it came to companies who were only certified for CO2 systems was that someone at someone point bought CO2 extinguishers, and that the only reason they still had them was because 1) They were too cheap to purchase anything else. 2) They actually did not know code for their establishment. 3) All they actually cared about was meeting the bare minimum that they had extinguishers.

So I ask, what is your extinguisher needs? What types of perceived or observed incidents are available in your shop? Are you discounting the advantages of a dry chemical extinguisher, and possibly ignoring the downsides of using a CO2 extinguisher?

 

[jmk68618]

Pardon the ignorance but are CO2 extinguisher a get and forget, i.e. doesn't need serviced as long as it doesn't leak? Mine doesn't have a pressure gauge! Also, what does a 5 lb bottle recharge of C2 cost? No one around here sells/services them although I do live in the sticks..er desert.

Yes and no. A CO2 extinguisher per manufacturer guidelines lasts 5 years. Can they last past 5 years? Yes. Is it in your best interest to trust it past those 5 years? Probably not.

To answer your other question, the price of changing out CO2 (realizing that you will be purchasing more than a single extinguisher), your gasket, and the plunger gasket, makes it just worth just buying a new CO2 extinguisher.

 

[ddawg16]

I hope to hell that EVERYONE here has an extinguisher or more in their garage/shop!!

Please.

I have 2 in the garage....one by the man door and one in the opposite back corner. And the kitchen as one. If there is a fire, I could care less about the mess from the powder compared to the potential mess from the fire.

But I'm also a fan of prevention. For example, I no longer have any gasoline in my garage. ALL my power tools are now electric/cordless. And oily rags get thrown out promptly.

 

[krod]

I have 2 in the garage....one by the man door and one in the opposite back corner. And the kitchen as one. If there is a fire, I could care less about the mess from the powder compared to the potential mess from the fire.

But I'm also a fan of prevention. For example, I no longer have any gasoline in my garage. ALL my power tools are now electric/cordless. And oily rags get thrown out promptly.

This is a good strategy. I see them buried deep in the back of shops all the time, sometimes inaccessible. Frequently there are none along the exit routes.

Careful with the batteries, especially if they hang out on the chargers. Plenty of fires started from those, which concern me more than anything else in the shop.

 

[rlitman]

Pardon the ignorance but are CO2 extinguisher a get and forget, i.e. doesn't need serviced as long as it doesn't leak? Mine doesn't have a pressure gauge! ...

CO2 extinguishers never have a pressure gauge. Pressure is irrelevant, as it does not significantly change, so long as there is some liquid in the cylinder. They have a tare weight stamp, and must be weighed.

This is a good strategy. I see them buried deep in the back of shops all the time, sometimes inaccessible. Frequently there are none along the exit routes.

Careful with the batteries, especially if they hang out on the chargers. Plenty of fires started from those, which concern me more than anything else in the shop.

Getting trapped while trying to reach an extinguisher is incredibly dumb. Extinguisher placement is paramount.

As for batteries, yeah, I've heard a lot of stories too.

 

[3GsDad]

First.. Thank you for the info! I apologize for not stating but my use for the CO2 ext is for stby for starting an RC model turbine engine. The engines aren't cheap (mine produces about 40 lbs) and showering them with chemical not only ruins the engine but damages the electronics on the RC aircraft as well. AS with all things that can be expensive! The good news is you only start these outside to fly them so I'm always well ventilated and away from anything else that can burn...except maybe grass but there is a range ext for that.
Thanks again for the info...I'll look into buying another CO2 ext when I go back into the city.

 

[Dragfluid]

Yes, placement is important. Don't put it right next to a potential spot for a fire. Have it so you can access it and then attack the fire with it. Preferably by doors.

Having had a devastating fire years ago, I've got extinguishers coming out of my ***, both in the shop and in the home. Both types.

 

[pcmeiners]

"I could care less about the mess from the powder compared to the potential mess from the fire."

You will care if you let one of these go, aside from affecting electronics, the dust gets into EVERYTHING; I let one go in my parent's house, took a few days to clean, including opening all electronic devises. I have a couple CO2 and a 20 lb Halon extinguisher, one powder. If all else fails I would use a powder extinguisher as a last measure.

 

[bczygan]

Placement is important.

I recently had a fire at my garage door and the door started to go up.

Found out when I opened the door.

Fire extinguisher was at the door from the garage to the house, so unavailable.

Bill

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

I have to ask about your aversion to dry chemical extinguishers. Is it that where you work only has approval to co2, or more likely is it that they chose to use a co2 years ago, and because of cost of switching to a dry chemical ABC extinguisher, they have chosen not to switch over?

In a previously life I worked fire safety, technician work on extinguishers and fire suppression system. What I typically saw when it came to companies who were only certified for CO2 systems was that someone at someone point bought CO2 extinguishers, and that the only reason they still had them was because 1) They were too cheap to purchase anything else. 2) They actually did not know code for their establishment. 3) All they actually cared about was meeting the bare minimum that they had extinguishers.

So I ask, what is your extinguisher needs? What types of perceived or observed incidents are available in your shop? Are you discounting the advantages of a dry chemical extinguisher, and possibly ignoring the downsides of using a CO2 extinguisher?

It's just the mess of using a dry chemical extinguisher that turns me off. CO2 is required in the semiconductor business because things have to be clean. CO2 just strikes me as much cleaner. I know that when there's a fire that putting it out is the most important thing, but if you can get a better extinguisher and NOT spew nasty powder everywhere at the same time why not do that.

 

[DeeKay]

It's just the mess of using a dry chemical extinguisher that turns me off. CO2 is required in the semiconductor business because things have to be clean. CO2 just strikes me as much cleaner. I know that when there's a fire that putting it out is the most important thing, but if you can get a better extinguisher and NOT spew nasty powder everywhere at the same time why not do that.

I agree, for work we're only allowed to have Co2 extinguishers in our MCC and switch gear rooms for that exact reason. Dry chemical would probably work better and might be faster but they're not worth the risk of damaging other equipment in the room.

At home I have a 30lb CO2 to use as first defense so hopefully any small fire can be taken care of without a huge mess, and then a 20lb ABC if the CO2 doesn't cut it.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

What sort of fires to you expect to encounter? CO2 is B rated, but has NO A rating.
What that means is that it is good at extinguishing pools of burning liquid, but will NOT put out burning solids.

Correct. A garage requires an A B C.

Tommy

 

[rlitman]

I agree, for work we're only allowed to have Co2 extinguishers in our MCC and switch gear rooms for that exact reason. Dry chemical would probably work better and might be faster but they're not worth the risk of damaging other equipment in the room.

At home I have a 30lb CO2 to use as first defense so hopefully any small fire can be taken care of without a huge mess, and then a 20lb ABC if the CO2 doesn't cut it.

I understand that CO2 is a clean agent extinguisher, but being too cheap to buy a proper A and C rated clean agent such as FE-36 or Halotron 1 for a switch gear room seems pretty irrational to me. Such locations don't even call for a B rating.

At home, I have used ABC drychem extinguishers to put out fires (two disposable ones saved a neighbor's house from being completely destroyed, though a similar fire did take it 6 months later). They work, and they work quickly. I happen to have a pair of Halon 1211 extinguishers I sort of inherited, as well as a pair of CO2 extinguishers in my garage, but have never even considered reaching for one.

In other capacities that I am not at total liberty to discuss in detail, I have been involved in the aftermath of the use of an ABC drychem in a facility filled with sensitive equipment. From that situation, I can say with absolute confidence, that the damage caused by the dry chemical powder was absolutely NOTHING compared to the damage caused by the smoke. Not even the slightest drop in the bucket. To give you a visual analogy to picture the spread of the damage from each in square footage, imagine that the drychem contaminated a hottub. Now imagine the entire water park around this hot tub being contaminated by the smoke alone. Plus, not only is the smoke more corrosive and pervasive, but it is also significantly harder to clean up as well.

So, think about this. Every SECOND that a fire is smoldering and spreading smoke, the smoke alone is causing more damage than the entire contents of an ABC extinguisher. If you just paused for a second to think about which extinguisher to grab, you're already losing. If you've spent a CO2 extinguisher and are reaching for a second bottle, you've lost big time.

 

[seagravedriver]

While CO2 may put out a class A fire, it can be a female dog. In the fire academy waaaaaay back, they had us try, and it was pretty inefficient. But hey, it is better than nothing! I have multiple types in my shop, 2 water, 1,CO2, and about 4 dry chems. It is good to have the extinguishers placed so they are retrievable on your way OUT, so you don't have fire between you and the door, in the best scenario.

 

[DeeKay]

I understand that CO2 is a clean agent extinguisher, but being too cheap to buy a proper A and C rated clean agent such as FE-36 or Halotron 1 for a switch gear room seems pretty irrational to me. Such locations don't even call for a B rating.

At home, I have used ABC drychem extinguishers to put out fires (two disposable ones saved a neighbor's house from being completely destroyed, though a similar fire did take it 6 months later). They work, and they work quickly. I happen to have a pair of Halon 1211 extinguishers I sort of inherited, as well as a pair of CO2 extinguishers in my garage, but have never even considered reaching for one.

In other capacities that I am not at total liberty to discuss in detail, I have been involved in the aftermath of the use of an ABC drychem in a facility filled with sensitive equipment. From that situation, I can say with absolute confidence, that the damage caused by the dry chemical powder was absolutely NOTHING compared to the damage caused by the smoke. Not even the slightest drop in the bucket. To give you a visual analogy to picture the spread of the damage from each in square footage, imagine that the drychem contaminated a hottub. Now imagine the entire water park around this hot tub being contaminated by the smoke alone. Plus, not only is the smoke more corrosive and pervasive, but it is also significantly harder to clean up as well.

So, think about this. Every SECOND that a fire is smoldering and spreading smoke, the smoke alone is causing more damage than the entire contents of an ABC extinguisher. If you just paused for a second to think about which extinguisher to grab, you're already losing. If you've spent a CO2 extinguisher and are reaching for a second bottle, you've lost big time.

I don't make the rules. I do know that our larger plants have Halon fire extinguishers and automatic fire suppression. These smaller sites tend not to have as much if any fire suppression at all. I'm sure there was a lot of time and money spent deciding what plants are worth investing in what protections.

Typo, I meant to say we were only allowed to have Co2 fire extinguishers in those areas. They've since told us to remove all on site fire extinguishers. If I can't take care of the fire with the one 20lb abc on my truck then it's too big and they would rather have the plant burn to the ground than me get hurt.

 

[rlitman]

... If I can't take care of the fire with the one 20lb abc on my truck then it's too big and they would rather have the plant burn to the ground than me get hurt.

That is good thinking I’m totally behind.

It’s important to maintain your perspective in these sorts of situations. Keep a clear head with a simple and sound exit strategy, and never play the superhero or get lost in the situation.

And when it seems overwhelming, never fear the choice to back away.

 

[Alain V.]

is anyone using the "element" style extinguishers?
I've seen some demos on you tube and they look pretty interesting.

There's a sale on them right now at a porsche parts supplier and I was planning on getting a pair of them to hang on the wall in my shop. I like that they are compact, so I can grab one and take it with me when driving one of my old classic cars.

 

[pcmeiners]

From a previous thread on JG...…


"The "Element" extinguishers seem to be re-brands of a couple of models of the "Mangia Fuoco" extinguishers made in Italy.

Most regulatory agencies don't test extinguishers that are as small as these, but apparently the Finnish government did and concluded " ... the products did not extinguish a solvent fire, a small burning wood pile, a burning coffee-maker or a burning paper waste-basket. Some of the extinguishers were even found to accelerate burning. The products give a false sense of safety ..."

https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consu...0632/06&lng=en "


Get a Halon clone extinguisher.