It will cost 36 dollars or less

[mm]

So I needed to recharge the fire-extinguisher I used two nights ago, and I googled and called the place nearest me, and I described my fire-extinguisher and asked how much to recharge.

And he said "36 dollars or less". Every other merchant says "$N or more", "Prices start at X dollars." What's going on here? He had an eastern European accent, I think.

It turns out they sell these things, a Kidde 340, for 21 dollars plus

14 dollars shipping, never used but recharged, on ebay, for a total of 35, one dollar less than his 36 max. (New they are between 70 and 80)

eBay, Amazon, Overstock, Bidtopia

[ransley]

Did you ever price a new one, I junk them when they get low, its not worth the headache recharging them unless you have lots of them

[Ed Pawlowski]

With the "or less" guy you have no surprises. The labor to charge a unit is about the same no matter the size. The material inside is not so much. A pro knows what the larger sizes are so he gave you th at price, less for a smaller one. The other guy may be giving you a low ball price and then slams you when you get there.

Prices can vary by accent too.

[Bob F]

When I asked a shop about this, I was told it's cheaper to buy a new one.

[G. Morgan]

I bought a 3 pound (ABC) Kidde from Wal-Mart for about 20 bucks.

You can buy 2 of them instead (and have the added advantage of placing them in separate locations).

[mm]

" " " " " " " "

I did buy a replacement for a smaller one but this one is rechargeable.

Yes I did price new ones and they are a little more than twice what reconditioned are.

Bob, perhaps recycling them has gotten more organized over time. And maybe shipping costs have gone down. This place that sells never used but recharged probably has loads, because periodically someone replaces all the fire extinguishers all over almost every building in the country, almost all of them never used. I guess the replacements are mostly reconditioned, but not all of them.

At least the first time I would take one to get recharged, I would find it very interesting to see the place where they do it. If I'm lucky, I'll get to see the shop. Of course I might not get past the counter. He he might trade me one that is already recharged for my empty one, but I'd still find the place interesting.

I'm afraid unlike some I have to suffer headaches in order to save money. I also prefer to turn the empty one into someone who will reuse it. In fact even if I bug a recharged one online, I'll probably drop the empty one off at the first guy's location, not far from me, at no cost to him, just so he can reuse it.

[Hustlin' Hank]

Call your local fire department and see who they use.

Hank

[Stormin Mormon]

With dry chem extinguishers, it's often cheaper to go buy a new one. Sadly, so. The one extinguisher guy I talked with for awhile, Mike. I noticed on one of his official papers on the wall, his full name is Muhammed. Which is fine with me. Looked like he knew what he was doing.

I'm like you, hate to throw out something that can be reused.

[Stormin Mormon]

That's what I'd do. Oh, don't bolt one over the stove. Put it on the far wall away from the stove.

[willshak]

mm wrote the following:

Check to see if there is a recall on those Kidde 340s.

[HeyBub]

Probably trained in Waziristan.

[mm]

Hank, calling the fire department is an excellent idea. They may well know more about fires and my kind of oven than anyone else.

Whirlpool called me back yesterday, left a message and sent an email. The email said they have no "h>mm wrote the following:

Wow. Thank you. Five of the nine models recalled have 340 as the only main numbers in the model number, but I don't think it would be right to complain about losing pressure and failing to operate when needed, since I had the thing at least 10 years, maybe 15 and it worked fine. I had checked the pressure indicator once in a while and afaicr it was never higher than it was this week.. For sure it was never lower than the middle of the green area (with red areas for too much and too little pressure). And I checked just before I used it a few days ago, and the needle was in the same place. It definitely had more output than the smaller one I used once. (It must have been on top of the stove. I don't remember it.) In fact the meter now is half way down the red low pressure area, but there is still some pressure, after 3 pretty big blasts.

Aha, these were manufactured "between October 2007 and April 2008." Mine was more likely 1995!

[mm]

Well, I was in Home Depot and the same fire ext. was 50 dollars plus tax, 53 dollars, that these places wanted 70 to 80 dollars for.

Strange for 2 reasons: A) Usually the web is cheaper. Here it is 20 dollars more. That's a lot. B) Home Depot again loses the web competition, since they didn't come up when I did google shopping for the fire extningisher. Doesn't include metal bracket which is 6 dollars but I still have the old one.

Same price and probems with lowes.

It turns out Model 340 means 3-A, 40-BC, which is really strange since the model 210, 2-A, 10-BC, is the same price.

Plus they have a third one with the same ratings** but a nylon instead of metal handle for 10 dollars less but not rechargeable and not in stock at the HD I was at. (where I was. ?)

**But no rating in the name: Kidde Full Home Fire Extinguisher Model # FX340GW

None are sold online, although that other refurbishing company sold on-line.

[Stormin Mormon]

To his credit, he was only trying to blow up extinguishers to the rated pressure.

[Tony]

When I had my own business my insurance wouldn't allow that. I had a small (I forget the size) one in my shop. In writing, the insurance inspector made me buy a larger one and REMOVE the smaller one. I couldn't hang it at the other side of the shop, I couldn't leave it anywhere in the shop. The small one had to be removed!

[mm]

But if was trying to blow them ALL up to that pressure, wouldnt' that be extremist?

[Douglas Johnson]

Put it near the exit. When fighting a fire with an extinguisher, you always want to be between the fire and the exit. With it near the exit that will naturally happen. You also have the option of picking up the extinguisher, turning around towards the fire, deciding it's too much, and heading out the door. -- Doug

[Stormin Mormon]

Now, that sounds like a dictator.

I do not like it here or there! I do not like it any where. I'm an insurance inspector My brain suffers a heck of complector And don't you oogle and stare.

Dr. Seuss, commenting on insurance dictators.

I'm going into withdrawl. No one has used the word "Nazi" on this list in ages. An insurance, Nazi, that's what he was.

[Stormin Mormon]

Wondered if anyone would comment that.

[Roger Shoaf]

Here is how they recharge dry chemical fire extinguishers.

Step one. Discharge the old unit into a container.

Step two. Inspect the inside to be sure it is empty and dry inside.

Step three. Inspect O-rings and replace as needed.

Step four. Inspect hydro-test inspection stamp and re-hydro-test if due.

Step five. Insert funnel and refill dry chemical filtering out any lumps, weigh to assure full charge.

Step six. Install new internal inspection sticker on dip tube.

Step seven. Reassemble and charge with dry nitrogen.

Step eight. Install a charge tag and seal on outside.

The two big items are the hydro test and the cost of the chemical if the extinguisher has been used. The latter is usually no big deal as the chem. is baking soda with an anti caking agent and the units that fail the hydro test add to the supply of powder. The hydro test is no big deal either. it is done the dame way they do welding tanks, just with a lower test pressure. The big issue is the additional time it takes to test and dry the tank.