Water Filled Extinguishers .

[Stuart B]

Ages ago someone on Freecycle gave me a couple of fire extinguishers and one of them was a water filled one . It was empty so I took the top off and filled it with water . It didn't work when I squeezed the handle . Today I was clearing out a spare room and picked up this extinguisher and squeezed the handle and water spurted forth so I took it in to the bathroom and directed the hose in to the bath and operated it and water gushed out of the hose . . Does anyone know what it is that makes these things work .There must be more than just water in them . Is ther some sort of tablet you put in before or after filling with water . I'd love to know .

I was going to give it away on Freecycle but as it seems to be working I'll keep it but I need to know more about it .

Stuart

[Andrew Mawson]

working

The water is actually laced to be alkaline, and in the knob on the top there is an acid capsule. "Invert and bang knob on ground" always gave us fits at school, but what it does is to infuse the acid into the alkaline and release loads of CO2 which forces the water out of the spout. If yours was empty it has probably been used and the acid capsule is toast.

AWEM

[Stuart B]

There is no "knob on the top "to bang on the ground .It's just a squeezable pair of handles built in to the part that screws on to the container . I have tried to Google for info with little success but what info I did find seems to suggest that a capsule of CO2 is under the handles and when the handles are squeezed the CO2 gets released and that pressurises the conatiner and forces the water out .

Quite why it didn't work when I first filled it but does work now is anyones guess . Once it is empty again I'll remove the top and have another look

Stuart

[Stuart B]

It looks like this one ( on the right )

[Andrew Mawson]

extinguishers

squeezed

handles

- far too modern !

AWEM

[Skipweasel]

They went out with the ark!

Modern extinguishers have a CO2 cartridge, like a giant Sparklets thing fitted to the underside of the screw-on lid. Squeeze the handles and the metal film lid is pierced and the CO2 pressurises the main chamber, forcing the water out of the nozzle.

As for why it didn't work the first time, I'd expect you didn't squeeze the handles together sufficiently.

[Mark]

Err But now the Co2 cartridge has been used, so if you ever have a fire to use it on in the future..... not a lot will happen.

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[Stuart B]

Well I presume that they are replaceable ..No ?

[Mark]

Yes they are a one shot device and must be replaced after use. The cartridge is exchanged, if it's not an obsolete type.

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