What is the storage life of dry powder fire extinguishers?

We replace all our equipment once a year, so there is no issue with a shelf life. Any quality issues that arose during use, such as insufficient pressure, were replaced immediately.

Generally, we determine whether a fire extinguisher is qualified based on its pressure.

According to the fire department’s regulations, the dry powder must be replaced once a year.

1 Subject matter and scope of application 1.1 This standard specifies the technical requirements for the inspection and maintenance of fire extinguishers, as well as the conditions under which fire extinguishers must be retired. 1.2 This standard applies to the maintenance and disposal of various types of portable and cart-mounted fire extinguishers. 2 Referenced standards: GB4351 – General technical requirements for portable fire extinguishers; GB4402 – Portable dry chemical fire extinguishers. 3 Inspection of fire extinguishers: 3.1 After each use, fire extinguishers must be sent to a maintenance unit that has obtained a maintenance license (hereinafter referred to as the maintenance unit) for inspection. Damaged parts should be replaced, and the extinguishing agent and propellant gas should be replenished. 3.2 Whether used or unused, fire extinguishers that have reached the specified time since their manufacture must be sent to a maintenance facility for hydrostatic testing. 3.2.1 Portable and wheeled 1211 fire extinguishers, portable and wheeled dry powder fire extinguishers, as well as portable and wheeled carbon dioxide fire extinguishers – after five years, every two years thereafter ； Inspections such as hydrostatic testing must be carried out. 3.2.2 For portable and wheeled mechanical foam fire extinguishers, as well as portable water fire extinguishers, after three years from the date of manufacture, a hydrostatic pressure test must be conducted every two years thereafter. 3.2.3 For portable and wheeled chemical foam fire extinguishers, as well as portable acid-base fire extinguishers, a hydrostatic test must be conducted two years after their installation, and thereafter once every year. 3.3 Visual inspection reveals that 5.1 of the listed conditions require the items to be treated as defective. 4 Maintenance Technical Requirements 4.1 All repaired fire extinguishers must meet the requirements of the relevant product **standards or industry standards. 4.2 Fire extinguisher cylinders 4.2.1 The maintenance unit must, in accordance with the provisions of Article 3.2, conduct a hydraulic pressure test on each fire extinguisher cylinder individually. Furthermore, even though the fire extinguisher has already been used and the deadline specified in clause 3.2 has not yet passed, if an external inspection reveals dents on the cylinder body or if the quality of the welds does not meet the specified requirements, a hydrostatic test should also be conducted. To prevent environmental pollution, the fire extinguishing agents inside the cylinder should be placed in their respective storage tanks before the pressure test. The hydrostatic test pressure is 1.5 times the designed pressure of the fire extinguisher. During testing, there shall be no defects that affect strength, such as leakage or macroscopic deformation (residual deformation equal to or greater than 6%). 4.2.2 For cylinders that have passed the hydrostatic test, with intact decals but some paint peeling off, they should be repainted. 4.2.3 All fire extinguishers with a cylindrical shape that have passed the hydrostatic test (except those of the water-type) shall be dried. 4.3 The rubber and plastic parts of fire extinguishers must not be washed with organic solvents. Those that are deformed, discolored, aged, or broken must be replaced. 4.4 The outer surface of the pressure gauge shall be free from defects such as deformation or damage. The pressure value should be displayed correctly; otherwise, the pressure gauge should be replaced. 4.5 Nozzles with defects such as deformation, cracking, or damage must be replaced. The dust cover shall ensure that it detaches or breaks off on its own when the extinguishing agent is discharged. 4.6 Metal components of fire extinguishers, such as the lever and valve body, must not have any defects that could affect their usability, such as severe damage, deformation, or corrosion. The pin must also be free from any visible defects; otherwise, it must be replaced. 4.7 Sealing parts such as gaskets and seals must be replaced and meet the sealing requirements. The moisture-proof film of dry powder fire extinguishers must be replaced in accordance with the requirements of Clause 2.2.5 of GB4402. 4.8 The exhaust pipe of the firearm shall be free from defects such as bends, blockages, damage, and cracks; otherwise, it must be replaced. 4.9 Carbon dioxide gas cylinders (hereinafter referred to as gas cylinders) 4.9.1 Gas cylinders must meet the requirements of clause 2.6 of GB4402 \"Portable Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers\". 4.9.2 Starting from the date of manufacture, gas storage cylinders must undergo pressure tests in accordance with the requirements of clause 3.6.2 of GB4351 every five years, and thereafter every three years. Those that fail the hydrostatic test must be replaced. 4.9.3 Gas cylinders that do not have the stamping required by Article 6.3 of GB4351 \"General Technical Requirements for Portable Fire Extinguishers\" must be replaced. 4.10 Tips 4.10.1 Tips must not have defects such as cracks or failed threads; otherwise, they must be replaced. 4.10.2 After being used for two years, the plastic nozzle must undergo a hydrostatic test together with the cylinder; those that fail the test must be replaced. 4.10.3 Starting from the date of manufacture, a hydrostatic test must be conducted on metal fittings every five years; those that fail the test must be replaced. 4.11 The inner agent container of a chemical foam fire extinguisher must be free from defects such as cracks; otherwise, it must be replaced. 4.12 If the filter of a water-type or foam-type fire extinguisher is damaged, it must be replaced. 4.13 Whenever possible, all zero and component seats requiring replacement in fire extinguishers should be those produced by the original manufacturer. The use of zero parts and components from other manufacturers or those produced in-house must comply with **standards, industry standards, and the design requirements of the fire extinguisher manufacturer. 4.14 For repaired fire extinguishers, the extinguishing agent filled therein shall meet the relevant standard requirements for extinguishing agents. 4.15 After maintenance, permanent maintenance labels must be affixed to both the cylinder body and the gas storage cylinder of the fire extinguisher. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Maintenance and disposal of fire extinguishers 4.15.1 Nameplate on the cylinder 4.15.1.1 The nameplate is located on the back side of the cylinder, where the manufacturer’s label is affixed. 4.15.1.2 The recommended size for the nameplate is 70 mm × 50 mm. 4.15.1.3 The recommended color for the nameplate is black text on a white background. 4.15.1.4 The nameplate shall contain the following information: Name of the maintenance unit ； Maintenance License Number ； Simplified hydrostatic test pressure value in MPa ； Year and month of maintenance. 4.15.1.5 The nameplates for each repair must not overlap each other. 4.15.2 The permanent maintenance label on the gas cylinder (on which welding is not permitted) shall indicate the filling coefficient of the cylinder, the amount of driving gas filled, as well as the name of the maintenance unit and the year and month of filling. 5 Disposal of fire extinguishers 5.1 Fire extinguishers must be disposed of if they fall under any of the following circumstances. a. The cylinder shall undergo a hydrostatic test as per Clause 4.2.1; those that fail the test must be scrapped, and re-welding is not permitted. b. The cylinder body is severely corroded (where a large area of paint has peeled off, and the corroded area is greater than or equal to one-third of the total surface area of the cylinder body), or the joints and bottom of the cylinder are severely corroded. c. Those with an internal locking nozzle that lack (or have no installed) vent screws and fixing screws. d. For carbon dioxide fire extinguishers with handwheel valves, pressure handle valves must be replaced ； For fire extinguishers with a fire suppression capacity of 4 kg or more, the nozzle equipped with an intermittent spraying mechanism should be replaced or an additional spray gun should be installed. Those that cannot be replaced should be scrapped. e. Severely deformed in the simplified form. f. Unreasonably structured (such as flat-bottomed in the simplified version) ； The gas cylinder is external, with the air inlet leading from the body into the interior of the dry powder fire extinguisher. g. No manufacturer’s name or date of manufacture indicated (including cases where the label has fallen off, or although there is a label, the manufacturer’s name and date of manufacture are no longer legible). h. Produced by manufacturers that do not hold a production license. i. Those prohibited from sale and repair by orders from the Ministry of Public Security or the public security fire departments of various provinces (cities, districts). 5.2 Lifespan for Disposal of Fire Extinguishers Fire extinguishers must be disposed of after reaching the following time limits from the date of manufacture: a) Portable chemical foam fire extinguishers – 5 years ； b. Portable acid-base fire extinguishers – 5 years ； c. Portable water fire extinguisher – 6 years ； d. Portable dry powder fire extinguisher (gas cylinder type) – 8 years ； e. Portable pressure-stored dry chemical fire extinguishers — 10 years ； f. Portable 1211 fire extinguishers — 10 years ； g. Portable carbon dioxide fire extinguisher — 12 years ； h. Wheeled chemical foam fire extinguisher – 8 years ； i. Push-type dry powder fire extinguisher j. Push-type pressure-storage dry powder fire extinguisher — 12 years ； k. Push-type 1211 fire extinguisher – 10 years ； l. Cart-type carbon dioxide fire extinguishers – 12 years. 5.3 Disposal Mark: Fire extinguishers or gas cylinders that are to be disposed of must have holes made in their bodies, and a clear “Disposal” label must be attached using adhesive tape. The content of this label should include the word “Disposal”, written in letters at a minimum size of 25mm×25mm ； b、Year and month of retirement ； c. Name of the maintenance unit; d. Signature/seal of the inspector.

The information on floor 5 is very detailed; in the past, it was determined whether a fire extinguisher was qualified based on its pressure, and it needed to be replaced if it was in the red area.

It’s about replacing the fire extinguishing agent, not the fire extinguisher itself – there’s a big difference. Thanks to the **standard** provided by the 5th floor; I almost forgot about it. I use it from time to time :victory:

Dry powder fire extinguishers have no specified shelf life; to ensure they can be used properly, they should be inspected regularly. If low pressure is detected, they must be refilled immediately. Additionally, there is a replacement cycle of one year, meaning they need to be replaced on a regular basis. There are regulations regarding the service life – it is specified after how many years from manufacture a fire extinguisher must be retired. The rules are as follows: Service life of fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers are one of the important firefighting devices used to extinguish incipient fires; ensuring their proper allocation, timely inspection and maintenance, as well as correct use, is key to enabling them to fulfill their function effectively. These days, many organizations have very little knowledge regarding the inspection and maintenance of fire extinguishers; in particular, they are unaware of their lifespan. Some fire extinguishers that have already reached the end of their useful life are still in use. In the event of a fire, such extinguishers will not be able to perform their intended function, and there is even a risk of accidental explosions. Starting from the date of manufacture, fire extinguishers that have reached the following time limits must be scrapped: Portable chemical foam fire extinguishers —— 5 years ； Portable acid-base fire extinguishers———5 years ； Portable water fire extinguisher———6 years ； Portable dry powder fire extinguisher (gas cylinder type) —— 8 years ； Portable pressure storage dry powder fire extinguisher———10 years ； Portable 1211 fire extinguisher———10 years ； Portable carbon dioxide fire extinguisher———12 years ； Cart-type chemical foam fire extinguisher———8 years ； Wheeled dry chemical fire extinguishers (stored-pressure type) ——— 10 years ； Pushcart pressurized dry powder fire extinguisher———12 years ； Cart-type 1211 fire extinguisher———10 years ； Cart-type carbon dioxide fire extinguisher———12 years.

Does the extinguishing agent in a dry powder fire extinguisher need to be replaced annually?

Our company replaces them once a year; in addition, those that show pressure in the red zone during regular inspections also need to be replaced

Do we also need to replace it when regular checks show that the pressure has reached the red zone? I think that in our case, a pressure at the red zone is considered normal; it is only when the pressure drops to the green zone, below yellow, that it is considered low and requires replacement. Confirm it tomorrow.