Once you get it installed behind the front passenger seat (or where ever you'd prefer), make certain that you take if off the rack and turn it upside-down then right-side up a few times every month. Most extinguishers use a gas-powder propellant/retardant mix and these separate over time and the retardant will settle at the bottom in the space of about a month. If it sits there long enough some retardants will actually cake inside the canister and even the settled condition makes the whole apparatus all but useless should you ever need it. And yes, cold will cause the retardant to cake/freeze much faster than it would otherwise. The monthly up-ending ensures that these components stay mixed and this means that the device will be *immediately* usable when and if you need it. MT -----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of David Beierl Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 6:56 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: OT: (slightly) fire extinguishers I'd recommend you spend the bucks for a 3A-40BC extinguisher with a pressure gauge and a metal safety pin (or more specifically, *not* the Kidde models with the thin plastic safety pin which can be accidentally pulled much too easily - and pulling it breaks the latching tip. I've determined this by long experience in boats and vehicles). Check the pressure routinely and turn it upside down a few times once a year and it should be good for many years. Costco and similar often have these for good price, maybe $20. Of my three, the two I can lay ready hands on were made by First Alert. Occasionally (two out of the maybe fifteen extinguishers I've bought over the years) one will lose pressure -- unless you've paid extra for the refillable kind that ruins it, but you might consider using it for practice. It's been shown that people are fifty per cent more effective the *second* time they use a dry extinguisher, because they know what to expect. Anything plastic becomes temporarily brittle at some temperature, but that aside, shouldn't be a problem. Yours, David |
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