Several types of
extinguishers are considered obsolete by the 2007 Edition of NFPA 10©
and are required to be removed from service according to Section
4.4. The following is an excerpt from NFPA 10©:
(2) Chemical
foam (excluding film-forming agents)
(3) Vaporizing
liquid (e.g., carbon tetrachloride)
(4) Cartridge-operated
water
(5) Cartridge-operated
loaded stream
(6) Copper or
brass shell (excluding pump tanks) joined by soft solder or rivets
(7) Carbon
dioxide extinguishers with metal horns
(8) Solid
charge–type AFFF extinguishers (paper cartridge)
(9) Pressurized
water fire extinguishers manufactured prior to 1971
(10) Any extinguisher that
needs to be inverted to operate
(11) Any stored pressure
extinguisher manufactured prior to 1955
(12) Any extinguishers with
4B, 6B, 8B, 12B, and 16B fire ratings
(13) Stored-pressure water
extinguishers with fiberglass shells (pre-1976)
4.4.1
Dry chemical stored pressure extinguishers manufactured prior
to October 1984 shall be removed from service at the next 6-year
maintenance interval or the next hydrotest interval, whichever comes
first.
4.4.2
Any fire extinguisher that can no longer be serviced in
accordance with the manufacturer's maintenance manual is considered
obsolete and shall be removed from service.
The "modern" portable fire extinguisher was
was invented by Captain George William Manby in 1819. It was a
3-gallon copper vessel containing a pearl ash (potassium carbonate)
solution under pressure.
