Leaky Fire Extinguisher

[Jye]

About a week ago I came home to find all my kegs without pressure :angry: After a checking all of the lines and disconnects I found the leak was coming from the head of the fire extinguisher :angry:

Lucky its not leaking from the bottle, only when there is pressure between the extinguisher and regulator. Im thinking the 'valve' is stuffed and will need to be replaced when next filled.

Can anyone in the know tell me if this is the case or not?

Cheers
Jye

 

[Justin]

Yep, your valve is leaking.

Fire extinguishers are not designed to be opened and closed a lot like a proper tap like valve is (they are pretty much designed for a one off use). Just one of the trade offs with an extinguisher over a proper gas bottle.

Mine finally started leaking a while ago and I was going to get a new valve but I have off loaded my keg fridge so don't need the gas anytime soon so still haven't had it fixed.

I was just going to replace it, they cost around $45-$50 if memory serves me right. I got nearly two years out of my valve and I opened and closed it a crap load in that time, basically I never left the bottle on. So for a replacement cost of $50 every 1.5-2 years, I'm more than happy for that and it is well, well under BOC bottle rental prices.

I've never tried disassembling one (and I probably wouldn't attempt it either) but it could just be an easy oring replacement instead of a whole new valve head. Chat to your fire extinguisher guy and see what he suggests.

I think the next valve I get I'll try to leave it on all the time, if I get nervous I may put a valve on the outlet of the reg and use that to shut off the system after use.

Sorry, hope you get it sorted. Report back with how you go fixing/replacing.

Cheers, Justin

 

[Boots]

Jye I had exactly the same problem (a search might bring up the thread, but it was ages ago). The mob i got my extinguisher from actually replaced the valve for me for free, but then it started happening again almost straight away. It's not so bad if you just leave it open and let the reg handle it all.

Just be carefull as well, because once the valve leaks for a while, the little pin might get weakened (maybe coz of the temp?). On mine, it actually fired off like a bullet and wedged into the ceiling when i "lifted" the handle. If i had of been standing over it i would hate to think of what would have happened.

I reckon Justin's approach is the best way to look at it. Source a new extinguisher / head section.

 

[Jye]

Thanks Justin,

The bottle and valve look pretty old but like you I have probably opened and closed it hundreds of more times then in its old life as an extinguisher. Hopefully the guy who fills it for me can fix/replace it cheap since he gave me a good rate on a refill.

I already have a valve on the out of by reg but never used to use it <_< I think leaving the extinguisher open all of the time may be worth trying.

Cheers

 

[Jye]

Just be carefull as well, because once the valve leaks for a while, the little pin might get weakened (maybe coz of the temp?). On mine, it actually fired off like a bullet and wedged into the ceiling when i "lifted" the handle. If i had of been standing over it i would hate to think of what would have happened.

Holly Sh!t... I take it the cylinder then degassed itself out the top???

May be worth look at now and not when the bottle is empty :blink:

 

[Boots]

I lost most of the gas, but the pin had actually sheared off half way down if you can get what i mean, so there was still some resistance to the gas coming out, and it didn't turn into a rocket or anything. I was able to stick a holepunch in the hole and push it down which slowed down the gas even further, but essentially emptied the bottle

 

[Guest Lurker]

The fire extinguisher guy in Perth has been able to get hold of old brass heads that have a screw valve, not a trigger. AusDB and I both have them. I never leave my bottle on, turn it on and off every day to fill the headspaces, with no valve problems. Worth asking about them. Can post a pic if it helps.

 

[Pumpy]

About a week ago I came home to find all my kegs without pressure :angry: After a checking all of the lines and disconnects I found the leak was coming from the head of the fire extinguisher :angry:

Lucky its not leaking from the bottle, only when there is pressure between the extinguisher and regulator. Im thinking the 'valve' is stuffed and will need to be replaced when next filled.

Can anyone in the know tell me if this is the case or not?

Cheers
Jye

View attachment 8392View attachment 8393

You are not alone , so did mine , I could not be bothered stuffing around any longe and rent one from BOC

Pumpy

 

[Jye]

The fire extinguisher guy in Perth has been able to get hold of old brass heads that have a screw valve, not a trigger. AusDB and I both have them. I never leave my bottle on, turn it on and off every day to fill the headspaces, with no valve problems. Worth asking about them. Can post a pic if it helps.

A pic would be great, along with any other identifying markings e.g. part number. It would be nice to have all the info and just ask him "do you have this?"

Is it similar to this?

You are not alone , so did mine , I could not be bothered stuffing around any longe and rent one from BOC

Pumpy

The long term goal is a kegs on legs cylinder, one day

 

[Guest Lurker]

Is it similar to this?

Yep.

Made by Unitor.

Has on it K46-50.0 08067 CO2 UNITOR 013 98610

if that means anything.

 

[Jye]

Cheers GL

 

[halfinch]

Cheers GL

Howdy all, good way to fix is replace with above fitting (tap) but had the same prob a while ago myself and spoke to extinguisher bloke and he said if you havent already lost all gas too pull pin and turn a little bit with pointy nose plyers, and guess what it worked!!!!



Cheers Halfinch....

 

[Linz]

The valve in an extingisher head is similar to an inverted mushroom, with the smallest 'O' ring known to man, three-quarters of the way up the stem.
If the the unit leaks with the handle pressed..the 'O' ring needs replacing, or lubricating. If the unit is in 'rest' position and leaks, the seat on the spindle is buggered and the spindle needs to be replaced...

Anyone brought one of those valves in yet???

 

[Hillbilly]

The fire extinguisher guy in Perth has been able to get hold of old brass heads that have a screw valve, not a trigger. AusDB and I both have them. I never leave my bottle on, turn it on and off every day to fill the headspaces, with no valve problems. Worth asking about them. Can post a pic if it helps.

I got both mine done @ the guy in Belmont, he said more and more home brewers are knocking on his door.
Hillbilly

 

[ausdb]

Yep.

Made by Unitor.

My $0.02 worth, mine is slightly different but similar I will post a pic if I can be bothered

 

[Jye]

I had a bit of a play with it this morning and it doesnt appear to leak when the trigger is fully compressed (more compressed than when just held in place with the pin) so I used a zip tie to hold it depressed. I also weighed the cylinder and will do so again this arvo t check for small leaks, but Im hoping everything will be ok <_<

ausdb, a pic would be great. By the sounds of it a valve isnt that uncommon and should be easy to get one fitted.

Cheers
Jye