Like many MV owners Ive got a Pyrene extinguisher.... when did they start
producing them with more healthy contents... I have several and they are
still very full dating from 1930 to 1951... never intend using them have a
modern one for fires...
Cheers
Tim
-----Original Message-----
From: John Edwards <ozjeep@hutch.com.au>
To: Richard Notton <Richard@fv623.demon.co.uk>; Mil Veh Mailing List
<mil-veh@skylee.com>; Hayes-Holgate, Shaun <SHayesHolg@ea.com>
Date: Tuesday, April 21, 1998 11:29 PM
Subject: Re: [MV] old fire extinguisher
To Hayes-Holgate, Richard Notton & List,
Richard's comments as shown below are worth being aware of:
> These types are filled with carbon tetrachloride liquid which produces
> phosgene gas when heated, another WWI nasty more commonly known as mustard
> gas.
Early Pyrene's had a compound called CARBON TETRACHLORIDE (C-CL4). It is
very nasty stuff if INHALED. The chlorine component rips your lungs out &
that's one reason why its use was stopped. You know the story, the car was
saved & the people died.
I hope that your extinguisher had been used in its past life & is not full.
However, if full you can discharge it, under/into water. The colour & size
of it make it really attractive to kids, so watch out !
Carbon Tet.. is not Carbonyl Chloride, which is PHOSGENE. So the
neighbourhood & family is relatively safe.
Using a mask & gloves to be safe, fully submerge the unit & stroke the
handle until extinguisher is empty. A white chalky substance will be seen to
emerge. Keep pumping until the pump is empty, no disharge.
The solution in the bucket should now be a mild acid and an carbon tetroxide
derivative. Any chemists out there please confirm. This is stable and can be
disposed of (please check local ordnances on this one).
Once discharged, there may be a slotted screw that will allow access to the
storage chamber. At this point open & flush with clean water, or leave it in
a soapy bucket of water over night, just to be safe.
Once cleaned & dry, start polishing.
Rgds,
John.
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