How can the service life of a fire extinguisher discharge cartridge be determined?

The determination of the service life of a fire extinguisher discharge cartridge is best accomplished by calculating the hours below a predetermined temperature from the date stamp. The effectiveness of the extinguishing agent can diminish over time due to environmental conditions, particularly temperature. High or low temperatures can affect the chemical stability and performance of the agent, so monitoring the duration of exposure to conditions outside recommended limits is critical.

The date stamp provides a starting point, allowing maintenance personnel to track the time elapsed since the cartridge was last checked or serviced, which incorporates an assessment of environmental exposure. This practice is vital in ensuring that fire extinguishers remain functional when needed.

While checking the weight of the cartridge and monitoring the discharge pressure are useful maintenance practices to verify functionality, they do not directly relate to the age or service life of the extinguishing agent itself. Discharge pressure can indicate if a cartridge is charged, but it doesn’t provide insight into the degradation of the agent over time. The age of the extinguishing agent can offer some guidance, but this aspect alone is not as precise as tracking exposure time under varying temperature conditions, hence the emphasis on calculating hours below a predetermined temperature as the most reliable method for evaluating the service life.