P50 Service-Free Lithium-Ion AVD Fire Extinguishers

Yes. All major insurances have approved P50 self-service fire extinguishers. 

Under the extinguisher servicing standard BS5306-3:2009 a competent person is required to maintain the extinguishers in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. Britannia state that only an annual visual inspection is required.

When you purchase P50 service-free extinguishers from us, our engineers will install the extinguishers free of charge and train you or your staff in how to carry out the simple yearly inspection. After this training, you are classed as a competent person. Our engineers will ensure that you have the right type and number of extinguishers in accordance with the relevant British Standards and will then issue you an installation certificate, which you can pass on to your insurer. 

There is also a video that demonstrates the visual inspection on the website if you need a refresher.

 

P50 service-free fire extinguishers are constructed from components that will not corrode. So, unlike traditional stainless-steel extinguishers there is no need to replace parts that may have corroded over the 10-year period.

Anyone in your organisation can complete the annual visual inspection for P50 service-free extinguishers. To ensure that they are competent in this simple process we train your staff as part of our installation package at no extra cost to you. We will issue staff with training certificates.

Want to see what the annual visual inspections entails? Here is a clear video guide that will show you just how easy it is to maintain your P50 extinguishers.

Unlike traditional steel fire extinguishers you will only need to carry out an annual visual inspection each year, there is no need to discharge and refill P50 service-free fire extinguishers after 5 years.

NB. As with all extinguishers you still need to do a monthly walk past of your extinguishers to ensure that they are in the correct position and have not been tampered with.

After 10 years you will need to have your P50 fire extinguisher factory refurbished. It will then last you another 10 years. Contact our customer care team and they can organise this for you.

Yes, they can explode! Lithium-ion batteries can explode due to a chain reaction call thermal runaway. This occurs when the battery rapidly increases in temperature, usually from overcharging, exposure to extreme temperatures or moisture, or damage to the cells. Once thermal runaway begins, it will cause an internal fire in the casing which causes a build-up of toxic gases. The pressure eventually causes an explosive reaction.

Generally, lithium-ion batteries are safe to use and charge regularly, as long as they are not damaged, overcharged, or defective.

Lithium-ion batteries work by moving lithium-ions between the negative side (Anode) and positive side (Cathode), which creates an electrical current. When charging, lithium-ions move from the cathode to the anode and whilst discharging it is opposite. When the lithium-ions move during a discharge, an electrical current is created and this is what powers the device.

Stopping a lithium-ion fire is almost impossible due to the ferocity and unpredictable nature of these types of fires. Instead of stopping a fire, it is recommended that preventative measures are taken to ensure that a fire doesn't start. Fireproof charging and storage cabinets are an ideal solution for ensuring that all lithium-ion batteries can be charged and stored safely, even if a fire broke out. These cabinets are designed to contain the fire inside, preventing it from spreading externally.

General advice from the Fire & Rescue Service is to evacuate and get to a place of safety in the event of a lithium-ion fire. Once at a place of safety, call the emergency services and do not attempt to tackle the fire.

Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable whereas lithium batteries are not. Lithium batteries are more commonly found in products that require long-term, low-power use such as smoke detectors. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly found in items that require recharging frequently such as mobile phones and laptops. Lithium batteries are made up of pure lithium metal, whereas lithium-ion batteries are made up of active materials, such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), and do not contain pure lithium metal.