Common Fire Extinguisher Sizes And Their Weight
Fire extinguishers come in many sizes. Some of them may look the same but can have different weights. In this article you will learn the different fire extinguisher sizes and what class of fire they can handle.
Portable fire extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire they can handle. This rating is expressed as a number from 1 to 40 for Class A fires and from 1 to 640 for Class B fires. This rating will appear on the label– 2A:10B:C, for example.
The larger the numbers, the larger the fire of a specific class on which the fire extinguisher can be used (but higher-rated, larger sized models are often heavier – make sure you can hold and operate an extinguisher before you buy it).
Fire extinguishers can weigh anywhere from 1.25 lbs. all the up to 250 lbs.
The most commonly used extinguishers by their ratings and weight
- 2-A:10B:C – 4 lb.
- 3-A:40B:C – 5 lb.
- 4-A:60B:C – 10 lb.
- 10-A:80B:C – 20 lb.
No number accompanies a fire extinguisher’s Class C rating. The C on the label indicates only that the extinguisher is safe to use on electrical fires.
Fire Extinguishers for Class D fires must match the type of metal that is burning.
These fire extinguishers do not use numerical ratings. Extinguishers for Class D fires are labeled with a list detailing the metals that match the unit’s extinguishing agent.
If you have any questions about the different sizes of fire extinguishers available or how to read and understand the ratings on fire extinguishers, feel free to call us to discuss what’s best for your business.
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