The ABC fire extinguisher is technically known as dry powder extinguishers that are specially used to control and extinguish class A, B and C fire scenarios. These fire extinguishers are easy to operate and requires very low maintenance. The ABC fire extinguishers are mostly found in both commercial and residential properties in Melbourne. In this article, we are going to discuss major facts about ABC fire extinguishers.
Types of ABC fire extinguishers
Depending on the applications, professionals fire equipment installation experts in Melbourne categorise into 2 types. They include standard ABC extinguishers and specialist ABC extinguishers.
Standard ABC extinguishers
Standard ABC or dry powder extinguishers are commonly used for residential and commercial purposes. They are applicable for
- Class A fires caused by flammable solids like paper, wood and textiles
- Class B fires caused by flammable liquids like paint, petrol or spirits
- Class C fires caused by flammable gases such as propane & butane
- Electrical fires caused by electrical equipment like computers & photocopiers
Specialist ABC extinguishers
Specialist ABC or dry powder extinguishers are mainly used for all types of flammable metals. They are applicable for metal fires such as lithium. For lithium, experts prefer to use L2 powder extinguishers and they use M28 powder extinguishers for other flammable metal fires.
How to identify dry powder or ABC fire extinguishers?
ABC fire extinguishers always come with the blue label colour stating ‘DRY POWDER’.
These fire extinguishers come in a variety of foam sizes including
- 1 kg
- 2 kg
- 3 kg
- 6 kg
- 9 kg
Limitations of ABC fire extinguishers
ABC fire extinguishers have some certain limitations. They should not be used in the following fire classes:
- Class F fires caused by cooking oils like olive oil and butter. This is also known as chip-pan fire
- Fires caused by any electronic equipment (1000 V)
- Fires raging in the enclosed areas.
Where are the ABC fire extinguishers used?
We have already discussed above that ABC fire extinguishers can control class A, class B and class C fire types efficiently. So, they are widely available in the markets. However, these fire extinguishers are not ideal for the enclosed spaces. According to the professional fire installers in Melbourne, ABC extinguishers mainly used for the following areas.
- Garage forecourts
- Businesses with big boiler rooms
- LPG dispensing plants
- Welding and flame cutting industries
The ABC or dry powder fire extinguishers come with a variety of features. They are extremely suited to outdoor or open environments where the risk of fires comes from many sources.
