The best assurance against fire suppression system malfunction is proper operation, recharge, inspection, and maintenance.
To remedy, as quickly as possible, any disorder that may occur, the following table lists some of the possible irregularities
that may develop and gives suggestions for corrective action.
Service and Repair…to remedy any disorder detected through periodic inspection or maintenance examinations:
Component
Disorder
Corrective Action
Extinguishing
Dents* or abrasions
Hydrostatically test (see ASME plate affixed to tank) and refinish
Agent Tank
(clean damaged area and repaint, using a primer and finish coat),
or replace tank.
Rust spots, pits and corrosion deposits
Clean corroded areas with a wire brush, replacing tank if there is
any corrosion penetration; or repaint, using a primer and finish
coat.
Paint peeling
Remove loose paint with a wire brush and repaint using a primer
and finish coat.
Fill opening threads nicked, cross-
Clean threads with a stiff BRISTLE brush. Small nicks, burrs, and
threaded, corroded, or worn
rough or feathered edges may be eliminated by careful retapping
or filing. If damaged or worn extensively, the tank should be
replaced.
Fill opening gasket seating surface
Clean seating surface with a mild abrasive, and lubricate surface
nicked, gouged, corroded, or
lightly with a good grade of high heat-resistant grease. If surface is
bearing dirt deposits
sharply nicked or deeply gouged, replace tank.
Seam welds evidencing discoloration
Replace tank or consult Product Services, Tyco Fire Protection
or pin holes
Products, Marinette, Wisconsin 54143-2542.
Fill Cap
Abraded, cracked, corroded, or other-
Replace, destroying affected cap to prevent reuse.
wise damaged fill cap
Obstructed fill cap pressure vent hole
Clear vent hole with a stiff unbreakable wire probe of lesser diam-
eter that vent hole.
Threads corroded, nicked, cross-
Replace, destroying affected cap to prevent reuse.
threaded, or worn
Cut, checked deformed, stiff, brittle,
Replace, coating clean, new gasket lightly with a good grade of
or worn gasket
high heat-resistant grease.
Extinguishing
Improper fill level
Fill tank to rated capacity with only the extinguishing agent speci-
Agent
fied on the nameplate.
Caked** dry chemical
Discard agent and refill tank to the rated capacity with extinguish-
ing agent specified on nameplate only.
Low 6% AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming
6% – Actual %
x Tank Capacity
Foam) Premix Solution Concentration
100
= Gallons of 6% ANSULITE AFFF Concentrate
EXAMPLE FOR 100 GAL TANK (TESTED AT 2%)
6 – 2
x 100 = Gallons of Concentrate
–––––
100
6 – 2
x 100 = 4 Gallons
–––––
100
Replace 4 gallons of solution with 4 gallons of 6% ANSULITE
AFFF concentrate and stir solution for 30 seconds using a
non-metallic rod.
SERVICE AND REPAIR
* Record dents for reference in future servicing, replacing tank if dents are deep.
** The term caked, as applied to dry chemical describes a condition. It is best identified as dry chemical containing hard lumps. These lumps will render a dry chemical extinguisher inoperative.
The condition usually follows the absorption and later evaporation of an unusual amount of moisture. It is often confused with packing – a condition produced by normal settling, by vibration or
by impact. There is no known case in which there is evidence that an ANSUL extinguisher was made inoperative as a result of packing. A simple procedure to determine which condition exists
is the Underwriters Laboratories four inch drop to a clean hard surface test. If the lumps do not break up into individual particles, caking is present.
For further information refer to Technical Bulletin Number 45, ‘’Caking Versus Packing of Dry Chemical Agents’’ available from Tyco Fire Protection Products, Marinette, Wisconsin 54143-2542.
