What is a class B 1 fire extinguisher?
A B1 fire extinguisher is used to put out fires, mainly liquid fires. These liquid fires include combustible liquids such as gasoline, alcohol and oil-based plants. This is very important, as liquid fires can often be some of the most difficult to put out.
Water type fire extinguishers can also sometimes contain wetting agents which are designed to help increase its effectiveness against fire. These extinguishers are intended primarily for use on Class A fires.
Water: A water extinguisher's purpose is to remove the heat from a fire, breaking the “fire triangle.” It is a simple solution for the simplest fire class, the Class A fire. Foam: This extinguishing agent helps both to cool and suffocate fires and are also largely used for Class A fires.
What is a Class C fire? A Class C fire is the burning of flammable gases. These can include butane and propane, found in gas canisters used for camping stoves and gas barbecues.
B-II Extinguishers are USCG approved and meet the need for a Type B, Size 2 USCG approved Fire Extinguisher. Amerex B-II Fire Extinguishers must be: Dry Chemical, ABC, or Purple K: 10 lbs or larger. Carbon Dioxide (Co2): 15 lbs or larger. Halon: 10 lbs or larger.
There are four classes of fire extinguishers – A, B, C and D – and each class can put out a different type of fire.
Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment. Extinguishers with a C rating are designed for use with fires involving energized electrical equipment.
Class C: Electrical equipment, appliances and wiring in which the use or a nonconductive extinguishing agent prevents injury from electrical shock.
Fire extinguishers are classified by the type of fire that they will extinguish. A Class A fire extinguisher is used for ordinary combustibles, such as wood, paper, some plastics, and textiles. This class of fire requires the heat-absorbing effects of water or the coating effects of certain dry chemicals.
Water: A water extinguisher's purpose is to remove the heat from a fire, breaking the “fire triangle.” It is a simple solution for the simplest fire class, the Class A fire. Foam: This extinguishing agent helps both to cool and suffocate fires and are also largely used for Class A fires.
Where is water fire extinguisher used?
Water extinguishers are used on solids such as wood, paper, fabrics and other A class fire risks. The water cools the fire and extinguishes it. It penetrates into burning fabrics and can extinguish pockets of fire even deep in the core of the fire.
CO2: A carbon dioxide fire extinguisher works on a Class B fire by expelling CO2 to suffocate the fire, removing the oxygen necessary to keep it burning. It also helps with removing the heat, as the discharge is very cold.
Class B fires which involve flammable liquids and gases, solvents, oils, greases (excluding cooking oils/greases in depth) tars, oil-based paints and lacquers. Class C fires which involve energized electrical equipment.
Class D fires only involving combustible metals - magnesium, sodium (spills and in depth), potassium, sodium-potassium alloys uranium, and powdered aluminum.
Class A – fires involving solid materials such as wood, paper or textiles. Class B – fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils. Class C – fires involving gases. Class D – fires involving metals. Class E – fires involving live electrical apparatus. (
Because of this, Class A fire extinguishers use water, while Class B fire extinguishers use dry chemicals (foam or powder), such as aqueous film-forming foam, multi-purpose dry chemicals such as ammonium phosphate, and halogenated agents (such as Halon 1301 and Halon 1211) or highly pressurized carbon dioxide.
When fighting a Class B fire, do not use water. In many cases, water will only spread the fuel around and create more fire. To extinguish a Class B fire, you want to cut off the oxygen. You can use carbon dioxide gas to dilute the oxygen available and stop the burning.
The fuel sources of class B fires (gases and liquids) can be quite volatile and cannot be extinguished by water, which will only make the fuel source spread, thus spreading the fire. That is why it is important only to use extinguishing agents and methods designed specifically for Class B fires.
The wet chemical fire extinguisher can also be used on Class A fire, but foam or water extinguishers are more common. Dry powder extinguishers smother fires by forming a barrier between the fuel and source of oxygen.