At 10:36 AM 12/13/2010, Harry Hoffman wrote:
>I promptly went out and bought one (auto/marine rated) and now feel a
>little bit safer. But it lead me to a couple of questions.
>
>1) These extinguishers are rated for 6yrs, but I don't see a
>manufacturer's date on it. There's a '07 stamped on the bottom, should I
>assume that's 2007? If so, I guess that means I got ripped off of
>3yrs :-(

I'd recommend you spend the bucks for a 3A-40BC extinguisher with a
pressure gauge  and a metal safety pin (or more specifically, *not*
the Kidde models with the thin plastic safety pin which can be
accidentally pulled much too easily - and pulling it breaks the
latching tip.  I've determined this by long experience in boats and
vehicles).  Check the pressure routinely and turn it upside down a
few times once a year and it should be good for many years.  Costco
and similar often have these for good price, maybe $20.  Of my three,
the two I can lay ready hands on were made by First
Alert.  Occasionally (two out of the maybe fifteen extinguishers I've
bought over the years)  one will lose pressure -- unless you've paid
extra for the refillable kind that ruins it, but you might consider
using it for practice.  It's been shown that people are fifty per
cent more effective the *second* time they use a dry extinguisher,
because they know what to expect.

>2) Does cold storage (say in a van parked outside during the winter)
>affect the usability of the extinguisher?

Anything plastic becomes temporarily brittle at some temperature, but
that aside, shouldn't be a problem.

Yours,
David