Questions on Water Mist fire extinguishers

Frequently asked questions on WaterMist fire extinguishers answered by FireBug Company.

1. Can it be used safely on electrical fires?
Yes. The Water Mist fire extinguisher is safe to use on all electrical fires up to 100kV and certified up to 35kV.

2. Why is it safe to use a WaterMist fire extinguisher on electrics?
The water droplets are very small and separated due to the gaps of air between them which means no continuity, therefore electric current cannot run up the flow to the user. The water droplets (known as WaterMist) will evaporate on contact with the heat and not really wet the surface much, if at all. In the case of an electric fire the fire is extinguished rapidly avoiding ‘puddling’ because the user will use minimum number of squirts which will evaporate. In the case of an electric fire the fire is extinguished within a couple of seconds.Most electrics which comply with modern safety standards will be fused and typically the electric power will trip anyway.

3. What are the servicing and maintenance requirements?
A qualified competent person, in accordance with BS 5306 part 3 2009 manufacturers instruction, should carry out servicing and maintenance.

4. Can WaterMist be used safely on class B fires?
Yes. The WaterMist extinguisher is safe for use on B class fires.

5. Why does the FireBug WaterMist fire extinguisher not show “Class B”?
The EN3 standard states that an extinguisher with a nominal permitted charge of 3L shall have a minimum B fire rating of 55B and 6L shall have a minimum of 113B. The 55 and 113 refers to the number of litres of industrial heptane, which is used for the test. A very experienced and qualified fire fighter does these tests, and it is never recommended that any one in a live situation attempt to put out a fire this size, unless qualified. FireBug 3L WaterMist extinguisher has performed a series of tests against a 34B fires and 6L was tested against 21B fires. A notable testing laboratory witnessed this and has issued an official letter to confirm. Therefore due to the restrictions of EN3 standard we are not able to market this on our extinguishers.

6. Why does the 3L have a higher rating than the 6L WaterMist extinguisher?
The FireBug 3L WaterMist extinguisher has a higher B rating as it has been designed to compete with a 2kg Co2 which has 34B and therefore our 3L has matched this 34B rating. We use a more powerful nozzle on the smaller (3L) one to achieve this however, if we use the more powerful nozzle on the bigger (6L) one we cannot reach the minimum discharge time required under EN3 for 6L extinguishers or above. We could achieve a higher B rating on the 6L but it would mean it would fall below the EN3 requirement for minimum discharge time.

7. How close do you have to get to the fire?
For optimum fire fighting results maintain a maximum distance of 2 metres and minimum 0.5 metres. Release a short burst of WaterMist from a height to create a cool ‘mist blanket’ offering protection from radient heat (allowing you to get closer to the fire).

8. Is special training required?
NO. Fire extinguisher training is simplified as WaterMist can be safely used on any class of fire so you only require training on how to operate the extinguisher not on how to identify the different classes of fire.

9. How does the WaterMist extinguisher work?
In simple terms a WaterMist fire extinguisher with a water droplet size of 50 to 65 microns takes the energy out of the flame by converting to steam. This creates local inert atmosphere (taking out oxygen from the environment) and cools down the fuel at the same time. Without the flame the fire is extinguished. WaterMist removes two elements of the fire triangle whereas the standard extinguisher only removes one.

10. How much does it cost?
Pricing is based on quantity and a full quotation will be done on request by calling our Sales Team on +44 170 9701318

11. Why is a WaterMist fire extinguisher better than my standard extinguisher / fire fighting methods?
Only one fire extinguisher is required to cover all your fire risks, not a selection. By reducing the number of fire extinguishers this too reduces servicing costs. Simplified fire extinguisher training means staff are more confident in use of fire extinguisher so more likely to use an extinguisher if a fire starts. Not to mention WaterMist fire extinguishers are environmentally friendly, leave little residue if used and no collateral damage. In a real life fire situation, it reduces the risk of selecting the wrong type of fire extinguisher for the fire at hand, this is known to make the fire worse.

12. What is your target market?
Any works place where ore than one type of fire extinguisher is required or where simplified fire extinguisher training would help. Any business that wants to take innovative cost saving steps as well as protect the environment.

Frequently asked questions for FireBug BacPac coming soon…