Regulations stipulate that a portable fire extinguisher must be at least ten years old, however, in practice, extinguishing devices are used less, since this is often influenced by external conditions. Since the metal cylinder containing the extinguishing mixture belongs to the category of pressure vessels, a periodic examination must be carried out in the laboratory with a high pressure test and the imprint of a state verifier. If the verification fails, which can be caused by various reasons, then the container is written off and cannot be used for its intended purpose.
Air receiver from a fire extinguisher cylinder
Such a container cannot be used for industrial purposes, but in everyday life it is quite possible. Metal vessels that can withstand significant pressure are not a cheap pleasure. You can make a receiver from a household compressor, which is always in demand in the garage and is almost as good as its factory counterparts. A carbon dioxide fire extinguisher cylinder with a capacity of at least ten liters is suitable for this purpose; this is the only way to ensure uniform air pressure at the outlet.
The fact is that they are equipped with cast cylinders, which allows them to withstand pressures of up to 1000 atmospheres. Before use, you should make sure that the container is truly seamless, the shut-off and release device is equipped with a ¾-inch thread, and the fire extinguisher itself is empty, then disconnect the shut-off device from the cylinder. The inner surface of the container must be carefully inspected for signs of corrosion and, if necessary, cleaned.
You can make a receiver from a fire extinguisher with your own hands no less effectively than if it were a factory-assembled one. The appearance will become more aesthetically pleasing if you remove the old paint from the cylinder using a grinder, then prime it and coat it with new paint.
- Instead of an inverted seal, it is necessary to screw a plumbing cross into the neck of the cylinder; to seal the threaded connections here and below, you should use FUM sealing tape, and apply an oil- and petrol-resistant sealant on top of it.
- A pressure switch should be connected to the upper output of the cross, and to one of the side check valve with a fitting for an oil and petrol resistant hose.
- An oxygen reducer with a shut-off valve is connected to the remaining output. The reducer allows you to smooth out pressure surges and obtain a dense stream of air.
- When the receiver is assembled, a metal frame is welded onto it, into which the electric motor and supercharger are attached.
Steam generator from fire extinguisher
Making a steam generator from a fire extinguisher will also not be difficult, since the main component - a reliable container - is already available. It is used to produce steam necessary for cleaning parts.
It is necessary to get rid of the seal, clean the internal surface of corrosion, and then screw the squeegee into the neck. Liquid will be poured through it and steam will come out from here. To seal threaded connections, high temperature-resistant paronite gaskets and FUM tape are used.
To supply steam, a special hose is used, onto the end of which it is necessary to attach a constricting nozzle, which will increase the outlet flow rate and its pressure.
How to make a stove from a fire extinguisher
What can be made from a fire extinguisher while spending minimal money on Consumables? The remaining old cylinders can be used to make a potbelly stove. This fairly simple device is ideal for heating an unheated garage, tent, and other similar cases.
Before manufacturing, it is necessary to unscrew the seal, and then cut off the tapering neck with a grinder or acetylene cutter so that only an even cylinder remains. A plate corresponding to the diameter of the cylinder is cut out of a sheet of metal and welded to the place where the cone is cut. The result is a flat heating surface used to heat food.
Just below the middle of the cylinder, cut a rectangular hole for the door and near the very bottom, a slightly smaller hole for the blower. You can use cut out pieces of the cylinder as doors; you just need to weld the canopies and handles. Supports are welded to the bottom of the cylinder, and a round hole is cut out for the chimney on the side opposite the doors. You can make a chimney adapter yourself or purchase a ready-made one and weld it around the hole.
A fire extinguisher stove, like any other, will work much more efficiently with a high chimney.
The chimney is purchased in the form of separate segments made of sheet steel, so if the stove is planned to be moved, it can always be assembled in a new location. If the stove is installed permanently, then it is advisable to install a corrugated pipe.
You can also make a lot of other useful household things from it, since the steel used for casting cylinders has high-quality strength characteristics.
When starting to manufacture something, you should definitely make sure that there is no extinguishing agent in the cylinder by pressing the release button and only then start working.
Portable fire extinguisher bodies are designed to last 10 years, but in practice, after appropriate testing, they are discarded earlier. As a result, they turn into ordinary scrap metal. But craftsmen think differently and have “extended” their life by using them in various crafts.
A non-working fire extinguisher cylinder, if undamaged and free of corrosion, can be an excellent receiver for a homemade household compressor. Typically, a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher cylinder with a volume of over 10 liters is used.
The choice is not accidental. The containers are made by casting, so new ones are designed for a pressure of 1000 atmospheres, and even second-hand ones are distinguished by significant strength and safety.
First, the container is inspected and made sure that there is no seam on it, the fire extinguisher is empty, and the shut-off and release device (ZPU) is seated on a three-quarter-inch thread. After this, the seal is unscrewed. Inspect the surface of the cylinder inside - if they find pockets of corrosion, clean them. Remove the paint from the container with a grinder, prime it with a new one and paint it.
Next, assembly begins. Screw the plumbing cross into place of the sealing joint using FUM tape, then the connection is additionally sealed with oil and petrol resistant sealant. The upper branch pipe of the crosspiece is equipped with a pressure switch, one of the side pipes is equipped with a fitting (later an oil and gas resistant hose is attached to it), the second side pipe is equipped with an oxygen reducer, which is equipped with shut-off valve. The latter is needed to smooth out pressure surges and obtain a uniform air stream at the output.
The receiver is assembled. It is tied with a metal frame, which is equipped with an electric motor with a supercharger.
A fire extinguisher is used to make a good steam generator, which is used for steam cleaning of parts. Pre-prepare the balloon as described above. Afterwards, a squeegee is screwed into place of the sealing device, through which water is poured into the container, and then a stream of steam is obtained. The connections are sealed with paronite gaskets that are resistant to elevated temperatures.
Steam is supplied through a special hose attached to the outlet. The free end is equipped with a tapering nozzle - it increases the steam pressure at the outlet and the speed of its release.
An interesting conversion of a fire extinguisher into a potbelly stove. The seal is removed from the container and the neck is cut off within the tapering part. As a result, an even cylinder remains, the open base of which is covered with a sheet of metal. When the cylinder is placed vertically, it will act as a heating surface on which you can heat food.
If you have an old empty fire extinguisher lying around, don’t rush to throw it away, you can make an excellent, stylish one out of it. You will surprise your friends and relatives with this homemade product. A homemade product has a deep meaning, a fire extinguisher is needed to extinguish a fire, only with the help of it we will not extinguish the fire, but the heat inside us. Here you can cool your drinks in the summer and enjoy them in hot weather.
It’s quite simple to do; it uses a Peltier element. This is an electronic part that, when voltage is applied, cools on one side and heats up on the other. You can buy a Peltier element inexpensively in China, and quite a lot of them have already been brought to us. The element can be powered from a 12V power source or another voltage, depending on the type. This means that you can power such a refrigerator from a car battery, which will allow you to take the refrigerator with you outdoors, and so on. So, let's take a closer look at how to assemble such a homemade product.
Materials and tools used by the author:
List of materials:
- ;
- computer radiator with fan;
- old fire extinguisher;
- window hinges with screws and nuts;
- plywood;
- power supply or battery;
- wires;
- fiberglass or other insulator;
- glue;
- resistors.
List of tools:
- grinder or drill;
- drill;
- clamps;
- jigsaw.
Refrigerator manufacturing process:
Step one. Emptying the fire extinguisher
First, empty the fire extinguisher if there is anything left in it by pulling the trigger. Next, turn off the tap and drain the residue. Subsequently, the fire extinguisher must be rinsed with warm water. The inside does not have to be perfectly shiny and clean, since it will still be finished with insulating material.
Step two. Cutting off the bottom
Clamp the fire extinguisher with a clamp or in a vice upside down. Now, using a grinder or drill, we cut out a circle, that is, we cut off the bottom. A cooling radiator will subsequently be installed here. This can be quite difficult to do, since fire extinguishers often have quite thick steel at the bottom.
Step three. Cutting out the door
Now we need to cut out the door; to do this, fix the fire extinguisher again in a horizontal position and draw the future door with a marker. Cut out a rectangle using a grinder or drill.
Step four. Hanging the door
To hang a door, you will need two hinges. We drill holes in the right places and fasten the door. The author decided to use rivets. If you don’t have a rivet gun, you can fasten them using screws and nuts.
Also come up with and install a locking mechanism. Since the door must be closed during transportation and use.
Step five. Insulation material
Insulate your refrigerator to keep it cool. For this you can use various materials. The most commonly used material is glass wool, but be very careful when working with it, as inhaling glass microparticles is very harmful to health. In addition, there are a huge variety of different foam materials that are also excellent for insulation. In addition to the inside, we also glue the door. We use good glue that is not afraid of dampness.
Step six. Interior decoration
The insulating layer must be covered with a protective layer on top. For these purposes, the author decided to use fabric. We cut it into the required pieces and glue it on top of the insulator. The author used hot glue as glue; in his opinion, it is excellent for such purposes.
Step seven. Electronics
A Peltier element is used as a cooling element; it must be installed on a computer radiator using thermal paste. Place the cold side up. To understand which side is which, apply voltage to the part and feel it with your hands. In addition, a fan is installed on the radiator, which will remove excess heat. The author’s Peltier element operates on a voltage of 6V, and the fan operates on 12V; the author used 9V as a power source. To prevent the Peltier element from burning out from high voltage, it must be connected through resistors.
So the question is, what to make from an old fire extinguisher? You shouldn’t throw it away, it’s better to give it a second life, as they say. We offer ideas:
The washer will work on the principle of a compressor; we remove all the internals from the fire extinguisher and screw the inlet valve, pressure gauge and gun through the adapter. The sink is ready. Now fill the resulting container with water so that there is room for compressed air, create pressure with compressed air and you can use the washer.
A five-liter container is suitable, which is enough to wash one car after washing detergents. The body itself is primarily designed for high pressure. The ideal option would be a fire extinguisher with a gas generator. Next, we unscrew and disassemble the locking and starting device. Then we unscrew the tube and cylinder along with all the couplings. We cut the gas generator into two identical parts. The top part should be approximately four centimeters. You will get a foaming tablet. Then he is engaged in the manufacture of tablets: you cut out a round mesh according to the corresponding diameter of the gas generator. IMPORTANT: Located inside the cylinder. Next we place brushes for washing. Don't forget to insert the second fixing grid. Next, drill a hole to allow the foam to pass through. Then screw in the tablet you made yourself. Seal the thread hole with sealant to ensure a strong seal. Make a second hole in the housing. Install the fitting. Place the tube on the coupling itself. But screw the foam tablet into the other hole. Preferably replace the old hose with a new hose purchased at the store. We recommend using clamps for this.
The container should not have rusty holes. Remove the contents from the inside. You will need an air and water pressure switch - 2 in one. Moisture separation filters 2 pcs. Reinforced hose, adapters and crosses. We make a thread in the hole of the lid. And also on the cylinder itself. Next, wind a special tape. Insert the gasket and screw on the old cap. Screw in the adapter, then the crosspiece. Next we use adapters. Screw 1 tee on one side. We attach a gearbox to it. On the other side, we attach a pressure gauge through the second adapter.
Important! Screw the filter to the gearbox. The drain hole should be at the bottom. The fitting is connected through an adapter. Next, the threaded hose is attached to the fitting. Use a clamp.
Attention! Do not forget to insert gaskets between connections.
We carefully disassemble individual parts. Next, cut two holes of the same circumference. The exterior can be spray painted to match the color of the interior. We insert frames into the holes. We treat the edges with sealant to preserve sound density and achieve cleanliness. We insert and screw the speakers onto special holders. Pass the wires through the bottom hole, which you will make before painting.
Reference! Then we connect the speakers to the amplifier.
We are doing an analysis. Carefully remove the internal contents piece by piece. Then we cut it to the shape of the oven. We remove the top and cut out a window from the bottom. But then we use it instead of a door. Inside we weld a transverse piece for firewood. It is advisable to use a cutting circle for air supply. We attach a small smoke pipe to the top.
Important! Don't forget to make a valve on the pipe itself. This will make it possible to retain heat longer.
Attention! Wait for the wood to burn in the stove, only then close the damper.
Let's do it ourselves. The principle of an electric kettle. Divide into three parts. You will need to pour water into the container of the upper part. Make plugs at the bottom to allow drops of water to pass through. Steam will be generated when it hits the stones. Make holes on one side to allow steam to escape. Preferably against the wall. This is to avoid getting burned. Leave the lid on top. Place heating stones in the middle. The bottom is intended for the oven. You can use an electrical assembly. But a wood stove is safer.
We divide it into two parts. From the first we build a container for coals. Attach handles on both sides. It is convenient for carrying to another place. We use the second part for laying out skewers.
