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It is normally fairly easy to figure out what caused a system to discharge. We were stumped today. This is a first for us and I wanted to share it with you. Our customer called and said they had a system discharge but only one tank went off. We hear all kinds of things so we were not too alarmed. We got there and discovered that tank one through three was full and all the cartridges were intact. Tank four was completely empty and there was dry chemical in the lines. The cartridge to tank four was also intact. The remote cartridges were intact. Everything looked fine except that tank four was empty. As you know that is physically impossible. You cant have all the cartridges intact and tank one through three full and tank four empty. We checked another system to make sure there was no one switching out tanks but found no issues. We decided to start weighing all the cartridges and found cartridge one through three to be a little over pressurized. Cartridge four was one and a half oz light. We poured water on the safety seal and immediately found our problem. The leaking cartridge slowly pressurized the chemical tank causing it to discharge. We have never seen this before. We don’t see a lot manufacture defects from this company. This speaks to why it is so important to weigh your cartridges. You just never know. Please watch the video to see the leak.

Do you and your operators know how your equipment operates? Understanding equipment limitations and proper maintenance will give you the tools you need to help keep your operators and machines safe. We provide our clients with on going training, safety and fire system inspection training. Take the time to attend a fire system inspection next time your service company is on site and ask questions. Locate every nozzle and hose so you know where to look during your pre-shift inspection. The decision to install a fire suppression system on a piece of equipment is not just a safety requirement. It’s a decision to prevent financial loss. Are you and your team protected? Contact us today if you’d like to know more.

All State Fire Equipment of Texas, Inc. is also known as ASFE Fleet Solutions. As our business grows and changes our legal name is not an accurate reflection of what we do. We operate in nine states, not just in Texas. We provide Auto Lubrication, Cab Heating and Air, and Pre-Cleaners, not just Fire Suppression. We are a fleet solutions provider. Our goal is to keep the operator and the equipment safe. The products we choose to distribute are in keeping with our goals. We are proud to distribute American made products. We service highly regulated and heavy industrial clients. Nothing but the best products will do. Quality is not an option. All of our legal agreements, contracts, insurances and tax liabilities are still associated with our legal name. ASFE Fleet Solutions is our “go to market” identity. Just as International House of Pancakes is IHOP, All State Fire Equipment is ASFE and Fleet Solutions is what we do.

Are you doing everything you can do to protect your company and human assets in the event of a fire? No matter what brand of fire suppression system you have on your equipment it is a good practice to perform a pre-shift inspection before starting the work day. Yet remarkably, many companies don’t. Think about it. Prevention matters. In the normal course of operation hoses can become loose, nozzles could get damaged, cartridges can be taken off for maintenance and not replaced as well as many other things. A knowledgeable operator can spot trouble before it happens. Identifying issues with the system before it needs to discharge in the event of a fire, saves property and lives!

When we work with customers we teach them that prevention matters. A pre-shift inspection is a simple, 5 minute process that can save human and capital equipment assets. What are you doing to protect and prevent? We recommend these simple pre shift inspection steps. Step 1 As you walk up to the equipment look for dry chemical on the ground or on the machine. This would indicate that the system has discharged and the equipment is no longer protected. You must call your service provider to get the system recharged. Step 2 Look at the ground level remote actuator. Ensure that it has a red strike button, pull pin/safety seal, cartridge in place and that the hose is attached. One of the task to disable the system for maintenance is to completely disarm the system to prevent an unwanted discharge. One of the items on the check list is to unscrew the actuation cartridges. It is especially important to do an inspection after anyone other than you has been in contact with the equipment or after you wash it. Step 3 Look at ground level nozzles. Nozzles are the point of exit for the fire fighting chemical. Nozzles are strategically located in areas that have the most potential of having a fire. It is important that nozzles are there and protected from the outside elements clogging the hose. This is usually done with a cap of some sort. They come in all sizes and types. Whatever the type, the cap must be on at all times. If the hose becomes clogged the wet or dry chemical will never make it to its intended target. Step 4 Look at the hand held fire extinguisher. Make sure the unit is there and secure in the bracket. Also look to make sure the unit has not been discharged. Step 5 Look at the fire suppression cylinders and brackets. Make sure there is no visible damage to any of the components. Look at the hose connections to unsure they are in place and not loose. Examine nozzles and detection lines located in and around the engine and transmission areas. Detection lines and its components can become loose after maintenance or due to normal wear and tear. If detection lines are not secure it can cause a discharge. And finally, Enter the cab and look at the panel and actuator. The actuator in the cab looks very similar to the one at ground level. The only difference is there will be a wire coming from the panel to the actuator. Of course check to make sure the red strike button, pull pin/safety seal, cartridge is in place and the hose is attached as well as the wire is in place. Most panels have lights that indicate the condition of the system. Make sure that the light is green is on and the panel is not making any noises. Safety first! This is a quick pre-shift inspection of an automatic system. Some systems are not automatic and will not discharge in the event of a fire without the assistance of an operator. The pre-shift inspection is the same excluding the panel and detection components.