You're in the market for a portable fire extinguisher as a means of egress for your heavy-duty mobile equipment operators. So, what's the difference between a stored pressure and side cartridge operated fire extinguisher? This article will walk through some frequently asked questions to help you make the right decision for your application.
What's the Difference?
Stored pressure extinguishers have the compressed nitrogen gas that is used as the propellant for the dry chemical agent stored in the same canister as the dry chemical.
Side cartridge operated units store the dry chemical in a non-pressurized container and the compressed nitrogen gas in a separate cartridge. Only at the time of actuation is the extinguisher under pressure and then, only briefly.