These are the advantages of the 1211/1301 Halon blend (Non-Rechargeable) units over the conventional Halon 1211 rechargeable gauge units.
1. Because of their 12 year, no maintenance shelf lives, they are exempt from the six year tear-down maintenance which is very expensive. The cost of two tear down maintenance and a hydrostatic test will greatly exceed the cost of a new unit. These non rechargeable fire extinguishers require virtually no maintenance and just require cursory periodic verifications.
2. They are completely reliable as they maintain a constant pressure, as the blend operates by its own vapor pressure. No outside propellant, such as nitrogen is required, because the extinguishant provides for its own pressure. This enables the unit to have an extended shelf life with a very high reliability factor. Since the pressure remains constant, the discharge flow rate is also constant;-unlike the gauge units which are pressured with nitrogen. These units can lose their pressure due to leakage rendering them inoperable. Studies by DuPont indicate that pound for pound, the blend is more effective in extinguishing fires than straight Halon 1211.
3. Because of their intrinsic nature, the blend is an excellent first aid preventative against burns, i.e. for extinguishing clothing fires(in cockpits) as the Halon cools the skin preventing burns from aggravating.
4. They are more environmentally safer than the rechargeable types because most of the problems encountered with fire extinguishers originate at the servicing level. Most rechargers generally do not take the same precautionary measures as the original equipment manufacturers. As the Halon blend units are not refillable, the original Halon charge cannot become contaminated, hence perfectly suitable for recovery and recycle. This is untrue of most rechargeable Halon units where they can become contaminated.
5. Because they are entirely made of aluminum, they are much lighter than their conventional counterparts, which are made of steel. When translated into pounds of fuel per year, this represents substantial fuel savings!
