# Fire extinguisher: how toxic, and can i recharge one? Need answer kinda fast

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-extinguisher-how-toxic-and-can-i-recharge-one-need-answer-kinda-fast/998455>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 4, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-extinguisher-how-toxic-and-can-i-recharge-one-need-answer-kinda-fast/998455 "2024-03-04T20:04:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-extinguisher-how-toxic-and-can-i-recharge-one-need-answer-kinda-fast/998455/21 "2024-03-06T00:33:46Z")

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Since it discharged because you knocked it over, I really recommend replacing it, even if it is rechargeable. There’s too much risk that the valve assembly was damaged, and you don’t want to mess around with a high-pressure cylinder and a potentially bad valve.

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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-extinguisher-how-toxic-and-can-i-recharge-one-need-answer-kinda-fast/998455/22 "2024-03-06T02:17:07Z")

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A heavy cutting board landed on the lever, pressing it. (They were all stacked together, and the fire extinguisher was kinda holding up other things.) It stopped when i lifted up the cutting board. But I’ll examine it.

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-extinguisher-how-toxic-and-can-i-recharge-one-need-answer-kinda-fast/998455/23 "2024-03-06T04:33:12Z")

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Ah, that’s not so bad. Recharging is probably fine.

I’m paranoid about compressed gas after working in a chem lab. We had the fear of god put in us about what could happen if a tank tipped over.

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**Author:** ![DaveUnknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@DaveUnknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveUnknown)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-extinguisher-how-toxic-and-can-i-recharge-one-need-answer-kinda-fast/998455/24 "2024-03-06T04:46:16Z")

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Not completely related-- I like to give fire extinguishers as unusual but thoughtful housewarming (or apt. warming) presents.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-extinguisher-how-toxic-and-can-i-recharge-one-need-answer-kinda-fast/998455/25 "2024-03-06T13:04:03Z")

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My brother gave everyone (really, everyone, like his mailman, etc) very good fire extinguishers one year for xmas.

It was very thoughtful, but horrible timing. There was a large scale recall of the specific make and model of extinguisher right after the holiday.

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