LIFELINE FIRE EXTINGUISHER SERVICING & REFILLING - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Lifeline have some fairly strict instructions with reference to the servicing of their Zero 2000, Zero 360 and Zero ZERO fire extinguisher systems. Below is a detailed document using guideline information from Lifeline.

In short, the vital points are:-

• All Lifeline fire extinguisher bottles must be serviced every 2 years. This is now mandatory for MSA governed events as well as FIA. 
• Any Lifeline fire extinguisher bottle has a 10 year life. After 10 years has passed, the bottle can not be serviced by Merlin or Lifeline and is deemed to be 'scrap' from Lifeline's point of view.
• Any Lifeline fire extinguisher which has been 'serviced' by a company which is not a Lifeline approved service agent, can not be serviced by Merlin or Lifeline and is deemed to be 'scrap' from Lifeline's point of view.
• If an extingusher bottle has exceeded 6 years without a service from the date of manufacture, it will only be serviced if it is in good condition, both externally and internally. 
• If the bottle presented to us for servicing has tampered with or purposely falsified labels, it will be rejected and deemed 'scrap'.

Merlin Motorsport's view

We understand that these relatively new 'rules' from Lifeline might be a little upsetting due to having to purchase a new bottle if your existing bottle can not be accepted for service, but it has to be remembered that these bottles and their servicing regime are not put in place just to appease a Scrutineer. These bottles are a vitally important piece of safety equipment which can, in worse cases, save lives.

A bottle which has not been correctly serviced, may not correctly work when needed. Over the many years that we have been servicing Lifeline fire extinguishers, we have seen bottles where the dip tube inside has become detached, and so when set off, only gas was released from the bottle - no extinguishing fluid, thus rendering it useless. We have had other bottles which were showing as 'full' when looking at the gauge on the bottle, but when inspected, the bottle was not gassed and the needle in the gauge had stuck in the Green section.

Another point to mention - with respect to the 10 year life of the bottles - remember, these bottles are pressurised up to between 8 and 12 Bar (116 - 174psi) and are subjected to fairly harsh vibrations when fitted to a competition car. So after 10 years of use, there is a chance that the bottle can become fatigued and possibly fail. In a single seater for example, the bottles are often mounted just below the drivers thighs, I can't imagine anything worse than 10 Bar exploding between my legs!

These are not made up stories to scare you, we've seen these problems with our own eyes -followed by upset customers who a/ need to buy a new bottle and b/ realise they've had a substandard service elsewhere.  We're just trying to show the importance of getting your extinguisher serviced on a regular basis, to make sure it will work as it's meant to should you ever need to use it. These things save lives.

As of 2018, there is a new standard for most fire extinguisher systems, known as Technical List 16. Most (not all) bottles from this date onwards will be homologated to this approval. In these new systems, there are more outlet nozzles than the older systems and these are a new style of nozzle as well as a different size tubing and to make the system FIA approved, they must all be used in conjunction with each other as supplied in the kit from Lifeline. Your system will not be correctly homolgated and will fail scrutineering if you attempt to fit old hardware with new systems and vice versa. If you have a system which is over 10 years old and therefore cannot be serviced, you will have to purchase a full new kit. We advise that you refit your vehicle with this new system, removing the old system entirely and using all the new components supplied in the kit. 

Go to - Lifeline Fire Extinguishers

Go to - Lifeline Extinguisher Servicing & Refills

Information from Lifeline

Lifeline fire extinguishers are a low maintenance product and simple to fit. When looked after and serviced to schedule they have a 10 year maximum life.

Once installed in your car, the system requires the following care and maintenance: -

• Monitoring of the pressure gauge (where fitted) against operating pressures.
• If required, cleaning of the cylinder should be done using a damp microfibre cloth, taking care not to damage the serial label and keeping moisture away from any electrical connections.
• Manual extinguishers require regular checking of the pull cords to ensure smooth movement. Recommended maintenance period is every 6 months as an absolute minimum
• Depending on use and conditions, the nozzles and delivery network should be checked for blockages once a year prior to the new race season, using compressed air after removing all nozzles (2 Bar max from receiver). Nozzles can be checked separately by blowing through them.
• The cylinder must be serviced by Lifeline or an approved service agent such as Merlin Motorsport every 2 years, if a cylinder misses 2 services (4 years) it is scrap and will not be serviced (maximum lifespan when regularly serviced of 10 years)

NB the items listed above do not constitute a guarantee of performance and are basic minimum standards for most competition vehicles. Increased maintenance and checking may be required depending on use and particularly after an incident; continued performance after sale/service is the responsibility of the owner.

While preparing your car for a race it is advised to carry out the following checks:

• Stored Pressure Systems - Check the pressure gauge indication is in the green sector.
• Remote Charge Systems - Check the piston indicator is protruding from the end cap (inlet side where fitted), or check the weight of the cylinder and compare with the weight written on the extinguisher label. If the actual weight is over 5% less than the weight on the label return the extinguisher for checking.
• Check the integrity of the pipework and fittings.
• Check the nozzles for obstruction and foreign bodies.
• Check the cylinder for signs of damage. If there is any doubt as to the system serviceability please consult Lifeline or Merlin Motorsport.
• Check that pull cords work or that the control box has battery power and circuit continuity.

Your extinguisher will be rejected from scrutineering if:

• The gauge reads in the red sectors, or the piston indicator does not protrude from the end cap (remote charge piston systems) (note in extreme cold conditions the indicator pin can retract due to contraction of the gas, be prepared to weigh the system).
• The tamper proof labels have been intentionally damaged.
• The contents are below the specified weight.
• The extinguisher label is worn, illegible or illegally modified.
• The extinguisher is not within service date.
• The system is in poor condition.

***Very Important – Please Read*** Servicing must be carried out by Lifeline or one of our approved service agents such as Merlin Motorsport. Motorsport fire extinguishers contain components that are not available to unapproved Lifeline agents and not replacing these risks the extinguisher not working when required. Zero 360 and Zero ZERO systems in particular require specialist tools and training. Regrettably, due to some incidents where cylinder content and components have been replaced with illegal/dangerous substances or modified components, if the cylinder has been serviced by someone other than Lifeline or one of our approved service agents, service will be refused regardless of condition to ensure the safety of our technicians.

(Source – Lifeline Technical Bulletin 001 Rev3)