Inadequate dry chemical agent can be dangerous, whether that be due to insufficient/incorrect active ingredient or moisture. Several standards require dry chemical agent be analyzed periodically:
NFPA 10 Portable Fire Extinguishers 2018 Ed. 7.8.3.4.2 requires that dry chemical be thoroughly checked before it can be re-used. This includes checking for proper type and contamination.
NFPA 17 Dry Chemical Extinguishing Systems 2017 Ed. 11.3.1 requires examination of dry chemical at least twice a year and after any system activation for a non-pressurized system.
Section 11.3.1.2 requires examination of dry chemical in pressurized systems to be done at least every six years.
IMO 1432 31/5/2012 requires that for fixed dry chemical systems, a dry chemical sample is tested for moisture content every two years.
Why test your dry chemical sample with Dyne Fire Protection Labs?
free shipping within the continental (lower 48) United States
test reports in 5-business days guaranteed
clear, concise reports
online access to results and forms
immediate communication with our chemists or support staff
NOTE: If you are out of the U.S. and your samples will be traveling through customs, please list all dry chemical samples as fire extinguisher powder on your customs forms.Please provide a SDS for each product whenever possible.
The 2018 edition of ISO 7202 Fire protection – Fire extinguishing media – powder, section 10, states that the moisture content of a dry chemical agent should be <0.25%. A sample with high moisture content is subject to clumping which can affect equipment performance.
According to the 2018 edition of ISO 7202 Fire protection – Fire extinguishing media – powder, section 5.4, a dry chemical agent must be within ±1% (for components designed to be between 10-15%), ±1.5% (for components designed to be between 15-25%), ±2% (for components designed to be between 25-65%), or ±3% (for components designed to be above 65%) of the manufacturer declared concentration. Insufficient or incorrect active ingredient can lead to poor performance.

The following standards are related to Dyne’s dry chemical testing service:
- NFPA 10 Portable Fire Extinguishers 2018 Ed. 7.8.3.4.2
- NFPA 17 Dry Chemical Extinguishing Systems 2017 Ed. 11.3.1
- IMO 1432 31/5/2012
- ISO 7202 Fire protection – Fire extinguishing media – powder 2018 Ed. Sections 5.4 and 10
