"RV9" wrote in message
...

You say that you are required to carry an extinguisher. I assume that the
regulation specifies the minimum rating of the extinguisher - if not the
agent.

Haven't found the regulation pertaining to the quantity, though 2 lbs.
seems
the norm. If anyone has the specific information, that would be
appreciated.

The regs probably specify a numerical rating rather than a weight. In
addition to the number, there should be some letter(s) which rate the
extinguisher for the type of fire. A = Ordinary combustibles, B = Flammable
liquids, C = Suitability for fires involving electricity, D = Flammable
metals, etc. I must admit that I have been out of the fire business for
twenty years and much of my knowledge is out-of-date, especially where
regulations are concerned.

Here's an explanation of an extinguisher's rating taken from the NFPA
question and answer page:

I have a dry chemical fire extinguisher rated 2-A:10-B:C. What does that
rating mean?
Extinguishers achieve their ratings by putting out fires in laboratory
settings. The fire test standard is UL711, Standard for Rating and Fire
Testing of Fire Extinguishers. For the 2-A rating, 78 pieces of trade-sized
2-by-2-by-255/8 inch (5-by-5-by-66 centimeter) spruce or fir are placed in
a wood crib in 13 layers, then ignited and allowed to burn for 10 minutes.
Another fire test uses a vertical wood panel with 10-by-10-foot
(3-by-3-meter) furring strips. A third traditional fire test using excelsior
may be eliminated. The 10-B test involves a 25-square-foot
(2.3-square-meter) pan of heptane. The C rating doesn't involve fire, but
requires that the extinguishing agent not conduct electricity when
discharging across a 10-inch (25-centimeter) air gap between a grounded
plate and a potential of 100,000 volts AC. If the fires are extinguished
during the tests, the extinguisher gets the rating.

Rich S.