GB8109-2023
Wheeled fire extinguishers
推车式灭火器
GB 8109-2023 is a current mandatory Chinese national standard for Wheeled fire extinguishers. It appears in the Construction compliance cluster with a product safety focus and has an implementation date of Jan 1, 2025.
Applicability depends on product scope, certification route, competent authority notices and transition rules. Requst for the translation or verify source before using this record in a compliance decision.
Compliance overview
Scope and applicability
GB 8109-2023 applies to wheeled fire extinguishers with a total mass greater than 20kg but not exceeding 450kg, used in industrial and civil buildings. This standard is mandatory for all manufacturers designing, producing, and inspecting wheeled fire extinguishers for the Chinese market. It covers extinguishers classified by agent type—dry powder, water-based, carbon dioxide, and clean gas—as well as by drive gas storage type (stored-pressure and gas-cylinder types). It does not apply to portable hand-held extinguishers covered under GB 4351 or to fixed fire suppression systems.
Technical requirements
The standard specifies comprehensive performance requirements across multiple categories. For operating temperature range, extinguishers must function within one of seven temperature bands ranging from 5°C to 60°C down to -50°C to 60°C. Filling requirements define specific charge quantities and tolerances for each extinguisher type, including maximum filling density limits for CO₂ and clean gas extinguishers. Discharge performance requirements cover effective discharge time, discharge distance, discharge lag time (≤5s), and residual rate (≤10%) at both 20°C and across the full rated temperature range. Sealing performance mandates annual leakage limits of no more than 5% of rated charge by mass (for vapor-pressure-driven units) or 5% of working pressure (for stored-pressure units). Manufacturers must also meet new sealing verification via tracer gas leak detection methods. Fire extinguishing performance is rated by class—A, B, C, D, and F—with minimum and maximum rating levels tied to extinguisher size and agent type. Notably, this revision adds Class D and Class F fire performance requirements and test methods. Electrical insulation performance is required for water-based extinguishers rated for Class A or F fires, with current not exceeding 0.5mA during testing. Component-level requirements address cylinder bodies, valves, operating mechanisms, safety devices, pressure indicators, discharge hoses, rubber seals, and plastic parts, including new provisions for valve materials, tamper-evident seals, and UV aging resistance for external plastic components.
Testing methods
The standard defines detailed test procedures including: discharge performance tests at 20°C and extreme temperatures to measure effective discharge time, distance, and residual rate; sealing performance tests using weighing, pressure measurement, and tracer gas (helium) leak detection methods; travel performance tests involving rough-road towing, drop tests, and wall impact simulations; corrosion resistance tests using salt spray exposure (480h) for external corrosion and temperature cycling for internal corrosion of water-based units; fire extinguishing tests for Class A (wood crib models), Class B (pan fires with heptane or gasoline), and Class D/F fires per GB 4351 methods; electrical insulation tests using a 36kV AC charged metal plate; and component-level tests for burst pressure, vibration resistance, temperature cycling, durability (500 open/close cycles), and UV aging of plastic parts.
FAQs
What products are regulated under GB 8109-2023?
GB 8109-2023 regulates wheeled fire extinguishers with a total mass between 20kg and 450kg, including dry powder, water-based, carbon dioxide, and clean gas types. It covers design, manufacturing, testing, labeling, packaging, transportation, and storage requirements. If your product falls within this mass range and is sold for use in Chinese industrial or civil buildings, compliance is mandatory.
What are the key changes from GB 8109-2005?
Major updates include revised scope and model numbering, new Class D and Class F fire performance requirements and test methods, addition of tracer gas leak detection, new requirements for rubber seals and plastic parts (including UV aging), updated valve specifications in Appendix A, revised marking and labeling content, new tamper-evident seal requirements, and the addition of packaging, transportation, and storage provisions. The water immersion test method was removed, and pressure cycling tests were deleted.
How does GB 8109-2023 relate to international standards?
GB 8109-2023 is a China-specific national standard that references several Chinese GB standards for materials and agents (e.g., GB 4066 for dry powder, GB 4396 for CO₂ agent). While it shares conceptual similarities with international extinguisher standards such as ISO 11601, the specific test parameters, fire class ratings, and labeling requirements are tailored to Chinese regulatory requirements. Manufacturers should not assume ISO compliance automatically satisfies GB requirements.
The summary above provides a high-level overview of GB 8109-2023. To ensure complete compliance for your wheeled fire extinguishers entering the Chinese market, a precise and professional translation of the full technical specifications is essential. Purchase our high-quality English translation of GB 8109-2023 today to access all detailed parameters, test procedures, rating tables, and Appendix A valve specifications needed for your certification and quality assurance processes.
Applicability hints
- Type
- Product
- CCS
- C84
- ICS
- 13.220.20
- Competent department
- National Fire and Rescue Administration
- Technical committee
- National Technical Committee on Fire Protection of Standardization Administration of China
Relationships
Replaces:GB 8109-2005