Amerex sells a vehicle extinguisher as a pair: cylinder and bracket. The owner's manual is direct about it — "Use the mounting bracket furnished with the extinguisher or an approved Amerex vehicle bracket if required." The T and TS letters in the model number are how Amerex tells you which bracket is in the box, so for a vehicle the mount is not an accessory to the purchase. It is half of it.
The vehicle ladder: 1 lb to 5 lb
Amerex's dry chemical and Halotron I vehicle models fall in three cylinder diameters. From the current Amerex catalog:
| Capacity / agent | Model | UL & ULC rating | Cylinder dia. | Discharge | Initial range | Included bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb Purple K | 376T | 2B:C | 2.63 in | 8.5 sec | 5–8 ft | Vehicle |
| 1.4 lb Halotron I | A384T | 1B:C | 2.63 in | 9 sec | 6–8 ft | Vehicle |
| 2.5 lb ABC | B417T | 1A:10B:C | 3 in | 9 sec | 9–15 ft | Vehicle |
| 2.5 lb Purple K | B410T | 10B:C | 3 in | 9.5 sec | 9–15 ft | Vehicle |
| 2.5 lb Halotron I | B385TS | 2B:C | 3 in | 9 sec | 6–10 ft | Vehicle |
| 5 lb ABC, nozzle | B500 / B500T | 2A:10B:C | 4.25 in | 14 sec | 12–18 ft | Wall/Vehicle |
| 5 lb ABC, hose & nozzle | B402 / B402T | 3A:40B:C | 4.25 in | 14 sec | 12–18 ft | Wall/Vehicle |
| 5 lb Purple K | B479 / B479T | 30B:C | 4.25 in | 12 sec | 12–18 ft | Wall/Vehicle |
| 5 lb Halotron I | B386T | 5B:C | 4.25 in | 9 sec | 9–15 ft | Vehicle |
The 5 lb step buys Class A, not Class B — with one exception. Going from the B417T (1A:10B:C) to the B500T (2A:10B:C) doubles the Class A rating and leaves Class B unchanged at 10B, for twice the agent weight. The B402T, the hose-and-nozzle 5 lb, is the one rated 3A:40B:C — see our B402 vs B500 comparison and Class B sizing guide. Discharge runs 8.5 seconds on the 376T to 14 on the 5 lb units — one uninterrupted attempt, so mount where a person reaches it in one motion.
The clean agent belongs on this list for a reason Amerex states itself: listing where Halotron I is used, the catalog names "vehicles including classic autos, boats, engine compartments" alongside data centers and clean rooms.
T and TS: one strap or two
The suffix is Amerex's bracket code, and it is not cosmetic. The catalog's specification tables show Vehicle in the included-bracket row for every T model above. The TS models are the two-strap builds: Amerex's 2026 price list carries the B417TS as "FE B417TS 2.5 ABC 2 STRAP" and the B500TS as "FE B500TS 5.0 ABC 2 STRAP," against the single-strap B417T and B500T.
The Parts Book lists the pair side by side: the red single-strap bracket for that size is a "Vehicle/Marine Bracket (Red) - All 2½ lb., 3 lb. Aluminum Valve Models" — the 817 on the catalog's bracket page — and directly beneath it sits the 817S, "Vehicle/Marine Bracket (Red) - 2 Strap / All 2½ lb., 3 lb. Aluminum Valve Models." Same diameter, same models, one more retention point.
Two straps are already standard on some models: in Halotron I the 2.5 lb B385TS ships with the 817S, and the 5.5 lb aircraft B394TS with the 818S. On dry chemical the single strap is standard and the TS build is ordered separately. Either way the mount is a wear item — the maintenance manual makes checking it a step in annual maintenance, replacing the extinguisher in the bracket "making sure that it fits the bracket properly and the bracket is securely attached – replace the bracket if necessary."
Our vehicle bracket duty guide matches strap count to duty, the model number decoder covers the rest of the suffix system, and the bracket fitment guide covers every cylinder.
Chrome is a factory option, not a finish job
Amerex lists chrome in the specification tables themselves, as an Optional Chrome Cylinder row: in ABC on the B417T, B500/B500T, B402/B402T, B456, B461 and B441; in Purple K on the 376T, B410T, B479/B479T and B460; in Halotron I on the A384T, B385TS and B386T. Not vehicle-only — but every vehicle model in the table above offers it.
The catalog keeps chrome in one specification column with the painted version, so the ratings, discharge data and included bracket above apply either way. The 2026 price list is where the finish gets its own item number, with a C appended: 376TC, B410TC, B417TC, B479TC and B500TC. Order by the C-suffix number; specify by the base model's data.
Where in the vehicle it goes
Amerex's owner's manual gives the rule: "Your fire extinguisher should be mounted in a clean dry area, accessible to possible fire hazards and preferably near an exit." The maintenance manual repeats it and adds the negative test: "All extinguishers should be in an accessible location and near an exit. Never install the extinguisher in a location where a potential hazard would prevent easy access." Both cover Amerex's standard portable lines. Its High Performance line reverses the rule — P/N 05616 recommends "no less than a 50 foot distance from a potential hazard" — so check which manual covers your model: see 5-inch and larger cylinders on heavy equipment and service bodies.
In a vehicle that is three constraints. Clean and dry is about what reaches the cylinder and bracket; on that point every Amerex bracket meets the UL salt spray requirement the catalog publishes. Accessible means reachable without moving anything else, within one motion of the seat. Near an exit argues against a unit buried under cargo or behind a seat back.
Amerex publishes no approved locations inside a vehicle, and no fastener specifications for vehicle structure. Choose the position with a qualified fire protection professional and against your vehicle's own body documentation.
Boats have a harder rule. The owner's manual warns that the nameplate names the bracket "which MUST be used to complete the approval," and that you will be cited if the correct extinguisher and bracket have not been installed. See which bracket completes a Coast Guard approval, model by model, and our Coast Guard units.
What the bracket has to hold
Amerex prints the number the whole mount hangs on: "UL specifies that a hanging device must withstand a vertical force of five times the weight of the charged extinguisher but not less than 100 pounds." Shipping weight for the 5 lb B402T is 9.25 to 9.5 lb with the box, so five times the charged weight falls well short of 100 pounds. For every extinguisher on this page, the 100-pound floor governs.
The baseline instruction is to "Fasten to a solid surface using strong screws or fasteners (not included)," and Amerex specifies a different fastener count for strap brackets than for wall hangers: into cinderblock or cement a wall hanger takes "one ¼" toggle bolt or masonry lead screw expansion anchor through center hole in the bracket," while "vehicle/marine strap type brackets" take "two 3/16" toggle bolts or #10 lead screw expansion anchors." The manual covers studs, sheetrock, cinderblock, concrete or tile, and steel — and for steel it hands the job off: "Special tools and fasteners are required – have extinguisher mounted by a professional fire extinguisher service company." Vehicle sheet metal, tube and composite panels are not on that list.
Bracket numbers by cylinder size, from the catalog's bracket pages and the Parts Book:
| Cylinder dia. | Vehicle models | 1-strap | 2-strap | Rubber strap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.63 in | 376T, A384T | 845 (red), 845B (black) | 845S | — |
| 3 in | B417T, B410T, B385TS | 817 (red), 817B (black) | 817S (red), 817SB (black) | 860 |
| 4.25 in | B402T, B500T, B479T, B386T | 818 (red), 818B (black), 821 | 818S, 821S | 860 |
The Parts Book states fitment in capacity and valve type, not diameter, and that wording is what to match: the 845 family covers "All 1 lb., 1¼, 1.4 lb. Aluminum Valve Models," the 818 family "All 5 lb., 5½ lb. Aluminum Valve Models," and the 821 and 821S the same sizes in "Aluminum & Brass Valve Models." On the 5 lb group the catalog also lists the 861H among the USCG bracket options and the 807 among the optional brackets; the catalog puts the 807 in its "Heavy-Duty Box-Type Vehicle Brackets" group rather than with the strap brackets.
One inconsistency worth knowing. Amerex's documents do not agree on the 376T's bracket number: the catalog's at-a-glance chart shows 846 in that row, while the same catalog groups the 846 under "6- & 10-lb. Wall-Strap Type" and the Parts Book calls it a "Vehicle Bracket (Red) -10 lb. Tall Aluminum & Brass Valve Models." The 845 family is what the Parts Book assigns to 1 lb. aluminum valve models. Match the bracket to the capacity and valve type printed on the label, and confirm any bracket number against that label before ordering.
How cold can it actually get?
Amerex answers this agent by agent, and publishes the range on every product page of the catalog:
| Agent | Amerex published temperature range | Freezing |
|---|---|---|
| ABC dry chemical | −65°F to 120°F | Not a factor |
| Purple K dry chemical | −65°F to 120°F | Not a factor |
| Halotron I | −40°F to 120°F | Not a factor |
| Halotron BrX and HT Series | −40°F to 120°F | Not a factor |
| Class D dry powder (B570) | −40°F to 120°F | Not a factor |
| Carbon dioxide | −22°F to 120°F | Not a factor |
| Water (Model 240) | 40°F to 120°F | Must not freeze |
| Water mist | +40°F to 120°F | Must not freeze |
| Wet chemical (Class K) | +40°F to 120°F | Must not freeze |
The owner's manual states the prohibition in capitals, immediately after its water and water mist warnings: "DO NOT SUBJECT ANY OF THE ABOVE EXTINGUISHERS OR THE WET CHEMICAL (CLASS K) EXTINGUISHERS TO CONDITIONS WHERE THEY MIGHT FREEZE."
So the plain answer to "can I leave a fire extinguisher in my car in winter" is yes, if it is dry chemical — ABC and Purple K are published to −65°F, the clean agents to −40°F, CO2 to −22°F. Water, water mist and wet chemical must never sit where they can freeze. Two cautions: the dry chemical maintenance manual notes individual units carry one of two ranges — "−65°F to +120°F ... or −40°F to +120°F [please see the nameplate on your extinguisher]" — so the label is the authority, and it adds that "the extinguisher should be adequately protected if temperatures outside of this range are anticipated."
The one exception: the 240 and the 506B charge
Exactly one Amerex portable can be freeze-protected. The catalog prints it across the Model 240's page — "THE MODEL 240 MAY BE FREEZE-PROTECTED TO -40ºF BY ADDING A MODEL 506B CHARGE" — and the owner's manual draws the boundary: "Only the Model 240 2½ gallon water extinguisher may be chemically freeze protected to -40º F with the addition of an Amerex Model 506B charge. The 506B is not designed to protect Water Mist or Wet Chemical extinguishers." Charged that way, the catalog gives the 240 a range of −40°F to 120°F instead of 40°F to 120°F.
The trade-off is the service interval. The water extinguisher manual is explicit: "When a Loaded Stream/Anti-freeze charge is used to freeze protect this extinguisher, a complete discharge and maintenance is required annually." It gives the verification standard too — "A minimum specific gravity of 1.270 will assure freeze protection to -40ºF" — checked with a hydrometer by whoever services the unit.
What we stock
1 lb, 2.63 in — the Purple K 376T at 2B:C and chrome 376TC; see our race car and hot rod guide.
2.5 lb, 3 in — the ABC B417T, two-strap B417TS and chrome B417TC, plus the Purple K B410T.
5 lb, 4.25 in — the nozzle-type B500T, B500TS and chrome B500TC; the hose-and-nozzle B402T at 3A:40B:C; the Purple K B479T at 30B:C.
Replacement brackets — the 845 and 845S for 2.63 in, the 817S for 3 in, the 818S and the 5 lb class range for 4.25 in, plus 1–3 lb brackets and the full bracket collection.
The freeze exception — the 240 2.5 gallon water extinguisher and the 506B-2 antifreeze recharge that protects it to −40°F, with our other recharge agents.
Browse the vehicle and fleet range, ABC dry chemical or Purple K. Speccing a fleet or a build? Send us the vehicle and the hazard and request a quote.
Sources
Ratings, capacities, cylinder diameters, discharge times, ranges, included brackets, shipping weights, chrome availability, bracket groupings, the salt spray statement and every temperature range are from Amerex Corporation's current Portable Fire Extinguisher Catalog. The B417TS, B500TS and C-suffix chrome item numbers are from Amerex's 2026 price list. The mounting instruction, the UL hanging-device requirement, the fastener and surface instructions, the placement language, the Coast Guard notice, the freeze prohibition and the Model 240 / 506B note are quoted from Amerex Owner's Manual Hand Portable, P/N 27794. The two-range temperature wording, the accessibility instruction and the bracket inspection step are from dry chemical maintenance manual P/N 05602; the 50-foot standoff from High Performance manual P/N 05616; the annual Loaded Stream discharge requirement and the 1.270 specific gravity figure from water extinguisher manual P/N 05601. Bracket part numbers and fitment descriptions come from the Amerex Parts Book, "Vehicle, Vehicle/Marine Brackets and Components." Install, inspect, maintain and test in accordance with NFPA 10; where a rating, temperature limit or bracket is critical, confirm it against the extinguisher's own label, and confirm placement with a qualified fire protection professional and your authority having jurisdiction.
ShopAmerex.com is owned and operated by Centurion Holdings Group LLC, an independent authorized distributor of Amerex Corporation products. We sell equipment and factory OEM service parts — we do not perform inspection, service, hydrostatic testing or recharging.