dignity
New member
I need an automatic extinguisher for my engine room, does anybody know where I can purchase one for a reasonable price, other than a chandlery?
<hr width=100% size=1>
<hr width=100% size=1>
Automatic fire extinguisher
- Thread starter dignity
- Start date
pugwash
New member
Try
Richard Duckworth, Bristol, 0117-317-9751
He's very helpful. His company is Blue Marble Solutions in Bristol and he sells Seafire stuff. He quoted a small auto fire extinguisher for my 31-footer at about £125.
<hr width=100% size=1>
Richard Duckworth, Bristol, 0117-317-9751
He's very helpful. His company is Blue Marble Solutions in Bristol and he sells Seafire stuff. He quoted a small auto fire extinguisher for my 31-footer at about £125.
<hr width=100% size=1>
jerryat
Active member
Hi Dignity!
Whatever you do, DO NOT USE A POWDER AUTOMATIC EXTINGUISHER in your engine room!!!! I replaced a halon auto prior to leaving on our second Atlantic circuit. Pulling in the anchor in Praia (Cape Verde Islands) the blasted thing went off. There was no fire and the engine temperature was normal - but it went off!
The incredible mess it created could NOT be cleaned up with our little 12v vacuum cleaner (the powder is so fine is passes straight through!) and took nearly six hours to collect. We were still finding the filthy stuff weeks later.
BUT!!!!! Far far worse was the damage to the engine. The fine powder was ingested by the engine, seized the piston rings into their grooves and totally incapacitated it. A truely major problem in that 4th world country where there are no spares and virtually no engieers!!
Luckily I carry a full workshop manual and know my engine (Bukh 20) extremely well, so was able to remove the engine onto the saloon floor. I stripped it down, took the pistons out and spent around one and half hours on EACH ring gently easing it out and cleaning the groove and there are 8 of the things! I broke two but luckily not the oil scraper rings and was able to re=assemble the engine with three rings per piston. The whole job took around 24 hours BUT, the motor worked perfectly (bless Bukh's fantastic design!) all the way to the Caribbean and back to the UK.
It was a hell of a traumatic experience and was all DONE AT ANCHOR in quite a swell - but that's another story!!
Anyway, I shall NEVER use powder in the engine compartment again and, when we push off again next year (I hope) will swallow extremely hard, and fork out for one of the 'new' hugely expensive halon substitute ones.
Really hope this helps you and others
Good sailing!!
<hr width=100% size=1>
Whatever you do, DO NOT USE A POWDER AUTOMATIC EXTINGUISHER in your engine room!!!! I replaced a halon auto prior to leaving on our second Atlantic circuit. Pulling in the anchor in Praia (Cape Verde Islands) the blasted thing went off. There was no fire and the engine temperature was normal - but it went off!
The incredible mess it created could NOT be cleaned up with our little 12v vacuum cleaner (the powder is so fine is passes straight through!) and took nearly six hours to collect. We were still finding the filthy stuff weeks later.
BUT!!!!! Far far worse was the damage to the engine. The fine powder was ingested by the engine, seized the piston rings into their grooves and totally incapacitated it. A truely major problem in that 4th world country where there are no spares and virtually no engieers!!
Luckily I carry a full workshop manual and know my engine (Bukh 20) extremely well, so was able to remove the engine onto the saloon floor. I stripped it down, took the pistons out and spent around one and half hours on EACH ring gently easing it out and cleaning the groove and there are 8 of the things! I broke two but luckily not the oil scraper rings and was able to re=assemble the engine with three rings per piston. The whole job took around 24 hours BUT, the motor worked perfectly (bless Bukh's fantastic design!) all the way to the Caribbean and back to the UK.
It was a hell of a traumatic experience and was all DONE AT ANCHOR in quite a swell - but that's another story!!
Anyway, I shall NEVER use powder in the engine compartment again and, when we push off again next year (I hope) will swallow extremely hard, and fork out for one of the 'new' hugely expensive halon substitute ones.
Really hope this helps you and others
Good sailing!!
<hr width=100% size=1>
GARYOFFSHORE
New member
Not many people know that halon has been banned, as of this year. Make sure purchase a FM200 type seafire extinguisher.
<hr width=100% size=1>
<hr width=100% size=1>
Talulah
Well-known member
Also worth mentioning that with a Nitrogen filled fired extinguisher i.e FM2000 you can restart the engine shortly after it's discharged.
<hr width=100% size=1>
<hr width=100% size=1>
jerryat
Active member
Hi Dignity!
Just an addendum to my earlier post. My '24 hour repair' was spread over 5 traumatic days while we tried to source things like a piston ring compressor (I now carry one) in an extremely difficult environment. Whilst(the engine saw us back to the UK, the residual damage has required major parts replacement, including cylinder liners, pistons, rings etc etc totalling around £1000.00 in total, and this is with me doing all the work! The seizing of the rings by the fire extinguisher powder scored the bores and led to a higher oil consumption, but, as I say, the Bukh will run for ages even when it's 'ill' (even on one cylinder, though we didn't have this problem) in a crisis and is so massively engineered, that we got away with it.
As Gary says in his post, Halon is no longer available (well legally anyway!) but has been replaced by a substitute that has pushed the cost up monumentally. Nonetheless, with all that happened to us forever fixed in the memory, they've got to be worth every single penny!!
God knows what the cost would have been had I had to have the work carried out by an engineer! And all that because of a £30.00 faulty extinguisher!
Final thought! If you're ever thinking of visiting the Cape Verdes, DON'T be put off my my saga. I've been there twice and they are fantastic. The people are very friendly (if persistent!), the culture very varied, the sailing terrific, and there are few other yachts. I hope to be re-visiting in a couple of years time. Just try and ensure that you carry a comprehensive selection of spares, as chandleries and the like don't exist, there are no marinas or lift out facilites, and certainly no yacht engineering experience, at least on the islands I've visited.
Good sailing!
<hr width=100% size=1>
Just an addendum to my earlier post. My '24 hour repair' was spread over 5 traumatic days while we tried to source things like a piston ring compressor (I now carry one) in an extremely difficult environment. Whilst(the engine saw us back to the UK, the residual damage has required major parts replacement, including cylinder liners, pistons, rings etc etc totalling around £1000.00 in total, and this is with me doing all the work! The seizing of the rings by the fire extinguisher powder scored the bores and led to a higher oil consumption, but, as I say, the Bukh will run for ages even when it's 'ill' (even on one cylinder, though we didn't have this problem) in a crisis and is so massively engineered, that we got away with it.
As Gary says in his post, Halon is no longer available (well legally anyway!) but has been replaced by a substitute that has pushed the cost up monumentally. Nonetheless, with all that happened to us forever fixed in the memory, they've got to be worth every single penny!!
God knows what the cost would have been had I had to have the work carried out by an engineer! And all that because of a £30.00 faulty extinguisher!
Final thought! If you're ever thinking of visiting the Cape Verdes, DON'T be put off my my saga. I've been there twice and they are fantastic. The people are very friendly (if persistent!), the culture very varied, the sailing terrific, and there are few other yachts. I hope to be re-visiting in a couple of years time. Just try and ensure that you carry a comprehensive selection of spares, as chandleries and the like don't exist, there are no marinas or lift out facilites, and certainly no yacht engineering experience, at least on the islands I've visited.
Good sailing!
<hr width=100% size=1>
Plum
Well-known member
Re: Halon-free auto fire extinguisher low price
Thought you might be interested in a response I got from Firemaster who do not appear to be trying to rip anyone off.........
"Dear Sir,
The closest replacement is a similar automatic to your halon product but using FE36 gas. This is similar to halon but without the ozone depleting problems.
The size you require will depend on the Cubic value of your engine space:-
1kg protects up to 1.7m3 ... ... £ 78.65
1.5kg protects up to 2.5m3 ... ... £109.05
I suggest that one of these two sizes will suit. Special replacement prices include VAT, carriage and safe disposal of your halon at a Government recognised disposal establishment. You would have to return your halon unit at your expense.
Payment by cheque or Credit Card over the phone (Tel: 020 8852 8585)."
<hr width=100% size=1>
Thought you might be interested in a response I got from Firemaster who do not appear to be trying to rip anyone off.........
"Dear Sir,
The closest replacement is a similar automatic to your halon product but using FE36 gas. This is similar to halon but without the ozone depleting problems.
The size you require will depend on the Cubic value of your engine space:-
1kg protects up to 1.7m3 ... ... £ 78.65
1.5kg protects up to 2.5m3 ... ... £109.05
I suggest that one of these two sizes will suit. Special replacement prices include VAT, carriage and safe disposal of your halon at a Government recognised disposal establishment. You would have to return your halon unit at your expense.
Payment by cheque or Credit Card over the phone (Tel: 020 8852 8585)."
<hr width=100% size=1>
jerryat
Active member
Re: Halon-free auto fire extinguisher low price
Hi Plum!
Many thanks for that info, I'll certainly put those on my shopping list when I've finished my refit. It's a hell of a price difference from the old halon though isn't it, so I guess that's why people (as I did!) are switching to powder despite the risks.
Personally, I think the powder extinguisher manufacturers should clearly state the potential for (possibly life threatening) damage if a unit goes off with the engine running - probably the most likely scenario! OK, I suppose it's better than frying alive, but not when there's a far better alternative that, as Talulah points out, doesn't risk your iron topsail!
Good sailing!
Good sailing!
<hr width=100% size=1>
Hi Plum!
Many thanks for that info, I'll certainly put those on my shopping list when I've finished my refit. It's a hell of a price difference from the old halon though isn't it, so I guess that's why people (as I did!) are switching to powder despite the risks.
Personally, I think the powder extinguisher manufacturers should clearly state the potential for (possibly life threatening) damage if a unit goes off with the engine running - probably the most likely scenario! OK, I suppose it's better than frying alive, but not when there's a far better alternative that, as Talulah points out, doesn't risk your iron topsail!
Good sailing!
Good sailing!
<hr width=100% size=1>
LeonF
Active member
Re: Halon-free auto fire extinguisher low price
Firemaster are great. They are near where I live and I took my previous boats outdated extinguishers there and the cost of replacing them is half what they charge in the chandlers because it is considered a replacement service. The new ones are also bang up to date with the max time to run unlike the ones found in stores which are sometimes a year or two in to their shelf life.
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
Firemaster are great. They are near where I live and I took my previous boats outdated extinguishers there and the cost of replacing them is half what they charge in the chandlers because it is considered a replacement service. The new ones are also bang up to date with the max time to run unlike the ones found in stores which are sometimes a year or two in to their shelf life.
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
LeonF
Active member
Can anyone tell me where the best place in the engine compartment is to install one of these ? does it matter where its located ?
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
LeonF
Active member
Can anyone tell me where the best place in the engine compartment is to install one of these ? does it matter where its located ?
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
LeonF
Active member
Can anyone tell me where the best place in the engine compartment is to install one of these ? does it matter where its located ?
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson
