Engine Bay Fire Extinguisher

AIDY

AIDY

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Engine Bay Fire Extinguisher - As the title..... what spec do I need these days....

just removed a very empty 1kg haylon automatic from the engine bay and I need to replace it with something.

also any recommendations on the best place to purchase...

TIA
 
You don't "need" one at all - plenty of coded charter boats manage with a strategically placed hole in the engine box to spray a manual one through.

I would opt for AFFF - aqueous film-forming foam. Powder will work, but may well damage the engine and other things it settles on. Powder is cheaper though. CO2 is used on ships, and causes no damage, but the cylinder will probably be bigger than a foam extinguisher and you need to be able to seal off the space to keep the gas in until it's done its job.

Pete
 
Yup, don't use powder. In fact don't use powder on boat anyway - had an experience with them, they are not so useful as other kinds. One big drawback - powder gets blown off the fire, by the draft, no good to be applied from above - but then engine usually is down low.
Personally I would look for CO2 if you can find suitable one - no so much as special for engine, just to have one aboard. If the engine room is closed - can be used through a hole, as said before.
 
prv said:
You don't "need" one at all - plenty of coded charter boats manage with a strategically placed hole in the engine box to spray a manual one through.

I would opt for AFFF - aqueous film-forming foam. Powder will work, but may well damage the engine and other things it settles on. Powder is cheaper though. CO2 is used on ships, and causes no damage, but the cylinder will probably be bigger than a foam extinguisher and you need to be able to seal off the space to keep the gas in until it's done its job.

Pete
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Just a couple of points - have you read the small print on your insurance policy? Mine states that damage due to an engine space fire is not covered unless I have an extinguisher fitted in the engine space.

My second point is based on years of experience instructing a basic 1 day fire fighting course for fishermen. Do not use powder, as someone said don't have it on the boat. It will wreck all your electronics and engine, and take for ever to clean up. Foam would put an engine space fire out, and cool it a bit, but as its water based will probably wreck the alternator and starter. If the engine is running when the extinguisher discharges foam may well be sucked into the cylinders . . . . . . could be very expensive.

My choice is CO2 or halon replacement gas, clean, causes no permanent damage, and you may be able to restart the engine afterwards. However, they have no cooling effect so close all ventilation and let the space cool before opening to prevent re-ignition when air gets in.
 
Our auto halon was also found to be empty! Our insurers do require fire extinguishers so we have 3 dry powder aboard and have opted for a 3L foam with hose & nozzle which can be poked through a hole into the engine compartment door or, used elsewhere on the boat if necessary, rather than the dry powder ones - those are a very last resort.
 
Halon illegal to refill or use now, as it's a greenhouse gas / ozone layer destroyer.

Don't know about you, but I've noticed that since they stopped the use of all these CFC's and Halons etc, every summer has been rubbish.
 
neil1967 said:
Try www.safelincs.co.uk - I have bought a variety of extinguishers from them, including an auto halon-replacement for my engine bay. Keen prices and good service - no connection etc etc
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Thanks for the link - a good range and seems like good prices too. The new boat has a lot of extinguishers on it (ex charter boat) so at some point I'm going to have to go through them and decide whether to keep or replace and if so what with. I think a lot of them are powder, but I don't really want that on board except as temporary stop-gap until I can afford to replace. I think that site will be getting my order, for a combination of foam, halon replacement, and water-mist units.

Pete
 
What size FE36 extinguisher for engine bay ?

So what size of the automatic FE36 extinguisher should I choose for my engine bay ? Engine is a Nanni N.38 and the space is a fairly typical size under the cockpit sole of my 34 foot boat. The ones I've seen need to be mounted (near) vertically which is not particularly convenient, anyone have any comments on the best location within the bay ?

Thanks,

Boo2
 
lynall said:
Bottom paragraph hth.
http://www.essentialfiresafety.co.uk/automatic-fire-extinguishers/
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Er, no, it doesn't help. It says how many kilos of gas are in the thing, not how many cubic metres of space it can protect. It's also incorrect in saying that FE36 works purely by displacing oxygen - that's how CO2 works, but the more advanced gases chemically disrupt the fire so don't need to be present in such high concentrations (because they don't need to displace all the air).

Nul points :)

The original link does have the protected volumes, on the "Technical Data" tabs for each type.

Pete
 
prv said:
Er, no, it doesn't help. It says how many kilos of gas are in the thing, not how many cubic metres of space it can protect. It's also incorrect in saying that FE36 works purely by displacing oxygen - that's how CO2 works, but the more advanced gases chemically disrupt the fire so don't need to be present in such high concentrations (because they don't need to displace all the air).

Nul points :)

The original link does have the protected volumes, on the "Technical Data" tabs for each type.

Pete
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It says under 'Technical Specs' that it's suitable for 1.7m³ engine space. Thanks for the reminder as my Halon Replacement Auto Extinguisher appears to have lost pressure according to the gauge. Can these be recharged>
 
AIDY said:
Engine Bay Fire Extinguisher - As the title..... what spec do I need these days....

just removed a very empty 1kg haylon automatic from the engine bay and I need to replace it with something.

also any recommendations on the best place to purchase...

TIA
Click to expand...

You may well find your insurers require you to have one 'of suffucurnt size and capability' in the engine compartment. If it helps, I've always used Fireguard Services (Peter Henderson) on 01425 616139 - (no connection etc - just happy customer)
 
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