Engine Room fire Protection

[pandroid]

A fire in the engine is the one thing that terrifies me (er, well, not the ONE thing...). The engine in my HR is in a compartment which is practically a room, and the only protection is a hole that you can poke the extinquisher through.

I've been looking at these posh SEA-FIRE extinquishers, and wondering whether they are worth it. They seem to be about 400 quid, which is quite a lot for an extinquisher, and if you go for all the works (engine cut-off etc) it works out at quite a lot, but at least they seem to be decent protection and the new filling isnt supposed to leave residues on the engine.

Anybody got any views about engine protection? I want something that goes off when I need it, and not before. Would it be critical where its fitted (i.e above the engine, alongside etc?)

 

[ccscott49]

If the type of extinguisher you are talking about is the replacement for Halo, then it's probably the best protection you can get. A reasonable sized one (ask the supplier) for your engine room. I mounted my old halon ones above the engines, as reccomended, thats where I'll fit the new ones, (eventually) it will be a long time, as long as my old ones are ok I'll keep them, yes I know I'm meant to dispose of them next year, yawn. But I promise I will eventually. Keep the hole to poke an extinguisher through just in case and fit a biggish powder one close by.

 

[MedDreamer]

Is £400 really a lot of money when you consider the possible outcome if you don't spend it?

Do without something else, you can't put a price on safety IMHO

Martyn

 

[Chris_Robb]

What ever you do don't use powder as a first line defence, and certainly not as an automatic system, otherwise you will be a real sailing boat when the engine has ingested all that muck. Like Scottie - Ive got my halon, which I intend to keep and sod the law. I bought for £20 several large halon extinguishers from a local dealer.

Certainly the way you sugest is the ONLY way to go if you want to be safe and legal.

 

[Shanty]

I've also been looking at engine fire protection - in my case for an engine box, rather than an engine room. Rather like the look of the Pyrogen system - www.pyrogen.com. Runs on Russian rocket fuel (no, not vodka), so I suppose it could double as emergency propulsion? Anyway, looks like a good system that can be tailored to individual requirements.