Fire Extinguisers - types and sizes?

[Tim Good]

Ok so I am renewing all my extinguisher on board. Is there a general consensus on the type for a specific area and the size require for a specific space. I want one in each of these areas. I imagine powder inside could be a nightmare?

Cockpit locker
Main Saloon
Aft Cabin
Engine Bay

 

[prv]

For what it's worth, here's what I have:

1kg auto FE36 in the engine bay
6l foam in cockpit locker
2l foam in saloon
1l foam in stern cabin and in forepeak
0.6l specialist foam (suitable for burning fat), and fire blanket, in the galley.

The 6l foam was already on board, the rest I bought from www.nationwidefireextinguishers.co.uk .

Pete

 

[[70521]]

While Dry Powder makes one hell of a mess it does put out A, B and C type fires. Some interesting comments about Foam and electricity on the page below and they are not recommended for fires with liquid gas involved.

http://www.mfs-fire-extinguishers.co.uk/types.htm

 

[prv]

While Dry Powder makes one hell of a mess it does put out A, B and C type fires. Some interesting comments about Foam and electricity on the page below and they are not recommended for fires with liquid gas involved.

http://www.mfs-fire-extinguishers.co.uk/types.htm

Mess afterwards isn't so much the problem as the complete obscuration of vision and interference with breathing during the emergency. If you haven't already, the Yachting Monthly test video is worth a watch - powder extinguisher about ten minutes in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL_VdzjM-24 .

I'm not so concerned about fire in a marina where if necessary we can always get off the boat, and that's the only place where Ariam would have dangerous voltages aboard (no inverter or generator). In any case, modern foam extinguishers with atomising nozzles are supposed to be safe if sprayed on live electrical equipment, although not rated for electrical fires per se.

Pete

 

[[70521]]

Mess afterwards isn't so much the problem as the complete obscuration of vision and interference with breathing during the emergency. If you haven't already, the Yachting Monthly test video is worth a watch - powder extinguisher about ten minutes in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL_VdzjM-24 .

I'm not so concerned about fire in a marina where if necessary we can always get off the boat, and that's the only place where Ariam would have dangerous voltages aboard (no inverter or generator). In any case, modern foam extinguishers with atomising nozzles are supposed to be safe if sprayed on live electrical equipment, although not rated for electrical fires per se.

I've been lucky enough to spend a day with the local fire brigade being trained in the use, and abuse of fire extinguishers, in their "hot house" and have experienced first-hand the "complete obscuration of vision and interference with breathing during the emergency" (a lovely way to put it), and until they come up with something better have fitted dry powder. For me the most terrifying part of the day, and I don't scare easily, was putting out a chip pan fire.

Apparently, donning a firefighters uniform transformed us into hunks and hunkesses. We all had a giggle with the photo session at the end (and no you can't see the pictures).

 

[jonrarit]

I replaced all mine this year - 6 berth 34ft Beneteau

2 off 2 kg Dry Powder
2 off 2 kg Foam
1 off 2kg CO2
2 off Fire Blankets

The brief for all crew is in the event you need one go for :-

1 - CO2 - located on main bulkhead at floor level - easily reached without having to go near the cooker
2 - Foam - 1 Under chart table, 1 under main saloon steps
3 - Powder - last resort - one just inside aft cabin, 1 in fore peak

jr

 

[prv]

I've been lucky enough to spend a day with the local fire brigade being trained in the use, and abuse of fire extinguishers, in their "hot house" and have experienced first-hand the "complete obscuration of vision and interference with breathing during the emergency" (a lovely way to put it), and until they come up with something better have fitted dry powder.

That's interesting. I haven't had such a useful experience, so I'm curious why you found the powder so much better than foam that you'd put up with its downsides.

The site I linked above was doing a "buy one get one free" on the 2l foam extinguishers when I bought, and I decided to use the free second one for a bit of a practice in the back garden. I broke up some chipboard and liberally doused it with paraffin, so that it was well soaked in and running freely on the surrounding ground. I lit it and let the fire get well established. Then brought out the foam extinguisher, which convincingly knocked the fire down pretty much instantly, with plenty left to re-light it and have a couple more goes. So I'm well satisfied with the foam and can't see any reason to choose powder except for price (and the gap there has narrowed considerably).

Pete

 

[Vara]

After seeing the white out caused by dry powder, I would now lean towards AFFF as a primary extinguisher.

Location is important, my main extinguishers, are in the companion way and cockpit lockers so that I can get outside and fight any fire from there. (There are also extinguishers in the sleeping accommodation).

Fire blanket for cooker fires should be situated some distance from the galley, originally mine was above and adjacent to the cooker...not sensible.

Dont forget that on a boat you are surrounded by a very efficient extinguishant which can be deployed with the aid of a bucket.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I fitted the foam type when I re-engined a few years ago. An automatic Halonfree type in the engine compartmennt, a foam in the rear cabin and two 7n the saloon, one either end of the saloon table and a fire blanket. Changed to the foam after seeing the mess a powder extinguisher did in a small fire in a friends house.

 

[KellysEye]

We had powder extinguishers except for the engine room, it destroys the electronics, so we had gas, we also had two fire blankets. One thing we didn't have was an automated gas system in the engine room for the gas, if the fan belt slips it will produce enough smoke to trigger the gas. On long distance, medium and short passages we motored in no wind and I had to change the fan belt about every 12 to 15 months because it was slipping and smoking, you can easily smell it. This was needed in 12,000 NM's of sailing and motoring and tightening the belt as needed until you couldn't tighten it more and was replaced. We carried two spare fan belts at all times.

 

[jerrytug]

I fitted the foam type when I re-engined a few years ago. An automatic Halonfree type in the engine compartmennt, a foam in the rear cabin and two 7n the saloon, one either end of the saloon table and a fire blanket. Changed to the foam after seeing the mess a powder extinguisher did in a small fire in a friends house.

+1, but only two 6 litre foams, (no back cabin), have also done the STCW95 Fire fighting and fire prevention course, and also seen dry powder let off in a confined space, why does it exist?
The 'electrical fires' question is a misleading red herring, foam is fine on a 12v or 24v yacht, you would struggle to get a shock even if you discharged it in to your 240 distribution box while plugged in to marina mains anyway.

 

[prv]

if the fan belt slips it will produce enough smoke to trigger the gas.

Nonsense, as ever.

Self-contained automatic extinguishers are triggered by heat, not smoke.

Pete

 

[SailingVet]

We have ditched powder extinguishers and carry "dry mist" water extinguishers (2 x 6l) plus one AFFF (5l).
The videos of dry mist in use are pretty impressive and I think they can be used on nearly anything. The volume of water mist produced should just about fill an average yacht saloon.
I think the technology has been about for sometime in fixed installations, particularly for applications where water damage could be an issue with traditional sprinklers.
One in a cockpit locker and one in the aft cabin next to the fire port for the engine.
Andy