Halon - what's everyone doing?

[Robih]

Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

I know this has been discussed before, but in the spring refit it would be interesting to know what decisions everyone is making regarding Halon replacements.

Halon has to be replaced by the end of this year, I went down to the Chandlery and all that was on offer was powder, which to my mind is not a real solution due to the mess it makes in the engineroom and the damage that it does when it's sucked in to the engine itself.

I did further research and ended up buying the micro-k solution which is a spark ignited compound which produces a gas which breaks the "fire triangle". The particulates in the gas that it produces are so small that it remains in suspension in the air and any going through the engine does no damage. Apparently there's no mess from the extinguishant afterwards. But it is expensive, there's no cheaper solution available presently as far as I can see. Pyrogen, the other alternative is even more expensive.

What's everyone doing?

Rob

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[Jerbro]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

FM200 is one of the other alternatives, or is this the same as the one's you've already mentioned? I thought my idea of 4 balloons filled with water suspended from the engine bay roof was quite good:->

<hr width=100% size=1>Jerbro
====
Click here for <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.btinternet.com/~jerbro> My ex-boat pics</A>

 

[hlb]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

Well I have two red thingies down there. Been there quite a while and seem to have become aclimatised. Other than that. I do have a bucket!

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Haydn

 

[Robih]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

I think FM200 is something different again, the whole subject seems to be a bit of a mystery, certainly the chandlers have no idea what's going on!

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[Robih]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

That's probably not a bad way of approaching the issue Haydn! Although apparently the insurers are not covering risks where "inappropriate fire protection systems" are in place. As Halon is banned from 31/12/03 presumably that means that insurers won't cover the risk after that date as any halon extinguishers do not meet the definition?



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[BarryD]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

Sold the boat, will get back into boating in 2006 / 2007 hopefully by then you people will have got the market sorted and found a decent cheap replacement for halon.

OK it was a bit drastic.

<hr width=100% size=1>Game over...

 

[Jerbro]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

Try this...

http://www.universalfire.co.uk/fm200/fm200.html

or this...

http://www.sea-fire.com/fm200.htm

or even the following from the ybw.com on-line store...





This fire extinguisher will automatically release an inert gas at 93°C that will extinguish flame and absorb heat. The gas is non-toxic and leaves no residue. Supplied with LED indicator, manual control and mounting bracket.


Please choose:
Ref. Dimensions in mm Weight in kgs x Price £
982831 73 x 241 1,5 0,71 199.95
982833 79 x 305 2,0 1,4 249.95





<hr width=100% size=1>Jerbro
====
Click here for <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.btinternet.com/~jerbro> My ex-boat pics</A>

 

[gonfishing]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

this i think is something of a "moot" point (i think) insurance companies will ask for an "effective" fire protection system, not necessarily an enviromentally acceptable one, so where do we stand? it is almost certain that there are far greater enviromentall issues in a boat catching fire and realeasing all sorts of toxins into the enviroment, weigh that up against an extinguisher that is capable of preventing such a catastrophe,with a small amount of toxin,to the enviroment,??? i for one know what i will do,keep the halon and back it up with powder ,which after all is only baking powder(oh yes thats true!!) and can easily be washed of with water, messy maybe but dangerous and corrosive no! (that should satisfy regulations). In the right enviroment powder is a brilliant extinguisher but it does not remove the heat or prevent air from the source of ignition,therefore allowing the fire to re-ignite,particularly in an engine bay which is a confined area unless backed up by foam / or innert gas I.E Halon, regards julian

<hr width=100% size=1>oooh, i'll be fishing soon.

 

[oldgit]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

Curious as to the damage that the powder can inflict on the engine.
Have been aware of water immersed diesels got going again with minimum fuss,apart from replaced starters etc.
In one case the boat had been under water(salty) for weeks at bottom of Chatham dock.

<hr width=100% size=1>My little Princess/forums/images/icons/laugh.gifthe 33 of course.

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

I've still got 4 perfectly good halon extinguishers and I'm going to keep them, as long as the weight is OK. (2 autos in the engine room and 2 handhelds outside)When they are no longer any use, I'll change them for the replacements, which by then may well be cheaper. I doubt anybody down here (meddy) will bother about the fact I have halon, I do also have four powder extinguishers on board, if the insurance is difficult. I will replace them, but just not now, plus it's difficult to get them taken away, I'll bet quite a few get dumped in the sea or elsewhere, inappropriately.

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[Guest]

Re: Halon - what\'s everyone doing?

Another bureaucratic, impracticable, EU reg which will have the opposite effect to that intended. After all, how many yacht fires in the world in 2004 are going to occur and result in the release of Halon (assuming unchanged)?

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