Replacing Fire Extinguishers

Re: FWIW

The same problem occurs with powder. Fires that have been extinguished can flare up again because powder has no cooling ability. Foam is a better bet for an engine or other metal objects that have a large heat sink.
 
Boat/car fires

Lots of good points in this thread. When our boat was french registered, french gendarmes could come on board and go through all the gear which altho a bit of a pain was very useful. Since then the boat has been mca coded and a different bunch of people give loads more advice as well. My points would be

1) A bigger extinguisher is always better than a smaller one.

2) The first reaction for anyone with a fire is to step back or run out. Yet many boats have fire blanket almost on top of the stove where not easy to get the thing. Likewise, altho it's the regs to have an extinguisher in each cabin, it rather asumes a small handy little local fire. If a big fire you'd be out of there, perhaps out of the saloon as well and up on deck, so some big extinguisher (and praps at this stage the only one in use) needs to be aavailable in cockpit to go back in and get people out and/or puit the fire out.

3) The powder stuff works well but can't ever be really tested by firing them "a bit" - the moment they are used a bit, that's it, replace them - cos small bits of powder will get in the niozzle and release the pressure.

4) The cooling down of the fire source is important. But when an engine is stopped the cooling water stops running through it hence it dramtically heats up just as it is stopped. For this reason it may not be the most brilliant idea to immediately stop any engine when smoking is noticed, whether on car or boat. A better option initially is to move into neutral and raise engine revs a lot which dramtically cools engine in marine environment and in slightly-flaming car can "suck out" the flames. This worked for me with a car fire. Rest assured, i nailed it!

5) in the same way, fire out at sea (like, a long way out at sea) put out by powder could easily mean a total loss of boat cos no engine, approaching rocks, rescue helicopter, goodbye boat. So best not powder on auto system if poss.

6) massive danger in enginerooms, if the auto extinguish goes off, you might easily not get out of the thing before asphyxiated so there shoud be an alarm indicating it is gonna go off in a few seconds.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Yes Jools, they are branded. The thing is, that we are fooled into paying lots by home branded equipment.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, I stand corrected, I was basing that comment upon some of the 'bargains' my mum has brought home or told me about in Aldi or Lidl. I do not personally shop there.

Though she has just bought what seems a very nice computer base from Aldi.

My comments were saying, the time you need the extinguisher, the only time, you really want it to work without messing. Much like a liferaft or lifejackets. Items that just sit there, hopefully forever, you need confidence that they are serviceable.
 
Now I am confused. I've vacillated between no extinguisher in the engine compartment, to a powder one, then to a CO2. I read that CO2 may allow the fire to reignite and, perhaps, asphyxiate the crew. Powder may also allow reignition and will ruin the engine, if the fire has not already done so. Foam will also ruin the engine. So do I now look for a foam automatic on the basis that I would not want any reignition and in the event of a fire, the engine is likely to be knackered anyway?
 
Go with Halon replacement type, gaseous type, just as effective as Halon and no residue, kills the fire dead! Get two, in case of unlikely re-ignition. A touch more expensive than the others, but very effective and safe on any type (well most) of fire, foam should never be used in an engine room with electrics around.
 
Miker
If it was me I think I would go with the following.
1. Engine bay fire alarm - lets you know you have a problem.
2. Manual CO2 gas as first line of defence. Allows you to put fire out and get crew organised.
3. Manual Foam extingusher if all else fails -after all if you need this one then your more intent on saving your life than worrying about the boat - let the insurance company sort that one?

Peter. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Thanks again everyone. I've decided for an automatic Halon replacement plus an alarm for the engine compartment. As I said, I don't fancy having to remove the cabin steps and impeding my escape route to fight a fire. I'm not sure about a back-up CO2. The next most likely place for a fire is the gas hob which is also sited near the cabin exit, so I'm thinking of two powder extinguishers, one near the hob and the other at the bow end of the cabin in case the other is not reachable.
 
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