Seafire manual overide

dkm

dkm

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Appreciate any thoughts on this.........
The manual overide switch at the helm for the automatic fire extinguisher in the engine bay has seized up. Presumably this means if I experience a fire and the extinguisher is activated I cannot restart engines. Is this correct?......... and any suggestion on how to fix it?
 
No, the dash switch is to override the engine shut off. There is a manual lever for the extinguisher itself, but that is usually in the cockpit close to the engine hatch.
 
This is correct, the engines will not start if this is seized, a lot of people are under the impression its a manual release for the fire extinguisher, its not.
If the system is installed correctly it will shut the engines down when the extinguisher goes off, otherwise your two big diesel engines will do a great job off sucking all the extinguishing gas out of the engine room via the exhaust and your fire will merrily burn on. The idea is that after the fire is put out you then flip the switch over and manually restart the engines, this holds true also if the extinguisher cylinder pressure falls too low over time, the sensor switch will stop the engines from starting in the 'normal' position one day. so check your pressure and if its gone down flip to override to start them.
 
Yup, spannerman has it correct. You need to buy a new control panel thing from Seafire. wiring is simple, just 3 or 4 wires going to it.
BTW, if the control panel is at an outside helm it's a good idea to squirt some wd40 down at he base of the switch toggle and stuff some silicone grease in there, as the rain /sea gets in and tends to corrode it a bit
 
Thanks all, tried the WD40 approach without success, looks like a new control switch/panel needed
 
You are pulling it toward you before trying to move it across aren't you?

If I remember correctly (and I might be wrong, sure someone will correct me if so) you have to pull the toggle out, then slide it across, it's a safety detente.
 
yes, it should pull out before sliding across, but well and truly stuck! perhaps it can be removed, dismantled and released?
 
If the alternative is buying a new one, then I guess you've nothing to lose by trying to take the old one apart and clean it up. Also, it may have a proprietary switch inside, which could be cheaper than buying the whole dash unit from SeaFire?
 
Yep, thats me. Always thought if I activated the switch the FE's would discharge. Always meant to check to confirm this, but never did!

After reading the threads cleaned the switch today, corroded a little, but easily cleaned, activated it and no discharge! Neons activated as they should! You learn something new everyday! Mind you, not looked below in engine compartment yet /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Funny you should point this out, my immediate thought was to ask this. I've seen a few corroded now and mostly when they're out in the open on a fly/bridge. It's almost certainly that simple or a bit of 'lube'.

As you said, Don't forget to pull the switch out before flicking over!

Just a thought for the back of your mind later. If you've had any work on the engines done and it won't start and it looks like the batteries are dead... Check your 'Seafire' system.

If the engines will start in overide mode then check your extinguisher pressures on all cylinders connected to it and also that the cables has been reconnected if it was removed for servicing.
 
Hmmm. This thread has been useful. I knew the toggle switch was to restart the engines after a FE discharge, but I hadn't realised that the engines wont start if the cyl pressure is low and it's useful to be informed of that.

Personally I think that Seafire logic is bollox. The engines should NOT be wired so they wont start with a low pressure FE cylinder. What if you're having to get going quickly, say in anchorage, wind picked up, etc? A lot of people wouldn't think the Seafire is the reason the engines wont start. I didn't know till now, and I bet some of the locum skippers who drive my boat don't know. I think the engines SHOULD start, and there should just be a flashing LED and bleeper or suchlike to tell you the FE cylinder is low. I might re-wire mine, it's a simple job. Bl00dy Seafire namby pamby mentality...

All imho
 
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