Storage of Flares

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Sandyshore

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Nasty incident in local Marina last week which raises the question how to store flares.
I keep mine in a metal box old biscuit tin which I think safe.
Allegedly flares stored in a plastic tupperware type box self ignited inside the boat.
I believe flares should not be kept near anything that radiates 80 degs in heat and wonder if the inside of the vessel and method of storage a problem during summer that many might not be aware of.
Any suggestions?
 
Flares are typically offered for sale in pre-packaged sets. Inshore and coastal packs are relatively flimsy plastic tubes whilst the offshore packs are the more robust yellow tubs with a red lid. That suggest to me that flares do well in plastic tubs, which is what a Tupperware pot is....... Our flares live in a plastic tub designed for holding olives, cheap as chips and smaller than the big yellow affair, so it fits nicely into the cockpit locker.
 
Sandyshore said:
Nasty incident in local Marina last week which raises the question how to store flares.
I keep mine in a metal box old biscuit tin which I think safe.
Allegedly flares stored in a plastic tupperware type box self ignited inside the boat.
I believe flares should not be kept near anything that radiates 80 degs in heat and wonder if the inside of the vessel and method of storage a problem during summer that many might not be aware of.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Presumably the 80 degrees you mention are centigrade ones?
It did make me stop and think, because our boat does have one or two potentially hot spots - the cooker of course, the ducting for the heating system (when we were in cold waters), the engine of course, and calorifier. Also an unplanned one last year when two batteries under the saloon seats decided to expire. They became so hot that they were vastly too hot to touch and the battery boxes in which they are located were almost molten. Our flares are kept under the opposite saloon seat, so any localised fire would be likely to set them off as well.
Where is the safest, best pace to keep the tub of flares then?
 
Sandyshore said:
Allegedly flares stored in a plastic tupperware type box self ignited inside the boat.
Click to expand...

I would take that allegation with a pinch of salt, and if the flares did actually self-ignite then I strongly doubt that it was the fault of the box.

I suspect that a biscuit tin wouldn't do much to contain the effects of a burning hand-flare for more than a few seconds, never mind a rocket.

Pete
 
Hi Pete
Having seen the boat and hearing flares ignited when vessel unattended gave me cause for concern on how did they ignite.
I have no ide if self ignition and agree my biscuit tin not up to spec.
I have ordered an Ocean Safety Polybottle this morning whicih aim to keep in a cool part of the boat.
I just wondered if flares in a tupperware box near a glass widow add sun and boom.
just a thought process.
 
Sandyshore said:
I just wondered if flares in a tupperware box near a glass widow add sun and boom.
Click to expand...

If they self-ignited, which I'm still not convinced of, I'd have thought it was more likely to be some kind of chemical decomposition due to a manufacturing fault, and an urgent recall of the rest of the batch would be warranted. Making them mildly warm in UK sunshine should have no effect whatsoever on a flare that's according to spec.

Without knowing any more about the situation, though, my money's on the electrical system.

Pete
 
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