Water mist fire extinguisher

A couple of 2kg powder jobs from Ikea, because they cover all sorts of fires and should buy us time and open the way to GTFO, even if they don't extinguish the fire completely, but in the fervent hope that they're a waste of money. I'm not too worried about the engine ingesting the powder. On a 50 year old Snapdragon, I reckon any fire will write the boat off
 
Dry water mist 1 litre in the saloon and aft cabin. Dry water mist 3 litre in the cockpit locker.

A large fire blanket in the aft cabin to enable escape past the cooker.

Fire blanket opposite (and away from) the cooker so that it can be reached in the event of a cooker fire. IE not over the cooker.

Escape from the forepeak is possible via hatches but we also have a large fire blanket there.

Personally I wouldn't have powder on board at all. Mainly because it causes a whiteout if used inside a small cabin. Making evacuation more difficult, increase anxiety and make panic more likely.

It's worth looking at this PBO video and considering what a child or less able adult sitting at the camera position might do next and how you would be able to help them.
 
Having had the benefit of fire training, I have convinced that a fire blanket is the most practical means of fighting the chip pan style fire cited in the paper. Of course wet chemical would be better in a commercial kitchen environment. You have to be very careful fighting fuel fires with foam as it is all to easy to spread the fire with the high pressure nozzle type, easier with the lower pressure type, but I would say needs some training. On a boat I would suggest the gas tap on the cylinder (or remote solenoid or equivalent) would be the best extinguisher for cooker fires, engine compartment fires need to be fought without opening the compartment so an automatic system or small port through which you could direct an extinguisher of your choice after of course you’ve turned the engine and electrics off. I suppose water mist for everything else but in reality portable fire extinguishers of the size on most yachts are only going to tackle waste paper bin sized fires.
 
Surely there has to be some gas in there, water is virtually incompressible at all but very high pressures, my guess is that it has to be CO2, which dissolves in water (if that's the right term). It seems like you need a gas to be sure that all the water is used up. If it's CO2, then I'd need to be aware of that in the confined space of a yacht.
I'm interested to know, I'm thinking about replacing the 3 extinguishers on the boat which are now 8 years old, although they all show green in the gauge, the pointer has never moved. They are the dry powder type, and I've always worried about the mess they would make if I ever had to use them, especially if it was an engine fire.
 
Extinguishers are great but you need to TRAIN how to use them.

Being an ass I’d have crew actually take the extinguisher out if it’s mounting - most were surorised. just how heavy it was

Stick an 18 yr old on a fire hose and then ramp up the pump pressure...

But these kids are ‘protecting’ you on your trip..
 
PilotWolf said:
Extinguishers are great but you need to TRAIN how to use them.

Being an ass I’d have crew actually take the extinguisher out if it’s mounting - most were surorised. just how heavy it was

Stick an 18 yr old on a fire hose and then ramp up the pump pressure...

But these kids are ‘protecting’ you on your trip..
Click to expand...
Yup. We were taught that foam needed be laid in a blanket over a fire starting at the furthest point you could reach and work towards you.

Placing a fire blanket, and then for good measure a wet tea towel, over a chip pan fire was amongst the scariest things I've ever done; I am not a huge fan of fire.
 
See post 9 which has a list. I believe the highest risk is the engine and the batteries or electrical system. The stove once the gas is turned off reverts to something far less risky. The sausages or toast can go over the side.

Pete
 
Sandy said:
Yup. We were taught that foam needed be laid in a blanket over a fire starting at the furthest point you could reach and work towards you.

Placing a fire blanket, and then for good measure a wet tea towel, over a chip pan fire was amongst the scariest things I've ever done; I am not a huge fan of fire.
Click to expand...

You extinguish a chip pan fire by puting the lid on, no? Unless the pan flips, chip pan fires (and other frying) is a non-event in the kitchen.

Which is why you limit the amount of oil and don't fry underway.
 
I've been trained to use fire fighting equipment, over the course of my career, working for a multinational oil and gas service company, I've done several two and three day course on fire fighting at the Montrose Fire Training Centre, including breathing apparatus, getting out of smoke filled accommodation and all the usual techniques of fighting fire.
I'm surprised that nitrogen is used, and equally surprised at the relatively high pressure of 100 to 120psi.

The owners Service manual for:

Model 270- 1 3/4 Gallon
Model 272 - 2 1/2 gallon

INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE AND RECHARGE SERVICE MANUAL P/N 16303

Can be found here:
https://www.amerex-fire.com/upl/downloads/manuals/english/water-mist-70922795.pdf

It doesn't look like this is a job for an amateur!

I'm not sure if this is common to all water mist extinguisher, or just this manufacturer.

Food for thought
 
I should have been more clear. They are typically sold to the fire protection company empty, who fills it before he sells it to you.

In the US these are a specialty item, generally only seen in hospitals and museums. No DIY refill. I suspect there are very few industries where refill is an issue, because they don't use them that often.
 
It should probably be pointed out that the ones sold by Amerex appear to be under a different patent so other vendors may have different configurations. With that said what was the concern about the propellant? It doesn't seem to be ejected with the water (see the links I posted prior that are adamant that only water comes out).
 
thinwater said:
You extinguish a chip pan fire by puting the lid on, no? Unless the pan flips, chip pan fires (and other frying) is a non-event in the kitchen.

Which is why you limit the amount of oil and don't fry underway.
Click to expand...

FRED DRIFT ALERT!

Reminds me of Shane Acton sailing from Falmouth across towards Brittany and Spain in his 18'4" Caprice, Shrimpy, on the first leg of what became a round the world trip. Having not yet properly sorted his galley arrangements, he was cooking on a Primus stove wedged between his feet in the cockpit while he steered. Being Shane Acton, he was frying chips!
 
Luminescent said:
It should probably be pointed out that the ones sold by Amerex appear to be under a different patent so other vendors may have different configurations. With that said what was the concern about the propellant? It doesn't seem to be ejected with the water (see the links I posted prior that are adamant that only water comes out).
Click to expand...

Yes, the nitrogen is NOT propelant in the sense of an aerosol can. It is just a presurizing agent to push the water through the nozzle. Fixed units use a pump. Air would work fine, but they need to cover themselves against the poof that will come out at the end. Some fool would try to use compressed air to put out a fire.... It's hard to fix stupid.
 
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