Fire alert
Posted: Jun 1st, '10, 21:02
Guys-
I've got a good one for you to watch out for. Had a little fire aboard the Shearwater this weekend, but fortunately caught it just before serious damage happend. Here's the story....Went to start up all engine systems for the first time this spring. Turned all my 12 volt breakers on. Heard my washdown start up under what seemd like partial speed. Hmmm??? that shouldn't be running...went to check it...switch was off. So I went and killed the breaker, and went about my business. All of a sudden a guy walking down the dock comes running up...you got black smoke coming out of your bilge. Threw shit out of the way in a big hurry, and opened the hatch. The sound inulation was ablaze and I mean full fledged on fire...flames and all, right around my primary fuel filter. Quick douse, and caught it just in time before I warped any of the glass around the engine hatches. Looked like melted solder everywhere when I started to clean up.......What gives here? To make a long story short in terms of the diagnostic journey, that OEM Bertram sound proofing is lead lined as in a sheet of lead right in the middle between 2 pieces of foam. Aparently some how over the winter from working on stuff I shifted the insultion accross the switch for the wash down pump. When I turned on the power, presto....I've got a high resistance short that heats up and catched the insulation on fire, which burns quite readily (starting to see why the Station Night Club Fire was siuch a disaster.), Did niot draw eniugh current to melt the wires or kick a 15 amp breaker......but enoough for a fire. I beleive I only had the breaker on for maybe 3-4 minutes tops.
Anyway, just wanted to get the word out,,,watch that OEM insulation....its gota conductive media right in the middle waiting to cause a big problem.
All the best
Giff
I've got a good one for you to watch out for. Had a little fire aboard the Shearwater this weekend, but fortunately caught it just before serious damage happend. Here's the story....Went to start up all engine systems for the first time this spring. Turned all my 12 volt breakers on. Heard my washdown start up under what seemd like partial speed. Hmmm??? that shouldn't be running...went to check it...switch was off. So I went and killed the breaker, and went about my business. All of a sudden a guy walking down the dock comes running up...you got black smoke coming out of your bilge. Threw shit out of the way in a big hurry, and opened the hatch. The sound inulation was ablaze and I mean full fledged on fire...flames and all, right around my primary fuel filter. Quick douse, and caught it just in time before I warped any of the glass around the engine hatches. Looked like melted solder everywhere when I started to clean up.......What gives here? To make a long story short in terms of the diagnostic journey, that OEM Bertram sound proofing is lead lined as in a sheet of lead right in the middle between 2 pieces of foam. Aparently some how over the winter from working on stuff I shifted the insultion accross the switch for the wash down pump. When I turned on the power, presto....I've got a high resistance short that heats up and catched the insulation on fire, which burns quite readily (starting to see why the Station Night Club Fire was siuch a disaster.), Did niot draw eniugh current to melt the wires or kick a 15 amp breaker......but enoough for a fire. I beleive I only had the breaker on for maybe 3-4 minutes tops.
Anyway, just wanted to get the word out,,,watch that OEM insulation....its gota conductive media right in the middle waiting to cause a big problem.
All the best
Giff