Fire Extinguishers

[Mikey]

All of my collection of fire extinguishers have ceased to be valid, according to the authorities. Rather than argue the issue I thought maybe a survey of what the Faithful have aboard might be interesting. So, guys what are you carrying? Where did you buy it and are there discount sellers for these? Since weight is an issue what about freight ? Should I just buy from a local purveyor who sells nothing but? We have several wholesalers that I probably can convince I am legit.

[In Memory Walter K]

Mikey-Call your local Fire department. Tell them your extinguishers have to be recharged. Bet they will send you to an authorized recharger in your area you didn't know existed. Worked for me.

[Tony Meola]

Did not think they could be recharged. I don't believe for the price of them, the ones sold at West Marine are rechargeable.

I have one mounted in the cabin in the hanging locker, one right outside the engine box, and I have a 3rd I need to mount and that one is going on the bridge some where.

The automatics would be nice but with diesels you need an auto shutt off with them, or the diesels will suck the chemical right out.

[Pete Fallon]

Mikey,
What's wrong with your old units?. Are they just out of date or have the gauges gone into the red sector?.
According to the rules fire extinguishers should be inspected yearly by a quailified fire appliance company and tagged with the date of inspection. USCG reg's require only 2 portable units for our size vessel.
I have 2 Kiddee 10BC, units one in the cabin on aft bulkhead behind the dinette and one in the cockpit behind the Port engine box up high near gunwale, bought both of them at Boat/US West Marine.
I also have one Halon 1301 unit in each engine box( small bottles 75 sq feet coverage, with fusable link 175 degree heads, they are old and the tags are out of date but still look like the would work, they weigh the same as when I bought them 30 years ago and the agent is supposely no longer being used, new stuff is FE 241 agent but I'll take my chances with them rather than nothing). I also have a 30 pound Purple K unit that I keep in the Starboard hanging locker, came off of one of the old fire dept trucks.
So all you need to be legal are 2-10 BC units that can be purchased at Worst Marine. Anything over that is just extra protection, the Halon units are very expensive but help reduce the insurance premiums.

[Charlie J]

if the fire extinguisers have a plastic neck they cant be recharged, stop down to a home depot

[Mikey]

As Charlie noted my current units fall in the plastic-headed type. One is in the red and the others are just old (15 yrs.) so need replacement.

One of the things I have done to extend the life of these has been to take them from their racks about twice annually, turn them upside down, give them a couple of good thumps and shake the contents until you feel it moving up and down in the canister freely. Although the contents have a non-clumping agent, pounding in a good sea or just the vibration of the mighty Cummins will pack that stuff to the point that removing the head and stirring with a screwdriver won't move the stuff. Works like charm.
Have had the opportunity to experiment with these things recently in a CERT training class and if they are in good shape they will put out the fire. If not, hope you can swim long distance.
At the end of my boating career I hope to say that I wasted the $$$ on extinguishers as I never had to employ one, but just in case . . .

[Rawleigh]

Mikey: One large one behind the cabin door and an automatic in each engine compartment.

If you go automatic with the diesels you may need the auto shutdown solenoids.

[IRGuy]

Ever since I read the above responses I have been wrestling with two opposing issues in regard to my halon fixed system in my engine room. I understand the concept of having my diesels automatically shut down when the extinguisher dumps so the halon won't be removed by the running engines, but I believe in the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) concept when it comes to boats.

To me, automatic means more complicated, more complicated means more prone to accidental failure or operation, and more prone to failure means that at probably at the worst time possible the system will shut down my engines accidently.

Is it acceptable, advisable, or even allowable to not have an automatic engine shutdown system, but have a manual engine shutdown system seperate from the engine keyswitch, that will only shut down my engines when I pull the handle? My preference would be for a system in which I am the only thing that can shut down my engines.

[CaptPatrick]

Is it acceptable, advisable, or even allowable to not have an automatic engine shutdown system, but have a manual engine shutdown system seperate from the engine keyswitch, that will only shut down my engines when I pull the handle? My preference would be for a system in which I am the only thing that can shut down my engines.

First, you probably won't even know there's a fire in the engine space unless you're standing right there when it flashes. Second, even if you know or suspect there's a fire, your reaction time will likely be too slow.

The automatic shutdown will trip the instant that the Halon goes off. Using the general rule of 2.5 times the horsepower of the engine to get an approximate amount of air required, at 300 hp, the engine will consume 750 CFM. The volume of suppresant in an appropriate sized automatic system is around .075 to .020 CF. A 300hp diesel engine will swallow that volume in under 3 seconds, (allowing for ambient air volume already present in the engine space)...

Fireboy states: "WARNING: Diesel-powered craft requires the installation of an Engine Shutdown System." I don't know, but suspect that that's also a CG requirement.

[Ironman]

An alarm when the system goes off automatically sounds like a great idea.. otherwise the flare up after a fire not completely out..,. could happen un noticed?
Wayne