The "A" agent in a 1A:5BC home extinguisher is hard to clean up but so is the fire damage if the deck and bulkheads get going. If cleanup is a concern, use B:C only type drychem or CO2. We once had a fire call where a bass boat OB caught fire. The passengers swam to shore. We had a Honda pump in our fireboat and could not put it out without sinking it. We grappled it, drug it to shore and foamed it AFFF.I thought that the A in ABC baked to a hard covering and was tough to clean up...it is why I've been told to not use ABCs on hot engines as the cleanup was terrible...then again like many old wives tails in boating...that could be form a previous generation ABC extinguishing agent.
I used to do hands on training with fire extinguishers and most people are truly amazed how much fireball drychem will knock down and what it will put out. I have also seen a dozen drychem extinguishers fail to dowse a boat and only a little foam was needed to float into spaces the drychem wasn't getting to.
We recently purchased a automatic fire suppression system.
It is activated by heat or manual operation only. It is very simple...
There is a heat sensitive material that holds the discharge valve closed. If the heat sensitive material melts the valve opens discharging the tank.
If you want a manual release there is a wire wrapped around the heat sensitive material that will pull it out, discharging the tank.
If the tank discharges there is a switch that opens. With the switch closed a pair of relays are activated allowing the engines and generators to run. If either relay fails a light on the dash goes out, so you can replace it. If both relays fail a second light on the dash goes out indicating a discharge.
If there is a discharge both engines and the generator stop. There is a bypass switch on the dash in case of a accidental discharge so you can restart the engines.
We just had a Fireboy system installed that does essentially the same thing.
Interesting. We have to update the old halon fixed system. There seems to be a conflict in the installation. The oxygen depletion systems depend upon the engine compartment being sealed up air tight. My boat has NO ability to seal either side of the engine compartment vents. Have to figure out fire dampers in both air intake and exhaust.
The fireboy systems are engineered with excessive suppressant to make up for the vents on a engine room.
All you need is a shutdown system for diesels.
Kevin,
I have a Fireboy system that came with the boat. I was thinking of getting it recertified, shouldn't I be able to pull the tank and bring it to an industrial extinguisher shop for this? Would you be interested in sharing how you set up the engine shut down system?
Thanks
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's
Its worth thinking carefully about where to mount your fire extinguishers. You want them handy when required, but not so close to the likely source of the fire that they cannot be accessed safely.
Regarding cleanup... - that's not really a concern of mine if a fire breaks out. I just want the fire out, and no one injured. The insurance company can worry about the cleanup if it is a problem and the boat is still salvageable.
So in reality I have a pecking order that I am working towards....
A modern halon if not too pricy or a CO2 one for use around electronics and my engine....or one of the installed types left on manual while aboard.
A couple BCs for if engine room stuff gets beyond Halon/CO2