Fire Suppression

Inquiry*** Do any of you folks have a*fire suppression system on your boat?*** KJ*

Yes , one of those now illegal (global warming HOAX) Halon units that goes off by itself.

I do not have powered engine room ventilation so the fancy model that secures the vent fans is not required.

FF wrote:
Yes , one of those now illegal (global warming HOAX) Halon units that goes off by itself.

I do not have powered engine room ventilation so the fancy model that secures the vent fans is not required.

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*Do you have an automatic engine shutdown?

We have an older Fireboy Halon system without the automatic shut down.* We also*have an*Aqua Alarm engine room fire alarm.

New Fireboy Halon, but haven't hooked up automatic engine shut down yet.

I'm curious why you would need fire suppression with engine shutdown with a diesel engine. Sure, electrical fires happen, but I would hate for a fire system to have access to cutting my main engine. Sounds like one more thing to fail. And diesel fuel, outside of a high-compression environment, can't burn. Can it?

GonzoF1 wrote:And diesel fuel, outside of a high-compression environment, can't burn. Can it?

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*Diesel needs to be at 144* F (Flash Point)*to "Flash" but an open flame will ignite it with no trouble.* Gasoline has a flash point of -40* F so can ignite with a mere spark. Interesting enough is that Bio-diesel has a flash point of 266* F, way higher than regular diesel.

We have a Halon in the engine room.* I just had the extinguishers check/service last week as a yearly maintenance.Insurance required*to install an automatic shut down for the gen set but not the 671.* The gen set has a 12 volt shut down so it was not to hard to install.* Fireboy makes a black box for about 300 bucks.* *The 671 has a manual pull shut down.* The thinking is that the gen set will be left running while nobody is on the boast, but the 671 probable not.

GonzoF1 wrote:I'm curious why you would need fire suppression with engine shutdown with a diesel engine.

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*The agents used in automatic fire suppression systems extinguishes the fire by interrupting the combustion process. They prevent oxygen combining with the fuel, they don't cool the burning material like water and they don't smother it like foam or some other agents.

If the engine room ventilation is open and the engine is running when the agent is released, most of it may just go through the engine and out the exhaust without extinguishing the fire. Boats with those systems that do not shut down the engine and shut the ventilation dampers before discharging agent into the engine room are regularly lost to engine room fires.*Marine casualty*reports are filled with examples.

If the engine room is not kept sealed tightly until it cools, the fire is very likely to reflash when the agent is diluted by fresh air. If you have one of those systems and it does work, don't be in a hurry to open the hatch to see what went wrong.

BTW, diesel has more energy per unit of volume than gasoline and while it is not as likely to cause an explosion, it is far better*for starting fires and keeping them burning.


-- Edited by RickB on Thursday 23rd of June 2011 09:53:11 AM

Neat-O

Halon 1301

Is an automatic shut down necessary or required when the boat does not have powered engine room ventilation? If not necessary or required, is it desirable or advisable? We will be putting in fire suppression over winter haul out for next season and all the manufacturers' literature says auto shut down is required on diesel. No powered ventilation on our boat.

dwhatty wrote:
Is an automatic shut down necessary or required when the boat does not have powered engine room ventilation? If not necessary or required, is it desirable or advisable? We will be putting in fire suppression over winter haul out for next season and all the manufacturers' literature says auto shut down is required on diesel. No powered ventilation on our boat.

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*Even though you do not have ER blowers, as Rick says, a running engine(s) can remove the chemical before the fire is extinguished.* This makes an engine shutdown both highly desirable and advisable.* In addition, the shutdown system can be configured to activate powered ER vent blocking.

The Fireboy ES3000 that I have installed has an emergency override switch on the dash to keep the engine running in an emergency maneuvering situation, but you better have a very good reason for jeopardizing putting the fire out.

If you have to take the time to cover ER vents with wet towels, make sure your suppressant chemical container is oversized for the space.

Jay N wrote:dwhatty wrote:
Is an automatic shut down necessary or required when the boat does not have powered engine room ventilation? If not necessary or required, is it desirable or advisable? We will be putting in fire suppression over winter haul out for next season and all the manufacturers' literature says auto shut down is required on diesel. No powered ventilation on our boat.

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*Even though you do not have ER blowers, as Rick says, a running engine(s) can remove the chemical before the fire is extinguished.* This makes an engine shutdown both highly desirable and advisable.* In addition, the shutdown system can be configured to activate powered ER vent blocking.

The Fireboy ES3000 that I have installed has an emergency override switch on the dash to keep the engine running in an emergency maneuvering situation, but you better have a very good reason for jeopardizing putting the fire out.

If you have to take the time to cover ER vents with wet towels, make sure your suppressant chemical container is oversized for the space.

*Thanks. That confirms what I surmised.

I fully understand the reason for recommending "auto close vent doors (shutters)" but if the engine continues to run, with vents opened/closed, isn't the engine sucking in a great amount of fire suppression chemical and what damage to the engine, if any, can be caused by this?

How* many of the Forum's members have "auto close shutters" or fire suppression systems

on their boats. I have neither. ( Just 3 fire extinguishers.)

SeaHorse II wrote:I fully understand the reason for recommending "auto close vent doors (shutters)" but if the engine continues to run, with vents opened/closed, isn't the engine sucking in a great amount of fire suppression chemical and what damage to the engine, if any, can be caused by this?

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*Shutting down the engine is the most important step. The circuit that releases the agent should first shut down the engine, then the ventilation if fitted, and then open the fire bottles.

If the engine keeps running the agent (Halon of one sort or another)will go through the engine and the exhaust will contain a very small proportion of hydrogen flourides and bromides*plus other nasty stuff but far less than the really toxic crap produced by burning engine room machinery*and other boat parts.

Damage to the engine is the least of your worries*as it will probably stop when* flames consume the*rubber and plastic parts and the saloon falls into the engine room.

RickB wrote:*

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Damage to the engine is the least of your worries*as it will probably stop when* flames consume the*rubber and plastic parts and the saloon falls into the engine room.

*Ouch!! *Rick.**That really congers up some nightmare thoughts of a*mans boat burning.

Gives me the willies just thinking about it.

SD

dwhatty wrote:
* We will be putting in fire suppression over winter haul out for next season*

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*Will you have the system professionally installed?* Can I ask what you*are budgeting for the project?**** KJ

KJ wrote:dwhatty wrote:
* We will be putting in fire suppression over winter haul out for next season*

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*Will you have the system professionally installed?* Can I ask what you*are budgeting for the project?**** KJ

Haven't got the numbers massaged finely yet, but somewhere around $1k to $1.4k +/- is my very prelim estimate for the parts (electrician charges extra). Haven't shpped for prices yet. Need two stations for the displays. I plan to do the hardware install myself and have an electrician do the wiring hookups. Have to decide if we want to add on manual pulls as well.

*dwhatty wrote:
* We will be putting in fire suppression over winter haul out for next season*

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*After installation,*do you*expect a reduction in your vessel's insurance premium?* KJ**

KJ wrote:*dwhatty wrote:
* We will be putting in fire suppression over winter haul out for next season*

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*After installation,*do you*expect a reduction in your vessel's insurance premium?* KJ**

*Not expecting one. Gravy if we do. The premium is not that bad now though. About $650/yr.