Sea Fire Marine Fire Extinguisher system

[Newtrawlerowner]

I have a Sea Fire system on my Mainship that has never been serviced. I live in Delray Beach, FL. Has anyone had this system serviced and curious what it cost. I was given an estimate of $695 by a local company to inspect and certify. I know the extinguishers need to be removed and tested. Curious what that should cost. There are 2 and they have never been used.

 

[Dougcole]

Watching this thread with interest.

 

[Comodave]

Do you know why there are 2 systems? Usually you install one system that is large enough to do the job. With 2 one can go off and not be large enough to do the job. It is difficult to find someone to service them. When we bought our current boat I made it a condition of the sale that it be inspected and serviced if necessary. I think the seller paid about $400 but that was about 3.5 years ago.

 

[twistedtree]

Perhaps one for the ER and one for the Laz? Mine is split up like that.

 

[Portage_Bay]

The reasons for two bottles, I think that is what OP said, not 2 systems can be many things. Physical room for one large or two smaller bottles, placement for better distribution of the extinguishing agent etc. The bottles not having been used has no bearing on the need for inspection of the bottles and the entire system. All components must be tested to insure they function properly. The bottles need to be weighed to see if the correct amount of agent is in place. If they are old enough they will need to be drained, hydrotested and re-filled. $695 doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

 

[ScottC]

I have a Sea-Fire (Stinger) two-bottle solution. One for the engine cocoon and one for the area where my BMS and other electronic hybrid components are. The system is now about 10 years old and I believe I will have to look at replacing it entirely, as the Stinger models cannot be re-charged or topped up. Need to look further into this.

When installing the system, my boatyard wanted to also install an automatic engine cut-off and I told them not to. While I appreciate the reason for this, I was not comfortable with it. There's a lot of shipping in my area and other areas where I cruise and I (perhaps unreasonably) worry about the situation where I might be crossing the path of on on-coming freighter right about the time a fire or high temp shuts off my engine. In this case, I want to be the one to decide when to shut off the engine. Another 60 seconds could allow me to get out of the path of that ship, albeit at the cost of an empty bottle and a more developed fire.

 

[guy with a boat]

FWIW, the shut-down systems have an override switch for just the reason ScottC describes.

 

[twistedtree]

FWIW, the shut-down systems have an override switch for just the reason ScottC describes.

exactly. Without the shutdown, the fire system is ineffective and you might as well not install it in the first place.

 

[ScottC]

exactly. Without the shutdown, the fire system is ineffective and you might as well not install it in the first place.

Agree. But I failed to mention in my post that I had the installer wire it to a loud siren hidden just under the helm seat. So, I know that if that ever sounds, I need to shut off the engine immediately, assuming no freighter bearing down on me. Not quite as good as an override on the control head, but still, it would introduce only a few seconds delay.

It seems the control head I have doesn't even have an override button. Probably it was not an option on their lower-end Stinger systems.

 

[twistedtree]

Agree. But I failed to mention in my post that I had the installer wire it to a loud siren hidden just under the helm seat. So, I know that if that ever sounds, I need to shut off the engine immediately, assuming no freighter bearing down on me. Not quite as good as an override on the control head, but still, it would introduce only a few seconds delay.

It seems the control head I have doesn't even have an override button. Probably it was not an option on their lower-end Stinger systems.

View attachment 162979

Shutdown reset. Press the two buttons together to reset.

 

[ScottC]

Shutdown reset. Press the two buttons together to reset.

Now that I have learned this, I will have the automatic shutdown device installed when I update my system/replace the tanks over the winter.

Question: I know it's important to shut down as quickly as possible. If the automatic shutdown process starts, I assume the alarm on the control head at the helm will sound...but does anybody know how many seconds I have to override the shutdown before the shutdown actually occurs?

 

[rslifkin]

Now that I have learned this, I will have the automatic shutdown device installed when I update my system/replace the tanks over the winter.

Question: I know it's important to shut down as quickly as possible. If the automatic shutdown process starts, I assume the alarm on the control head at the helm will sound...but does anybody know how many seconds I have to override the shutdown before the shutdown actually occurs?

On most systems it should be immediate or at least extremely quick. The override is more so you can override and restart the engines if you determine that's the safer thing to do in the current situation.