Fireboy Automatic Extinguisher

CrewLounge

Anyone have the part number for the engine compartment fire extinguisher on the 342's? And where to buy a replacement? Thx

Black_Diamond

I can get you that later today as I'll be at the boat. If you need to replace, Fireboy has a new non-halon type that is coast guard certified. Worth the change as halon is really expensive now.

Black_Diamond

http://www.fireboy-xintex.com

They are right up the road from me actually.

CrewLounge

Ok. Thx

Black_Diamond

Fireboy model CG2-200-FE241, agent qty 6.8, gross wt 13.8.

Call /email fireboy and they should be able to interchange.

Black_Diamond

I was looking to buy a portable one too. I have an ABC type but they are a mess to clean up. Although my first thought in a boat fire: get off it!

CrewLounge

Yep

Dream_Inn

You guys hit a touchy subject for me.  I nevgood (rought it up on here, but some of you on here know me pretty well and I'm pretty safety conscious.  Last July we had a vapor explosion on ole Dream'inn III.  If happened right when we were getting on plane. Any of you that has seen the size of the engine hatch on a 400, it's pretty big and heavy.  Well, it blew off the hydraulic ram and flipped as high as it could before slamming back down.  Luckily no on was string in a he back, and the trip we are on now was the first time my daughter sat in the back during takeoff( yes, I still think about it).

Now, back to topic, if it hadn't been for a good fire automatc extinguisher, not sure what would be left.  & yes, my family was off that boat even before I heard the extinguisher go off.  I stayed aboard cause I heard it go off and turned all electrical go off. (There's way too much to go on...but we even had a helicopter overhead).

Now,the boat is better, I mean better, than she had been before and we are enjoying it today on the end of our first 4 day trip this year.

Lesson learned, it can happen to anyone.  Yes, my blowers were on beefore starting and still on whenit happened.

Black_Diamond

Dream, scary and fortunate no one was hurt! Did you ever find the vapor source? I know around my marina, rare anyone recertifies their engine fire extinguisher. I just had mine checked in Dec and even I laxed a year too long.

Michael T

Thank you DI for the best safety  alert I have seen on the Forum so far - because you made it PERSONAL - that is the kind of  "story/post" we will all remember - and - if it can happen to a guy with your experience it can happen to anyone! Very smart of you DI to get your family off immediately and folllow yourself real fast!!!  20 years ago I saw a big fiberglass boat (Chris Craft) catch fire. From smoke to explosion less than 5 minutes - pieces of sharp flaming fiberglass everywhere - in 10 minutes more it was just a melted hull to the waterline. We love our boats but nothing is worth the consequences of waiting too long to evacuate! Thank God you and your family are okay it must have been a heart stopping moment.! MT

TonyWalker

DI, what a story/experience.  On board fire/explosion prevention is one we all work hard to prevent.  Did you ever find the root cause?

Tony

TonyWalker

DI, you remind me of one of my heros.  Captain Kurt Carlson of the Flying Enterprise is among them.  Not a fire situation but a break up in heavy seas in the 1950's of a converted victory ship, or was it a liberty ship.  Lots of stuff on how he handled the deteriorating situation he faced.  He ultimately lost the ship but the only death was a fellow who jumped out of a lifeboat to save a dog.  Lots of stuff about this on google.  The reason I often refer to it is because it was covered on television as it happened, at least as good as it could be covered in real time in the 50's.  Among other things, it was fascinating television.  Captain Carlson got a ticker tape parade in NYC.

Tony

frenchship

I do have a fireboy system on my boat. My insurance company ask me to have the system check it has to be check by a specialist not just a regular people who does regular extinguisher. I call the company many times send them a few e-mails but never got an answer from them. This past week I finally talk to somebody and was told that the could not help me find somebody to check the system because I live in Canada ....... The only thing was to remove the system and send it to them. My answer was did you ever try to send something like that by mail or UPS it would be almost impossible or so expensive. That was the end of the discussion. Would somebody know where can I get the system inspected or find an inspector to do that ? MT would you know someone in the Ottawa region. Thank Paul Thanks Paul

Black_Diamond

Paul, all you need is a fire ext inspection service. They can inspect and reweigh, that's all you can do. No need to ship something like that, big $$.

frenchship

BD. I was told by a regular ext inspector that he could not inspect this type of ext. Fireboy did mention that only a RIN inspector could inspect this system whatever a RIN is. I will keep investigate who could do it in my region. Thanks Paul

Michael T

Frenchship, I believe BD is correct. My next door neighbour is a retired Chief Fire Inspector. He is away for a few days on a speaking engagement but I will ask him as soon as he returns. MT

Black_Diamond

RIN is a 'retested identification number'. It had to do with pressure testing the cylinder, which should not be an issue for you. There is an 'expiration' date on some types where it has to be tested or replaced. Mine was recertified by weight. You probably need to find a place that deals with Halon. Ask your marina.

frenchship

Thanks BD and MT

TikiHut2

So DI, quite a sobering story. I'm with BD, what was the cause?

My 270 didn't come with any engine room fire suppression. Last year I did the research coming up with the FM200 unit below with a blower shunt and manual remote release that'd be near the helm and actually ordered the unit but it went to backorder and I never followed through.

Of course a major part of the fire suppression is containement. Seeing a few voids that needed a bit of fireproof caulking in the bulkhead I was stunned when I investigated further and found that the firewall/bulkhead was anything but a containment wall. It's so inadequate that it'd take a nearly impossible effort to prevent volatile or poisonous fumes from easily infiltrating the entire boat. Perhaps a fume sniffer should be a part of any fire suppression in a marine environment.




We're prepping for a 200mi trip in the Tikihut and with all the rum we'll have on board it'll be extremely volatile so your story has me back on it. I think West Marine had these units.....unless they're still back ordered. Hope there was no long-lasting effect on the crew. I know mine would be jittery after that.
Thanks for sharing. Mike

Dream_Inn

Wow, my typing was a mess on the earlier post (I did it on a tablet, that's my excuse).

Thanks guys for all the comments.  & MT, yes I did want to make it personal, cause it is something I don't want to ever experience again.  All of you, please check those automatic extinguishers and do what it takes so they work, if God forbid, you ever need it.

Root cause, let's just say it has been all figured out - I'd like to leave it at that.

Tony, not sure I felt like a hero, but it is amazing how instincts kick in.  My kids were in life jackets, as always.  Made my daughter jumped in, but my wife and I had to throw my son in, he was like a deer in headlights.  Amazing how quickly my wife got our life jackets from under our seat and got them on.

RY, you may have diesels but I see you are smart enough to have the automatic ext as well. >-

I'll add that we all wear inflatable life jackets now as well.  I think it should be anyone's choice, but I know if I had been on that back seat, it'd have been the only thing that would've saved me. 

Now, to the topic, the new stuff (not Halon) is amazing and leaves no residue anywhere.  I mean none!  I owe the inventor of that a whole night of cold ones!

Black_Diamond

Several great personal lessons in DI's post. None of the 'might' happen stuff. Working fire ext, PFD's, fast action by crew.

No to be nosey in a bad way (like throw under the bus type), but it would be nice to know the root cause, especially if it was equipment related.

CrewLounge

Thanks

CrewLounge

Thanks