Engine fire suppression systems
- Thread starter Ned
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
John Canfield
Site Team
Ned - I've toyed with the idea for quite a while. Mac McCoy (Mac the fire guy) sells a system. I had one for the boat engine room (Halon of some kind) and it was good peace of mind.
I'm sure many of us have toyed with the idea, I want to know how many have installed a system. I've seen Mac's offerings and that's probably the one I would get for myself. He offers several different sizes. You can see them here (scroll about half way down the page). I wish his web site was better organized though.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Here's an engine fire suppression system from RV Safety Systems.
Halon systems are not useful for motorhome engine compartments - they are too open. Halon works by depriving the fire of oxygen, so it cannot be effective where there is a continuous supply of fresh air available.
Halon systems are not useful for motorhome engine compartments - they are too open. Halon works by depriving the fire of oxygen, so it cannot be effective where there is a continuous supply of fresh air available.
John Canfield
Site Team
Yes - and Halon can be dangerous which is why I don't think it is used any longer. My boat's engine room was an enclosed area and Halon was eminently suitable for that application.RV Roamer said:
glen54737
Well-known member
Actually the Halon isn't that dangerous( IIRC) but the manufacture of it was, it was related to r-12
It's a very effective fire suppression agent.
It's a very effective fire suppression agent.
We used Halon extensively in aircraft and IIRC the danger was that Halon replaces oxygen, not that it is toxic. As long as it is not used in an enclosed area where people need to breathe (Engine Compartment?) I believe that it was acceptable.
sherwoodii
New member
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2008
- Posts
- 2
The newer Halon is not dangerous. Although the area of the motorhome compartment is much more open than in a boat bilge it still will be very effective because it is so quick. It just eliminates the oxygen immediately and the fire is out. Try West Marine or any other large marine supply. West Marine owns most of the large supply companies.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Jeff is correct - the danger is that people may be asphyxiated if they are in the area where the halon is released. People need oxygen to keep their internal fires burning. Halon 1301 is also an ozone layer depleter, which led to it being banned by the EPA.
The "new" Halon, designated FE25, is environmentally friendly but still fatal to humans in the same room as the fire.
The problem in an open area is that the fire often re-ignites as soon as more air moves in. Halon smothers the flame by momentary oxygen starvation but the heat is still there and re-ignition is likely as soon as fresh air gets sucked in by the rising heat.
The "new" Halon, designated FE25, is environmentally friendly but still fatal to humans in the same room as the fire.
The problem in an open area is that the fire often re-ignites as soon as more air moves in. Halon smothers the flame by momentary oxygen starvation but the heat is still there and re-ignition is likely as soon as fresh air gets sucked in by the rising heat.
eddieelk
Well-known member
Near the end of the last century, I worked in a computer room which had a halon system. The company spent $7,500.00 for a test. They placed paper in several waste cans and lit them, and fired off the halon dump. The halon comes out at very high pressure, and blew all the dust and papers all over the room. We were standing outside the automatic door into the computer room. The halon formed a cloud about four feet high and triggered the automatic door opener which allowed the halon to fill the lunchroom. The sales rep said that we could stay in the computer room with him when the halon dumped, and that it wouldn't hurt us, but we said No thanks. It did put the fires out, but they never retested the system after that. After veiwing some of the motor home fire videos, it looks like a good option.
carson
Well-known member
That hilarious episode would have won the "OOPS" You-Tube award.
