Fire Port - Good Idea?

[rpwillia]

I have seen these on other boats, but not on mine. Adding a Fire Port looks like a good idea to add to my engine enclosure. (http://www.marineeast.com/a_sch/sch_det.asp?cid=13&pid=13_01), Looking at their catalog I am not sure which one to get (look like cosmetic differences). Is there any reason I would choose models 6860 or 6960 over 6999?

I was thinking of drilling a hole right in the front of the engine enclosure near the top. That way if there was ever a fire you just grab an extinguisher, shove the nozzle through the hole and pull the trigger. Thoughts?

 

[Zaphro]

Installed one next to the data plate at the top front of the engine compartment. Have a halon bottle dedicated to it. Haven't had to try it yet thank goodness. Didn't buy a special one, just a stainless plug, and a wooden handle. Attached to the inside with a chain so it doesn't get lost if it comes out.

 

[rpwillia]

More info please

Installed one next to the data plate at the top front of the engine compartment. Have a halon bottle dedicated to it. Haven't had to try it yet thank goodness. Didn't buy a special one, just a stainless plug, and a wooden handle. Attached to the inside with a chain so it doesn't get lost if it comes out.

Zaphro, your idea sounds interesting. Do you have part numbers and where you bought it?

For the rest, I have to admit I am a bit surprised at the lack of response. Perhaps if I had said it is kind of like the best anchor out there. I really am curious if people think these are useful or is it so obvious I am not getting it.

 

[RAD]

For the rest, I have to admit I am a bit surprised at the lack of response. Perhaps if I had said it is kind of like the best anchor out there. I really am curious if people think these are useful or is it so obvious I am not getting it.

When I read the post the first thought was are these installed in boats with gas engines cause I have never seen one (now I'm going to pay more attention)and I'm around a lot of boats sail and power but mostly diesel, I did think it was a cool idea cause I have a center cockpit and my engine is right under the cockpit and its a pretty large space but what are the chances of a fire inside a diesel engine room or behind the engine box?

 

[CarlN]

Two things to keep in mind with diesels:

Stop the engine before using the fire port. Otherwise the running diesel will suck in plenty of fresh air through the vents to keep the fire going. The built in engine room extinguisers are wired to kill the engine automatically.

It's really hard to make diesel fuel catch fire. I've never seen a boat have a diesel fire but I've seen three boats (not mine) burn from electrical fires. Two from arcing un-fused 12v cables and one from a fire behind a built in 110v TV. Scares the sh*%$ out of me. I'd put my money into fuses.

Carl

 

[RAD]

Two things to keep in mind with diesels:

Stop the engine before using the fire port. Otherwise the running diesel will suck in plenty of fresh air through the vents to keep the fire going. The built in engine room extinguisers are wired to kill the engine automatically.

It's really hard to make diesel fuel catch fire. I've never seen a boat have a diesel fire but I've seen three boats (not mine) burn from electrical fires. Two from arcing un-fused 12v cables and one from a fire behind a built in 110v TV. Scares the sh*%$ out of me. I'd put my money into fuses.

Carl

Electric is what I thought that would start a fire not diesel fuel but if you properly fuse all wiring then you have a safer boat but most boats don't have proper fusing on the battery cables

 

[CarlN]

Rad I agree. My point (and I wasn't at all clear in my post) is that electrical fires don't usually start in the engine compartment since the batteries and most of the cables are elsewhere. The fire port isn't much help in these situations.

Carl

 

[RAD]

Rad I agree. My point (and I wasn't at all clear in my post) is that electrical fires don't usually start in the engine compartment since the batteries and most of the cables are elsewhere. The fire port isn't much help in these situations.

Carl

batteries and their associated switch maybe elsewhere but that infused heavy positive cable almost always goes right to the engine starter

 

[CarlN]

Agreed. That's why my starter cable is fused. It's never blown.

I think ABYC is irresponsible not to require fused starter circuits on sailboat and smaller powerboat engines where something as simple as a $15 200 or 300 amp ANL fuse will work fine.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

ABYC doesn't REQUIRE anything...

ABYC standards are not the marine equivalent of mandatory building codes on land. There are some requirements set forth in the CFR that are compulsory, and USCG standards are....but any compliance with ABYC standards by boat builders, yards, equipment mfrs, owners and/or anyone else is totally voluntary...and you'd be amazed at the number of builders who pick and choose which ones to use. Membership in ABYC doesn't guarantee they follow any ABYC standard. Today, decor trumps safety...any learning curves or other information that has the potential to scare off a first time buyer is to be avoided at all costs...and cost saving trumps everything else.

 

[RAD]

Agreed. That's why my starter cable is fused. It's never blown.

I think ABYC is irresponsible not to require fused starter circuits on sailboat and smaller powerboat engines where something as simple as a $15 200 or 300 amp ANL fuse will work fine.

I'm an electrician and only last year I put fuse's on the battery cables after reading a post about a simple and inexpensive fuse and it's my understanding that ABYC standards require fuse's after six feet of cable so the boat mfg's keep it under six to save money

 

[Dan Johnson]

Extinguisher ports...

were standard equipt. on the inboard powerboats I sold over 15 years ago. I'd consider them a necessity for a gasoline fueled boat. As pointed out, diesel isn't nearly as combustible and I doubt you could easily quell an electrical fire through one of these ports.

I have a heat-triggered Halon extinguisher inside my engine box and would think today's equivalent would be the way to go.

 

[RAD]

Unless you knew enough to shut the power if it was an electrical fire (which I think most wouldn't) spraying a fire extinguisher on live wires is probably like pissing up a rope

 

[rpwillia]

Good Ideas

Unless you knew enough to shut the power if it was an electrical fire (which I think most wouldn't) spraying a fire extinguisher on live wires is probably like pissing up a rope

All, good input. When I posted I was not specifically thinking of a diesel fuel fire, but any kind of fire and how if there was a fire there using a Fire Port would be a good way to try and put it out without opening the enclosure. From reading the posts an electrical fire would be the most likely and I do have battery fuses installed (listened to Maine Sail and got the blue seas ones), as well as all the extinguishers are the dry chemical type.

Wouldn't it be true that if you had a fire on a gas powered boat that using a Fire Port would be the least of your worries at that point?

 

[Dan Johnson]

Ray...

the fire extinguisher port is there so that you don't open the engine box, which would feed a great deal of oxygen to whatever is burning. Emptying an extinguisher through the port should just about smother a fire by reducing the oxygen available.

Unfortunately, if it's a gasoline fed fire, the potential for an explosion is very great if action is not taken immediately.

Having the battery switch in a readily accessible place outside the engine box is also a big safety factor. I've seen batt switches in the engine compartment--not a good place to try to turn it off if there's an electrical-based fire there. Fusing may not be affected by a direct short across the terminals such as a tool falling on the battery top--another good reason for battery boxes with lids in use.

 

[Ron20324]

My Benny 2006 has a fire port in the stairs/engine cover. The port is really just a plug in a hole. Something like the hole-plug in a desktop that lets wires through is about what it amounts to.