DolphM@aol.com wrote: > > Peggy, > We have an auto halon system in the engine room and it is serviced regularly. > It doesn't have an automatic engine shut down feature. It's the engines & gensets themselves, not the extinguishing system, that should have an automatic shut down, and an alarm that goes off on the helm, if/when they do. The temperature is below combustion temperature...so the halon system won't go off. That feature is meant to save an engine as much as it is to prevent fires...for instance, it'll shut down an engine if a water intake impeller fails. If your engines/genset don't have that feature, it's been disabled at some point...'cuz it's a required safety feature, and needs to be restored. Btw...in deciding where to put fire extinguishers throughout a boat, always think in terms of having one between a place where fire is likely to start and an escape hatch from the boat...it should never be necessary to go through a fire to get to an extinguisher or get out. That usually means a few more fire extinguishers than CG regs call for...which certainly doesn't hurt--nor does it hurt to have a fire drill to make sure you--and the kids and pets--know how to get out quickly from any location in the boat. And it's always a good idea to put valuables--watches, wallets, keys etc--together in a bag or box that can be grabbed easily if you're ever--God forbid!--ever awakened and have to get out quick. > The only way I would > know if it went off is if I notice the pop or I notice that the little led has > gone out. The smoke detector I can hear and see easily. Should it go off I > would shut down the engine and or gen set immediately and investigate. Once a fire has started in a closed compartment, it can be dangerous to open that compartment, 'cuz opening it can provide the additional oxygen that a smoldering fire needs to explode (almost literally) into full blaze. Experts advise against ever opening a hatch that's more than just warm or one that has smoke curling out from the edges. That's why automatic extinguishing systems are so important in engine rooms...and if halon is inappropriate, there are other chemicals that effectively smother fires. Peggie > Diesels > are quite happy burning halon and will quickly suck it out of the engine room > if left running. The fire can then re flash. > In addition I have detectors in every other place that I thought a fire might > start. I can hear the alarms quite well in the stateroom at anchor. If we are > running there is always someone on watch in the pilot house. I want to know > about any conflagration well before there is enough smoke in my stateroom to > cause a smoke detector in that area to go off. We have hand held extinguishers > through out the boat and we know how to use them, if given the chance. > Hope this answers your questions. > Dolph > M/V The Right Whale