Halon fire extinguishers

[Andy Denmark]

I have 2 virtually new HALON portable fire extinguishers that are in perfect condition. As I read the CG regs relative to these there seems to be some conflict. According to the written regs if these extinguishers are "Certified" by an approved facility (and they suggest this is the manufacturer) then it's legal to use them. Short of this, where would one find someone to inspect and approve them as they say said inspection needs to be done annually? Evidently said inspection is a visual inspection of the extinguisher for corrosion, etc. and its weight.

The local CG station doesn't have anyone aboard who knows what HALON is much less recommend a facility to "certify" a HALON portable extinguisher.

Otherwise, it's illegal to have them aboard. These things were expensive but there's nothing like them to put out a fire because they bind up the oxygen and eliminate one leg of the combustion "triangle." Just don't breathe the stuff.

I'd like to keep 2 of these aboard as the extinguishers required for vessels of > 26 ft.

I could care less about environmental concerns when dealing with a fire aboard. I want the most effective means of stopping combustion available. (The so-called "ozone hole vs. CFC" debate has long since been disproven.) The continuing approval of HALON for use in aircraft speaks to its effectiveness. Does anyone have experience with the CG and Halon extinguishers, especially the "annual certification?"

My read is this regulation grandfathers in currently existing extinguishers in good condition but they cannot be replaced with new HALON extinguishers.
________
BUY HERBALAIRE

[Joe CD MS 300]

I added a halotron extinguisher with a fire port for the engine compartment this season. This was in addition to the required number of extinguishers on board.
I don't think your halon extinguishers are illegal, just can't get new ones. Have them checked out at your local fire department station. If they can't do it I'd expect that they could point you in the right direction. I'd add these extinguishers to your existing extinguishers not as a replacement. They are primaily intended for enclosed spaces like engine compartmens not open areas like the cabin. The gas can disapate in an open area allowing a fire to start up again if not completly out. Keep in mind that when used in an engine compartment the motor can not be running. Automatic systems require an automatic engine kill unit.

[M. R. Bober]

Andy,
There have been a number of "HALON" products available over the years. I think we used HALON 1201 (or HALON 1211) at our corporate data center, but it was taken off of the market and replaced by HALON 1301. I do not know why, nor do I remember exactly when.

I do know that if you have a HALON system that discharges it is best for the oxygen breathers to remove themselves from the area.

OBTW: Witnessing the testing of a HALON system is a memorable event. The Fire Marshall measured the concentrations of the "test HALON" at various time periods to assure that there was not enough oxygen to support combustion. We were concerned with the alarms and rather dramatic discharge of the gas.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster (where one fewer fire is always better), VA

[CFFrank35]

My knowledge of halon fire extinguishers derives from the UK, I'm not sure how much this relates to the USA.

Halon 1211 (BCF) was used in portable fire extinguishers while Halon 1301 (BFM) was used in fixed systems, such as data centers.

Both became controlled substances under the Montral Protocol 1989. I beleive production in the USA was supposed to cease in 2009.

Your extinguishers are probably able to be serviced by any regular extinguisher service tech. However, these techs are compensated by commisssion so be prepared to be told they are illegal and need to be replaced.

They are probably still good units and a great source of putting out fires. The cylinders do have to be pressure tested periodically so check the date stamped onto the cylinder.

[Oswego John]

I know very little about it. I've never used it so I can't add much to the thread. I'm a retired volunteer fireman. We never carried it on our trucks. We were told that it is only effective when used in a confined area. We used CO² instead. Two of my friends got kicked out of the department after they were caught using CO² to chill their beer.

I first heard of Halon back in 1976. I was working in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, building the Alaska Pipeline. There was a conglomeration of oil companies who merged and created Alyeska.

At the time, I was working at Drill Site #9 for ARCO. (Atlantic Richfield ). A drill site receives pumped oil from a dozen or so wells in the vicinity.. Then they scrub the raw oil and removes the rocks, sand and other impurities to prepare the crude for sending through the pipeline.

The building housing all of the machinery was large enough to be a hangar for an airship. At one end of the buildinf was a bank of tanks about the size of a Volkswagon Beetle, filled with halon.

Once a week the safety committee would hold a safety seminar and fire drill, which always scared the bejeebers out of me. We were told that when we heard the air horn blast a staccato, to immediately grab your parka and scramble out of there immediately.

In two minutes the halon would be released and the building would be filled with it. If you didn't scrsmble, they would send your body home.

That is my entire knowledge of halon

O J

[Matt Cawthorne]

Halon is the best thing for killing fires. It used to be THE standard for military aircraft. Also, if you put a fire out with it, you don't need to spend a week getting all of that white powder out of your boat. I believe that Halon is like Freon-12, you can continue to use it, but you can not make it new.

Most towns have companies that service fire extinguisher systems. Try the web or your phone book. To pressure test the cylinder (required every 5 or 6 years) the halon has to come out, be stored, and then be put back. If your company has the equipment to do that then the job will cost as much as the price of a new fire extingusher. It is worth it for a Halon extinguisher. If they can't do it, then they usually will know who can. If the cylinder does not require test, then all they have to do is look at the gage and put a new tag on the unit once a year.

You should make certain of a few things. Make certain that there is NO chance of the pin accidentally getting removed and the extinguisher being activated. I had a tiny halotron unit that I kept on board for the purposes of galley fires. This happened at some point when some sails were dumped against it. I did not know that it happened for a few days. If it had happened when the boad was closed, and if it had been a bigger extinguisher, we would have woken up dead.

Another issue is that a diesel can run with lots of Halon in the intake air. The engine will empty the Halon out of the engine compartment in relatively short order, so kill your engine if you intend to dump halon into the engine compartment.


Matt

[Cathy Monaghan]

Contact your local fire department and see if they'll inspect it for you. They do the inspections in public buildings.