Just wanted to add a note about my update on fire suppression. If you may recall, we added an engine compartment foam fire suppression system. If you are not aware, here is the post on it. CLICK HERE. Well I just wanted to say that we had been asked a number of times about electrical fires and what you can use in that case for suppression. The answer is clean agent gas such as hfc227 or halon 1211. (Whats that? Read what it is HERE.)
So I ordered in two Halon suppression systems for our coach and just installed them. After all, people were asking about it and, well, if I am going to do fire suppression, I might as well do it all the way right? After all, I knew what to use as I used it in the IT world and where to get it, I just never got around to it. But of course I was kicked in the butt to get to it because of a fire our friends had where they did purchase the Engine Compartment Fire Suppression system, but they did not have time to install it before they left on their trip. Sadly, they could have used it. READ ABOUT IT HERE. (Again, so sorry guys.)
So, I had to act and I did. What you see below are Halon 1211 Gas suppression canisters placed in the two areas of our coach that I feel an electrical fire is likely to happen if one was to. It will deploy at 155 degrees to try to suppress a fire by chemically disrupting combustion.
So the left photo is looking inside our battery compartment and main power distribution area, and the right one you can see the canister is right in front of the Inverter/Charging system. (Click images to enlarge.) I surely hope they are never needed, but sure feel a little better having them vs not.
They are made by the same company, Fire Fight Products, that does the coach engine area. You can find the the units on Amazon… Fire Fight Products SS30-90-CAG
Another great informative video you two! Keep up the great work!
Great info Dave, Thank you. I have 2 questions: (1) Can the compartments mentioned reach 155 degrees on their own I.E. while driving or sitting in the summer desert heat or other weather related condition and can this set off the Halon sensor? and (2); is there a single larger canister with the capability to plumb in sensors to 2 or more potential fire hazards locations – Your thoughts please
Thank you
Charlie
155, Gosh, I surely would hope not! We are not in such conditions. The head itself needs to reach that temp so it is not just the ambient temperature. That would be quite hot. The next level would be 286 which is used in the engine compartment. As far as 2 or more heads from one unit, not in the Halon form from that company, but they do in foam.
Two comments. Even 1211 is a hazardous chemical when exposed to a fire. After it pops, let it sit in the compartment, pull the circuit breakers, and then go see what happened. Ventilate by opening the doors, and pushing air thru, get all the bad air out. Then check for problems, the delay, to investigate, old rules said the extinguisher is to operate for 30 seconds. So it’s a time delay to let it empty and assist the putting out by the chemicals.
Foam implies a water base, is it a antifreeze water base? Some places it gets cold in the engine compartment.
Hi David. For the engine compartment, did you have to procure additional material other than what came with the bottle and nozzles and channel lock? Hose for example? Safe travels and thanks for all this info! Kenny
It comes will all you need to do the install except for screws as they have no idea where you are installing it or what you are attaching it to. For Engine See… https://outsideourbubble.com/motorhome-engine-compartment-fire-suppression-system/
That was NOT informative. How does it interrupt the combustion process? Oxygen, fuel or heat? I can only assume it is oxygen.
It removes the combustion process from being able to occur at all. I did link to the details on the agent that is used. Not sure how it needed to be more informative. I listed the what, why, and hows and even to additional detail.
“Halon is a liquefied, compressed gas that stops the spread of fire by chemically disrupting combustion. Halon 1211 (a liquid streaming agent) and Halon 1301 (a gaseous flooding agent) leave no residue and are remarkably safe for human exposure. Halon is rated for class “B” (flammable liquids) and “C” (electrical fires), but it is also effective on class “A” (common combustibles) fires.”
“Fire needs three elements to prosper: fuel, oxygen and heat. The most common extinguishing agents like water, carbon dioxide, dry chemical and foams attack the fire physically to deprive the fire of one or more of the three critical elements needed for propagation. Halon differs in the way it puts out the fire. It offers some of water’s cooling effect and some of carbon dioxide’s smothering action, but its essential extinguishing technique lies in its capacity to chemically react with the fire’s components. It actually interrupts the chain reaction of fire.”