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  1. #1

    Fireboy system, 53MY

    I just finished installing a new fire system on my 53. The old CO system was original and beyond servicing.

    It’s a little tricky on the split ER MYs as you need 3 bottles and 3 shutdown systems. Unfortunately the Fireboy shutdowns are only set up for single space which means 3 are required.

    I installed three 500cuft bottles, one per machinery space. In the ERs I mounted them above the hallway hatch, on the engine room just forward of the port battery bank. The manual cable pulls are above the forward ER doors, and next to the stairs behind the helm for the gen room.

    for the shut down system, I used basic Bosch relays installed behind the helm by the stairs where I have a small cabinet for wiring. The system is powered by a switch at the helm. Nothing will start if it is not armed. In case of a relay failure, that circuit will shutdown its machinery. I also have individual override switches with guards

    The nice thing about having three independent system is that if a bottle trips on one space, the other two are not affected and you don’t loose all propulsion

    Not cheap, just under $4k from Defender which had the best price. Including cables, shipping etc

    I sleep better at night
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  2. #2

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    I hate to say this but suggest you have a licensed fire suppression company inspect the way you have the three bottles independently installed. To get them certified as acceptable to your insurance company there is a formula for square footage in engine room and how big the system has to be. If your engine room requires 600 and you have two bottles 500 that wont go off automatically , your system wont meet requirements even though you have way more that required. Sadly they must all go at the very same time if needed.
    Had this discussion on my boat system which is double what is required but the auto activate in not coupled together they will go off independently and that's where the rub comes in. If you need 1000 and two are not linked to go off at the very same time on one fuse you can have ten and it wont meet code.
    Ask me how I know so much about this!!

  3. #3

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    Quote Originally Posted by Sea Horse View Post
    I hate to say this but suggest you have a licensed fire suppression company inspect the way you have the three bottles independently installed. To get them certified as acceptable to your insurance company there is a formula for square footage in engine room and how big the system has to be. If your engine room requires 600 and you have two bottles 500 that wont go off automatically , your system wont meet requirements even though you have way more that required. Sadly they must all go at the very same time if needed.
    Had this discussion on my boat system which is double what is required but the auto activate in not coupled together they will go off independently and that's where the rub comes in. If you need 1000 and two are not linked to go off at the very same time on one fuse you can have ten and it wont meet code.
    Ask me how I know so much about this!!
    I guess you miss the fact that the 53 like most classic Hatteras MY has THREE separate machinery spaces: port ER, stbd ER and generator room. All sealed and independent. Each of them measured about 400/450 cu Ft which is why I got 500cuft bottles… I thought I made it clear in the post that I m dealing with three separate compartments. I m fully aware that you can not have multiple bottles in a single space unless they are linked by special hoses with sprinkler heads
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  4. #4

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    Quote Originally Posted by Pascal View Post
    I guess you miss the fact that the 53 like most classic Hatteras
    Think he is missing missing more than a few facts.
    SFB
    Quote Originally Posted by Sea Horse View Post
    Ask me how I know so much about this!!
    Is that like pull my finger?
    Naw, nobody here going to ask.
    Another urine broadcasting contest is not necessary.
    Last edited by Captain Ralph; 08-18-2022 at 08:01 PM.

  5. #5

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    Guess I did miss the fact that you have three different compartments. In the future I’ll try and read more carefully or just not try and share something I was made aware of by the last person who inspected my system.

  6. #6

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    Quote Originally Posted by Sea Horse View Post
    Guess I did miss the fact that you have three different compartments. In the future I’ll try and read more carefully or just not try and share something I was made aware of by the last person who inspected my system.
    Nah, that was good for those of us with one space to hear about.
    Brett Portzer 1972 Hatteras 43DC331
    2019- SUPERNOVA Waterford, NY
    1977-2019 CAROL-SUE Baltimore, MD
    1972-1977 C.VALPRISANN IV Boston, MA

  7. #7

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    I ve dealt with large ERs on boats I run. It s a good point though as some folks may think two 500s will be fine for a 1000 cuft space. Nope. For large ERs you can use two bottles but it gets complex with a hose looking then and extra sprinkler. And if anything happens, both bottles plus the hoses and heads have to be shipped to the manufacturer as even their licensed service centers can’t work on them

    Worst…. A few month ago we had a slow leak on a big Seafire system on the 116 i run. For some reason the cylinder installed at some point in the past wasn’t engraved DOT so it could not even be shipped back to sea fire for service. It has a label… but that didn’t count. It had to be enobssed with a DOT number. Had to buy a new one… only $12k.
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  8. #8

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    I also didn't realize, for whatever reason, that these are not CO2 based systems.

    I have the giant 4' CO2 bottle on my 43DC that hasn't been inspected in 10-15 yrs and while it seems like a good system, there isn't anyone around here that wants to look at it...

    Story of my life with boat stuff around here.

    Only good reason to have a Bayliner instead!
    Brett Portzer 1972 Hatteras 43DC331
    2019- SUPERNOVA Waterford, NY
    1977-2019 CAROL-SUE Baltimore, MD
    1972-1977 C.VALPRISANN IV Boston, MA

  9. #9

    Re: Fireboy system, 53MY

    Nice upgrade, Pascal thanks for sharing. Paying someone to pull the CO2 bottles from the engine room and generator space for hydrostatic testing and re-cert was money well spent vs having to horse those things out myself. And having a legit fire system is a nice sleeping aid.

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