Portfolio

[Randomist]

The only possible CO2 replenishment I can think of on our ships is changing bottles for the drenching systems in galley/engine spaces or changing the CO2 propellant charge inside powder/foam/water extinguishers.

Are your ships for a specialised purpose that means they have to carry a mass recharge plant for extinguishers?

Recharging CO2 at sea is difficult because the whole unit is pressurised and has to be maintained at a certain pressure. This means the unit has to stay air tight which is difficult to achieve in a ships recharge station. I thought that the caps on the CO2 portable extinguishers were an integrally formed part of the bottle so they can't be removed and non return valves mean that you can't feed CO2 the other way down the system.

After seeking clarification on this issue from SOLAS and the FSS code, there is nothing in the regs that say you can't recharge a CO2 extinguisher onboard. However, guidance in the FSS code on recharging is based on Foam/Water/Powder. There is little/no guidance on CO2 recharging and I can't help but feel that if it is a usual practice there would be.

[ETwhat?]

and as a random aside since i started this none of ours are recharged on board we do have spare charges just incase but the routine service/inspection is contract

[Chiefy]

Are you sure?
You carry bulk liquid CO2 and dispense it into smaller portable CO2 extinguishers and charge bottles for portable foam engines and dry powder extinguishers?

I stand to be corrected but never heard of this being the case, even HP CO2 systems the bottles are recharged shore side in LP systems the CO2 comes in road tankers to refill the bottles after use or dry docking.

[dawg]

CO2 extinguishers are generally not recharged on board.

What's that info based on? They're generally recharged on board ours...

[Randomist]

CO2 extinguishers are generally not recharged on board.

Right! The whole thing is a sealed unit and has to be sent ashore. You have to have very specialised equipment on board to do this and I've never sailed with or heard of any one sailing with it.

[Lewis]

You say that like it's a bad thing

[size4riggerboots]

I think it's now safe to say that you lot have meandered off topic.

[alistairuk]

I reckon CO2 ones are the best bet... the rest will be replaced by the supplier won't they.

You normally only recharge Dry Powder (and if your ship still carries them; Water and Foam) onboard - co2 is pretty much always done ashore.

[ETwhat?]

High Voltage Mister Delta its the stuff that i would guess on your ship that makes it move across the sea,

Yeah in the last month of phase one we were dealing with HV earthing down but then as an ETO its possible that your going to be dealing with it as soon as your qualified so it does make sense that you get as much learning in as possible.

[CharlieDelta]

CO2 extinguishers are generally not recharged on board.

[dawg]

I was simply extending your idea from a good idea picked up from an officer and relating it to what the TRB actually says. I must say im intregued to know how im going to get to demonstrate the ablity to recharge a fire extinguisher :s

I reckon CO2 ones are the best bet... the rest will be replaced by the supplier won't they.

So much of it is utter bollocks... I mean, in what parallel universe is a cadet going to be working on HV?!

[YoungMariner]

I agree as above, the best person to follow on the cruise ship is the safety officer. There is so much work to be done, and so much maintenance that you can do, that you be able to fill your portfolio ten times over. A few days with the bosun wouldn't do any harm.

[Chiefy]

Nowt worse than a rusty bottom

[size4riggerboots]

Yes, but you should know what you're doing with all types of extinguisher, what weight the CO2 charge should be, how full of the extinguishant to fill it, and always always check the bottom for rust!!!!

[CharlieDelta]

Ask whoever's responsible for FFA if you can do a water extinguisher - it's simple and costs nothing! With powder and foam you need the powder or concentrate; with water you just fill it up from the tap, maybe grease the screw threads on the collar, give it a quick clean, check/change the CO2 charge and that's that. Takes 5/10 minutes.