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Topic: insulation engine bay (Read 3732 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #20 –
Regardless of whether it's fiberglass insulation or just plain fiberglass, has anybody ever seen an engine fire on a motor coach where the motor coach was not totaled afterwards? Now in a lot of boats there are fire extinguishers built into the engine compartment that will put a fire out lickety split. But even with that you're talking major bucks. If my Cummings caught fire it would get pretty hot in there maybe hardy board would stop most of it but it's going to get through. Either the whole coach is going to go up, or you're going to have such a high restoration bill that most insurance companies would probably total coach anyway. I may be wrong on this and if anybody has any true stories to tell I'd like to hear it.

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #21 –
Installing Hardie Backerboard in the engine compartment is not intended to stop an engine fire but first, to allow occupants time to safely evacuate the vehicle and if the fire is small enough, give either a fire extinguisher or the fire department the possibility of saving the coach.

A forum member with a U300 called me several years ago. He had turbo work done a couple of hundred miles earlier and the shop left off a clamp on the turbo. The turbo pipe fell off and started the engine compartment wall on fire. He said by the time he discovered it and pulled off the road, he just had time to grab is computer and along with his wife, evacuate the vehicle before the living space was completely filled with smoke and the entire vehicle involved right after that.

While flames will NOT go through the Hardie Board, they will go around it, catching the rest of the coach on fire. The protection it gives acts as a delay. It's addition along with added insulation, will make the rear area cooler and allow less noise in the bedroom.

But the full example of saving the coach is the lining the fire prone refrigerator compartment where there is a very limited amount of fuel and the Hardie Backerboard WILL stop any fire before it can extend beyond the compartment. This includes the roof. If you view my fridge compartment photos, you can see there is no area that is not covered. There is not enough fuel available to catch the interior of the fridge on fire. A disaster will be averted and only the fridge will have to be replaced.

Most of the time it's the smoke that is deadly to people. It does not take much to incapacitate or kill and can take only seconds for this to happen.  In the case of an engine fire, extra time will allow a safe evacuation so you will be able to Journey, Roam and Explore.

You can view the YouTube video below to become familiar with the fire restive properties of the cement board. This is only one of several videos on YouTube on the Hardie Backerboard.

Pierce
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0hYlXnPewM&t=364s

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #22 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
Most of the time it's the smoke that is deadly to people. It does not take much to incapacitate or kill and can take only seconds for this to happen.  In the case of an engine fire, extra time will allow a safe evacuation so you will be able to Journey, Roam and Explore.

A good reminder that all check, and replace as needed their smoke detectors.

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #23 –
Pierce I agree completely.  I've used hardie board in my homes in both the past and present home. Great stuff but breaks easily, at least the panel kind does.
Just replaced both my smoke detectors and CO detectors.  Both were 20 years old.
Hopefully if the engine ever catches fire,  your driving and can get out quickly.  Good thing these beasts are diesel and not gas.

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #24 –
I also just finished installing all new detectors. They were all original to the coach when new.

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #25 –
Pierce,
Do you have to cover the engine with a tarp or something when scrapping it off.  When I did the generator compartment it was a mess.
John M.

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #26 –
Not Pierce, but I sure would!

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #27 –
I didn't but it sounds like a good idea.

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #28 –
As I remember, it came off on the overhead pretty quickly and in big pieces. It's been so many years that I can't remember exactly how I did it. The boards had to be cut, painted and drilled for the stainless screws/washers, the insulation put into place and the screws started so they went in straight but not too far.

One piece of HB won't cover the overhead. I usually try to minimize the time it takes and this one looks easy but it was a little tougher than expected. Just awkward. I had been leaning/lying down from above installing the insulation/board but had a sharp pain. An umbilical hernia sent me to the hospital fast. After the mesh was installed and I was sewn up, I got home but when I took off my shirt, I still had the IVs in my arm. The hospital tried to get me to drive back but not about to make that trip.

Memories :-X

Pierce

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #29 –
My 2 Cents. I worked on Life Safety and Fire Suppression systems for about 15 years. The goal is to protect life first,  if you save the vehicle that's just a bonus. I'm still considering adding an engine fire suppression system, and or installing some form of fuel cut off to give us more time to evacuate. If you've ever seen a big rig turbo diesel fire it's pretty difficult to suppress, I just want to GTFO quickly.

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #30 –
Fire protection with foam and a heat sensor may help. The diesel may run for several miles before the operator notices it. The big RV fire I made the YouTube video on was the result of a hydraulic hose failure. Lots of combustible liquids back there. Imagine a mid-entrance coach with either an engine fire or a fridge fire. You have to head back almost half way toward the toxic smoke before you can get out. No two fires are the same so you can't really prepare for all of them. The biggest thing is to get out without anything else in mind.

No fires are the same. Some are small and spread slowly, while others spread super rapidly. It's not usually the fire that kills, it's the smoke. And no two people react the same to fire either. Most of the time cool heads become frantic heads.

We had a big department store fire where some child played with a lighter toward the back of the store. It caught some plastic on fire and spread so rapidly, customers just had time to get out the front door. Our station was only a mile away but the time we got there, the huge front windows were gone and fire was coming out to the street. No sprinklers. Too bad.

Pierce

Re: insulation engine bay

Reply #31 –
Ever since we had a house fire years ago I have been an advocate of having a fire extinguisher right next to our bed where I can reach out and touch it or pick it up to use. This is true both in our coach and our house. A lot of good a fire extinguisher does if it is on the other side of the fire from you.
Of course our coach came with the usual mandatory fire extinguisher next to our mid-entry door but I added another one right below it, so now there are two.
If one is good, then two are better. Not that I plan on fighting any fires. I just plan on having enough protection to get me, the DW, and Rocket out.
And if this suggestion saves just one person's life or prevents burns, it is well worth the time to post it.