Outdate flares

P

Planeguy

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When I bought my 1986 Silverton several years ago it had flares onboard. Everyone says keep the old ones and use them first if you have an emergency. Over the weekend I thought I would test the theory that they do not go bad. Brought a couple of them home that were manufactured in 1986 and tried to light them. They would not light. Myth busted!
 
1986?!

That's REALLY old! I think it's good advice for the flares that expired last year, and maybe even 2009...
 
Ok, so the flare didn't light. Now what the heck do you do with it?
 
A fire fighter friend said to soak them in water for 24 hours then throw them away so that's what I did.
 
Now, not to discourage the notion that 25 year old flares are probably no good, but...

Coming into possession of an old life float light - and I mean old, like soldered copper old - my colleagues and I decided to see if it would still light. Pulled the tab, and nothing. Figured it had been filled with pebbles and soldered back together (that's what it sounded like when you shook it). But my Engineer and I noticed a somewhat familiar smell, and decided to chuck it in the water and splash it around a bit. Sure, enough, fired right up, nice strong bright flame that took over a half hour to burn out...
 
<<..."Everyone says keep the old ones and use them first if you have an emergency."...>>

I don't know who that "everyone" is who told you to use the old ones first in an emergency, but it's very bad advice. If you truly are in an **emergency** situation...let's say you're sinking.... then you certainly don't want to waste a minute trying to light off old flares that might or MIGHT NOT fire off / light.

In an emergency, if the old ones don't fire off / light, you might have just cost you and your crew a much needed precious minute, and now might have no time to fire off the good/new flares in a fast sinking boat...... for what? .... To save the newer flares for later? There might not be "a later" in an emergency.

If you are doing a practice shoot (with permission, of course), then sure.... go ahead and fire off the old ones to save the new ones.
(Maybe a practice shoot is what you were thinking of when saying to use the old ones first?)

But, real emergencies are no time to be frugal with saving your new flares.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Planeguy

Click to expand...


Myth NOT busted.

Your test was out of the bounds of reason. Did you really expect 25 year old flares to function?

G
 
Actually, depending on storage and the witchcraftery placed on them we have had some surprisingly old flares still work at public demo days. I'm talking 35-40 year old flares. OTOH We've had a few, not many if you need a paraphrase, just past expiration flares not light. Guess its luck of the draw.
 
I tested flares that were over 10 years out of date and they still worked but 25 years old? If they were stored on the boat the whole time, I would not expect them to work because of the damp environment. I have a whole drawer full of expired flares in my shop at home that I use in the winter when we light bonfires.
 
Our Power Squadron had a flare demo day last year. We contacted the proper authorities and had a flare demonstration with old outdated flares ranging from 4yrs old to 20 yrs. old. Almost all of them worked. We had a few that did not but it was obvious that they were stored improperly and got very damp. If they are stored in a sealed container then they will more than likely work over time. Even 25 yr. old flares.

However, I would not want to count on old flares in an emergency situation! I would use them solely as backup!
 
If you get stopped by any law enforcement of any kind on the water do the look at the dates on the flares? And if they expired say last year can they ticket you? It almost seems like a flare company scam in a way. I understand the safety part of it but I tend to keep all mine even though I end up buying a new pack every year.
 
I purchased an older boat a few years ago that had all the flares purchased since the boat was new 30yrs ago. I tested one from every pack and they all worked fine all the way back to the 30 yr old ones. Needless to say I got rid of the large pile of explosive flares on the boat as I thought it seemed like a good way to burn the boat down. Went out and purchased a new set.
 
JLC, Yes they can, so make sure if you have old flares on board that you do not present them to the authorities by mistake. you ALWAYS need to have up to date flares on board to show.
 
i have fired off flares over 15yrs old both handheld and gun type
so i keep them as spares
 
I like the "soak 'em in water" idea for handheld flares - but what would one do to 'dispose' of shell (hand-gun type) flares?? contact LEO?
 
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