Fire suppression system

[metalstorm]

i have a 3.8 liter AFFF firecharger system in my BGC and will be going in the 160mph range to begin with so is this manufacturer accepted as legal?i will be attending the ohio mile meet this yr.
edit: i now realize i should be in the ECTA.i found this topic in a search,sorry.
EDIT:Mr Timney called and said i could use the AFFF but was not ideal.thanks for your time.

[Billy @ AHG]

I am in the process of adding a system to the engine compartment.   I notice that section 3-Q allows use of a dry chemical or CO2 in the engine area.  I have never seen this done before, (Altho I have not really paid much attention up to now) , has anyone used a Dry chem system ? and How would you plumb it ? Nozzles ?  Same for CO2 

[Peter Jack]

You don't want to use dry chem. The cleanup is huge and you must do it absolutely thoroughly no matter how small the fire because the chemical is a pretty effective abrasive.

Pete

[Billy @ AHG]

Good point and I have considered the mess factor, Maybe I'm reading the paragraph wrong, I got to thinking, is this for first responders, not a built in system ?   Honestly the problem I'm having is the cost of a Halon system , 500 bucks and up. Yeah I'm cheap!

However if the engine is on fire , and you dump a dry chem bottle , your'e pretty much done for the rest of the event. so plenty of time to clean up when you get the mess home .

[Stan Back]

But the abrasive may include the interior of the running engine.

[Bob Drury]

  Billy, I run a 10#  CO2 and a 10# Coldfire both to the engine area.
  They are both plumbed the same and just like any Halon system (which I have 15# of for the cockpit).
  The only drawback with the CO2 bottle is that Most IF Not All only work as long as you have your hand squeezing the handle which, as the rule book states, must remain on once opened.
  What I did on mine was to modify the handle so that when you squeeze the lever, a spring loaded latch catchs over a horizontal cotter pin that runs from side to side on the handle.
  The results are that the handle is held open until you depress the spring held lever.
   It's easier than it sounds, you just need to look at it for a few minutes and realize how it functions.
  I would recomend you empty the bottle first so that you can actually try the latch system out before refilling it.  CO2 is cheap and ANY local Safety Supply store can probably fill it if they service any type of fire systems.                             Bob

[Billy @ AHG]

Thank you for the replys to this question, Yes, the CO 2 makes much more sense !  And the Halon bottle we  already have in the cab has a trigger mechanism like the one Bob has mentioned , so yes, I know what you are refering to there . I will look into the CO 2 system more closely . Thanks again !

 

[Bob Drury]

  CO2 is a Gas, and being under pressure I sure can't see why not.

[jimmy six]

Eventho I have never acuated a fire system in anger I have used both CO2 and dry chemical (purple K) in my race cars.The CO2 was in my first coupe in 1975 I plumbed it from beside me to the engine compartment in 3/8" tubing. I used the nozzle from the base of the cone in an aluminum funnel as the aimer for discharging. The handle was set up with a clutch return spring and I made a large circular pin I could pull with my gloves on. The bottle was mounted up right right beside my seat behind the shifter. Remember this was 1975 and it passed tech without question.

In 1981 I mounted a 20# air actuated dry powder system to my roadster. It was the style you pushed on a lever which actuated a pin which severed a membrane allowing air to charge the cylinder holding the 20# of product. I did not use a shut off lever. If I had activated it, all 20#'s would be discharged under the hood from the fire wall out. If you ever saw 20# of this stuff go out a nozzle you knew there would be no more fire under the hood, which was my thinking. The problem was the actuator lever was outside my cage limit and by the late 80's that was disallowed so I took it out and now use 1211 on me and Fire Fox on the engine....Good Luck

PS: If you ever get real inventive in your fire system, consider putting a TEE in your water system with a manual handle plumbed to a brass lawn sprinkler nozzle.....20-30 gallons of any water hot or cold will cool down a fire............Oh yeah..it has been done.

[Bob Drury]

  J. D. thats not a bad idea.
  I just recently purchased most of the stuff needed to run a overhead sprinkler system in my shop.
  It will tie into my existing house water system and place sprinkler heads aproximatly every 8' in a square pattern.
  They actually make a PVC pipe (grey ?) and fittings (orange) which is meant for low pressure sprinkler systems. 
  My shop is aproximatley 1300 sq.' and for less than $500. I will have sprinkler protection which may not be the best, but a heck of a lot better than none.
  Incedently I keep a five gallon bucket of water (with a lid on it) near my welding bench along with wall mounted fire extinguishers aproximatly 6 to 8' feet apart.  If they are sitting on the floor, they are hard to find.
  One more thing, if you are tying a fire system into your domestic water system be sure to put a backflow preventer in the feed line or you may get all sorts of crud and bacteria in your drinking water.
                                             Bob

[Tman]

PS: If you ever get real inventive in your fire system, consider putting a TEE in your water system with a manual handle plumbed to a brass lawn sprinkler nozzle.....20-30 gallons of any water hot or cold will cool down a fire............Oh yeah..it has been done.

Thanks JD, I was going to ask that very question at some point!

[Billy @ AHG]

Yeah ! This is the kind of input I was hoping for !  some great ideas, heres where I'm at .   I'm going up town tomorrow to check out a place which sells fire systems for resturants, they use a co2 system in the kitchens .  I want to see what kind of nozzles and lines they use.  THEN I thought all I need is a bottle , the little light bulb came on and I dug thru the "Shed of no return" and found two five lb bottles I have had for years !  just need to get them checked and filled , This may work out after all !

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Drew, you sly fox -- you win the "Comma (and grammar) Cop award for the week!!

You said:  "...the little light bulb came on..." and that's correct.  Yeah!

Most often folks trying to express that A-HAH sentiment say something along the lines of "the light bulb went off" or worse, "I woke when the alarm went off".  They should be saying went on or came on -- and since you did, you win a hearty vote of thanks and corngratulations and a hearty handshake (if you'll remind me about it) at the Shootout this fall.

[Peter Jack]

If you're using CO2 make sure it isn't aimed at the driver. It's hell to incur burns and frostbite at the same time! 

Pete

[jimmy six]

It is allowed if you are holding a beer.