Landracing Forum

Tech Information => Safety => Topic started by: Jack Gifford on May 07, 2020, 12:35:11 AM

Title: Fire sensor
Post by: Jack Gifford on May 07, 2020, 12:35:11 AM
I'm thinking that a small rear-view mirror strategically located in my rear engine lakester (which has separate manual engine/driver extinguishing systems) would be a huge improvement over having no indication of engine fire. Comments?
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Das Bullet on May 07, 2020, 12:01:19 PM
Years ago I bought a $35 back up camera kit that came with the camera and small screen. I mounted the camera on the firewall facing the engine on my rear engine car with screen mount next to my gauge panel.  With the engine cover on the screen is black if I ever see a flicker of light I will release the chute and then engine fire bottles.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: kiwi belly tank on May 07, 2020, 01:24:43 PM
Way back in 89 after Al had a bad engine fire in Betsy (Liner) I put some snap switches in the engine compartment hooked up to a light on the dash. The light only ever came on one time & the sucker was on fire!
  Sid.
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS788US788&sxsrf=ALeKk037LvgquwPjsnQPRcCk1-8iQIuh_Q%3A1588872220154&ei=HES0Xp7wCI6DtQa5vLK4CA&q=furnace+snap+switch&oq=furnsnap+switch&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgAMgYIABAHEB46BAgAEEc6BAgAEA1QlVNY3WFg0YABaABwAngAgAGeAYgBygSSAQMwLjSYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Speed Limit 1000 on May 07, 2020, 07:02:04 PM
Great idea Sid. Simple, cheep and reliable. Do you remember the temperature range you used? Don Vesco once told us "if you think you are on fire, you probably are not". He said "when your on fire you will know it".

Our car, 1000 Bockscar, is small and it gets hot in the engine area. We have been very lucky. Have melted plastic parts and had an oil leak with lots of smoke never a fire. We double rap our exhaust and anything near or above the exhaust is covered with fire sleeve.  Stopped melting plastic parts and seams if oil gets on it, it smokes but the surface temperature is low enough not to light a fire.   
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: kiwi belly tank on May 07, 2020, 11:53:24 PM
I think I used 250f back then on Betsy but that's what I've put in my liner. On Betsy I put them in the chassis under the zoomies with no heat protection & right behind the blower & they worked fine.  I've set them up as doubles in every location in mine so I have two separate systems so I'll see two lights.
Many rear engine cars have burned up pretty bad by drivers that were still $hittin & gittin because they had no way of knowing the muther was on fire!
  Sid.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Jack Gifford on May 08, 2020, 12:30:38 AM
... rear engine cars have burned up pretty bad by drivers that were still $hittin & gittin because they had no way of knowing the muther was on fire!...
That is my concern.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Lemming Motors on May 10, 2020, 03:18:54 PM
I defer to Mike Browns linear heat detection cable solution for the Lakester per this conversation.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: floydjer on May 11, 2020, 10:45:12 AM
I defer to Mike Browns linear heat detection cable solution for the Lakester per this conversation.
??  Fishing line and a spring loaded switch?
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Stainless1 on May 11, 2020, 12:07:24 PM
Fishing line and a spring loaded switch?

I think those are available at Claymore Technology...
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: floydjer on May 11, 2020, 12:31:35 PM
Little early on Friday Robert.....
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Lemming Motors on May 11, 2020, 12:43:50 PM
If fishing line is connected to some funky fire detection electrical cable that is wired to a circuit board with 3 LEDs showing live, fault or fire, then yes, that solution  :-D

Possibly a cultural divide re terminology but is the claymore reference to things that go bang in the night?
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: kiwi belly tank on May 11, 2020, 05:09:06 PM
Idiot lights aren't enough for some people who would be better off with a piece of fishing line hooked up to a spring loaded hand that slaps them up the side of the head! "The muther's on f^@*ing fire dumba$$!". :roll:
  Sid.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Stan Back on May 11, 2020, 05:24:16 PM
. . . and I guess that I'm just a pussy, but the only thing I've looked at after getting in 4th gear by the 1 was the tach ? and it don't move.

I don't think I could be trusted to look at a rear-view mirror.  Nothing much is happening, but I was always anticipating it.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Elmo Rodge on May 11, 2020, 06:26:04 PM
Stan, was the rear view mirror to see where you were going?  :cheers:
Wayno
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Stan Back on May 11, 2020, 06:56:26 PM
Come on, Wayno . . .

The Notch got me on my first long course ride with the D motor.  Just scared me, I didn't come around.  Next two runs were record, record.

But years later when I put a PosiTraction differential in with the C motor, it was quite a trip, just taking a look at how to read the signs backwards.  We put the 1-leg in and went record, record.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Speed Limit 1000 on May 11, 2020, 07:42:45 PM
That looks like a record run when we had to run both directions. If you ran late afternoon the sun in your eyes could be difficult :cheers:
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: floydjer on May 11, 2020, 08:40:44 PM
Idiot lights aren't enough for some people who would be better off with a piece of fishing line hooked up to a spring loaded hand that slaps them up the side of the head! "The muther's on f^@*ing fire dumba$$!". :roll:
  Sid.
[/quote.  I like that idea.    :cheers:   Racing
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Stan Back on May 11, 2020, 08:57:27 PM
No ?

I believe that was the afternoon run with the Posi.  Just going a little backwards at the time.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Speed Limit 1000 on May 11, 2020, 10:33:33 PM
For return runs you would start at the 9 and run to the 4. The signs were reversed, they never turned them around.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: kiwi belly tank on May 12, 2020, 01:57:31 AM
Yeah those were the days, it was a hard slog down & back but I liked it that way.
  Sid.
Title: Re: Fire sensor
Post by: Stan Back on May 12, 2020, 01:07:02 PM
We had Impound at the 11.

It was shorter to go for lunch into Salt Lake City than all the way back and around.