Fire suppression system

[Clay Pitkin]

OK question here: Looking at the rule book, for a fire suppression system in an enclosed car, Do I have to have two separate bottles of approved agent, (1) for the driver, and (1) for the engine/header area, or can I simply have one 10 pd bottle of approved agent, and will that pass tech?

TIA
Clay
 

[38flattie]

Clay, as long as your class only needs 10lbs, 1 bottle is fine-that's all I, and a lot of cars have.

[Stan Back]

I'm not sure about that, but I would like having two fives so I could use just the one needed (if, in the situation, I could figure out which was which).  Cheaper to refill a five, too.

[Buickguy3]

   The cost of refilling a 5 lb vs. a 10 lb bottle is a non-issue when you are on fire. I have not regretted touching off the 10 lb bottle at World of Speed when I felt more heat and saw what I thought was smoke in the cockpit on Salt Cat ll only to find out it was steam from coolant being pushed out into the cooling system by a compression leak into the system. Money well spent.
   Doug
   [P.S. We just added another 5 lb bottle for insurance]. See you all at World Finals. 

[Elmo Rodge]

I'm with you, Doug. Those are minimums in the rule book. I also have a -20 suit. Was the steam coming out of your Cruiserline Ventiports?  Wayno

[interested bystander]

The reason Stan can figure out which is which is :

HE TRAVELS SLOWLY!

For the fast guys I recommend fire'n ALL at once!

[Stainless1]

Many years ago we had occasion to think the Bockscar was on fire after a run.... don't remember the circumstances... but Johnboy did not hit the fire bottles... and we were not on fire. 
We discussed it with other racers that night and Don Vesco gave us some sage advice on that...  "if you think you're on fire you're not... you will know when you are on fire"
We have had occasion to use that advice many times over the years, oil leaking on header wrap puts out a lot of smoke, water spraying on header wrap puts out a lot of smoke looking stuff, a rubber hose too close to an unwrapped exhaust puts out a lot of smoke. 
With that said, $500 is a lot less money than letting the car be consumed by fire. 

[Clay Pitkin]

Thanks everyone, appreciate it!

Clay

[Stan Back]

Might just be me -- but for the last few years I've seen more bottles discharged in the pits than on the course.

[LSR Mike]

2 words, SAFETY PINS.

I have 4 on 2 Bottles, one on the actuator, at the bottle, and one on the button.

[Cajun Kid]

Also the push to deploy systems tend to get set off by accident easier than the "pull type"
.. they make both kinds so to each his own, I just prefer the pull to deploy/activate type.

Charles

[Dr Goggles]

Might just be me -- but for the last few years I've seen more bottles discharged in the pits than on the course.

...........especially in the White Goose Bar  

[johnneilson]

Check with someone you trust about 2012 minimums, I hear changes are coming.

I just bought 2 systems, 5 lb for driver (ahead of motor) and a 10 lb for the part that crosses the fence last.

BTW, I have set off every type of actuator in the shop or trailer at one time or another.....

John

[dw230]

Look at your 2011 rulebook and you will see the change warning for activation on Jan 1, 2012.

DW

[GH]

I got a royal reaming from the chief inspector at SW 2010 for not setting off the fire bottles when I lost a turbo. I knew from the previous SW that the smoke was from the failed turbo igniting the oil that was leaking into the turbo. Setting off the fire bottles would have done nothing for that kind of failure. Glad I got that off my chest.