Author Topic: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner  (Read 13775 times)

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Offline kustombrad

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Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« on: June 03, 2015, 12:17:24 AM »
In the process of building my streamliner one thing has constantly been on my mind, how do I "see" a fire that's behind me? I've heard of cameras (burnt up) or heat sensors (no sight) or even electric sensors (won't work in electrical fire) and decided I needed to take it to the next step. Now being I'm all about safety and it's MY butt on the line, I came up with an idea. I was hanging out at Victory Race Cars looking at some funny car tin work my friend Ron was doing and when I looked at the firewall, the light came on. Anyone who's been around drag racing for any period of time knows funny car fires (any car actually) are bad because it's hidden behind the firewall. Years ago the idea of putting little 2" lexan "windows" in the aluminum so you could actually "see" the fire, changed everything. If that idea is good enough for 7000+ HP, it's definitely good enough for me!  So the plan is to have a window on each side of my head when I'm strapped into the car



Next I will build mounts that are attached to each side of the canopy, that will have small 1 1/2"-2" convex mirrors mounted on each side but in my line of vision



so as I'm looking forward, I can see behind me. If I see black in the mirrors I'm good but any flickering color and the bottles get hit. I told a fellow liner friend my idea yesterday because he is running this summer and being I don't want to see ANYONE get hurt if it can be prevented, I shared my idea. He really liked it so we'll see what happens...

Offline kustombrad

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2015, 12:39:06 AM »
As an added bonus, after you stop and get out, you can look in the windows if you smell something burning...

Offline tauruck

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2015, 03:09:05 AM »
Great thinking Brad. You're right. Fire is the SCARY one.

I guess I got lucky with my fire suppression system.
It's built in Belgium and is used for the big tour buses.
It's all automatic and has sensors in the lines so if a problem arises
it does it's thing.
Not a small unit by any means and very expensive but from video I was shown it will do the job.

I need some extra weight forward of the motor low down so the unit has a dual purpose.

Offline tallguy

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2015, 05:24:30 AM »
Brad, I'm as big a fan of safety as anyone else, but suggest you check the
rulebook (and/or one of the "officials") about this, before actually fabricating
this hardware.  Just trying to help (please don't be offended -- your idea
is actually pretty clever).

Offline jacksoni

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2015, 08:36:40 AM »
Brad, I'm as big a fan of safety as anyone else, but suggest you check the
rulebook (and/or one of the "officials") about this, before actually fabricating
this hardware.  Just trying to help (please don't be offended -- your idea
is actually pretty clever).
For sure get a ruling. Para 3F..."non production firewalls SHALL (my emphasis) be made of metal"...But good idea. Having had a fire in rear motor streamliner at speed......Course the engine blew so I knew something was up...
Jack Iliff
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  G/FAlt- 193.934 2021 (196.033 best)
 G/GMS-182.144 2019

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2015, 09:08:35 AM »
The Hanna/Moore car had an automatic fire suppression system in the motor.  If it got hot enough to melt the sensor it triggered the system.

I thought the funny car guys always knew when then had a fire because the body was gone...
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline kustombrad

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2015, 09:12:37 AM »
I will bounce it off John and Lee but I'm sticking to my guns on this one. This is one of those "grey" areas of the rulebook and how you read it. The firewall is/will be aluminum and ALL holes will be filled (throttle cable, water hoses, electrical, fire lines, etc.) and the sight windows will be lexan or even wood stove/fireplace glass which is also "filling" up a hole. I don't want to be stuck trusting a sensor when I can "see" the issue at hand.

Offline Elmo Rodge

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2015, 09:16:45 AM »
Lexan will melt.  :wink: Wayno

Offline kustombrad

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2015, 09:41:49 AM »
Yeah, I'm sure it would if the fire got way out of hand and the fire bottles didn't do their job. I don't plan on being in the car for that long to find out...

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2015, 09:48:06 AM »
Glass will melt also, but it will take 1500 degrees and the aluminum will already be melted to mix into the same puddle.  I think glass ports would be an acceptable solution... now all you have to do is convince Lee.  They make view ports for Kilns and commercial furnaces.
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline Finallygotit

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2015, 10:21:57 AM »
I'm with Stainless on this one.  Also, polycarbonate does not like hydrocarbons and will crack/craze.  That's why tail light lenses are made from acrylic.

Use high temp glass.

YMMV

 :cheers:
Dan
Tucson, AZ

Offline Ron Gibson

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2015, 10:47:46 AM »
What about mica? Won't melt.

Ron
Life is an abrasive. Whether you get ground away or polished to a shine depends on what you are made of.

Offline salt27

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #12 on: June 03, 2015, 12:23:53 PM »
Didn't someone already do this fire port view thing?

What I remember is they didn't need a mirror because they could see the reflection on the inside of the canopy.

Anyone else recall this?

  Don

Offline Freud

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2015, 12:27:30 PM »
An 8 year old should not play with matches.

FREUD
Since '63

Offline salt27

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Re: Fire detection in rear engine streamliner
« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2015, 12:30:14 PM »
An 8 year old should not play with matches.

FREUD

It's OK, I got rubber sheets.   :-D