Rule Changes for 2007 Part I

[Glen]

Current rule book is 2007 and it don't say anything about 24 month old oil.

[Dynoroom]

Current rule book is 2007 and it don't say anything about 24 month old oil.

Typo's, Fixed it!

[LVMAXX]

 

[RichFox]

What that applies to is. If you need a 10 pound bottle that means ten pounds of extinguishing agent. Some have ten pound total weight. No Good. There is nothing in that which changes the need for a current weight sticker. The date must be current as per 3.Q. Get the bottle certified.

[LVMAXX]

 

[Dean Los Angeles]

Don't forget the clock has almost run out on Halon systems.

Currently Halon 1211 and Halon 1301 are acceptable agents per SFI Spec 17.1. However, as of January 1, 2008, Halon agents will not be allowed in the field. That means that all certified Halon systems currently in use will expire on December 31, 2007, regardless of the system's manufacture or recertification date. This is in response to regulations set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Concerns about Halons include their ozone-depleting properties as well as the human health effects (toxicity) when discharged in small areas.

Also contributing to the removal of Halons from SFI Spec 17.1 is the fact the there are alternative agents available for use which are less harmful to the environment, less toxic to humans, and pass the fire suppression tests required by the spec. For a complete list of manufacturers with systems certified to SFI Spec 17.1,  contact SFI at 858-451-8868 for more information.

Recertify by December or face the possibility of not being able to have it done. SCTA has not indicated what their position is going to be. SCTA does not require a SFI spec system, but the place that does your certification may not certify after January 1.
On a larger scale, as it says above, you should replace your Halon systems to avoid discharging them into the atmosphere.

[LVMAXX]

 

[RichFox]

Well then, we need someone here in Northern Nevada, probably Reno/Sparks, to chime in and give us the info on where they had their bottles certified (We need both of them certified).

Just look in the Yellow pages under "Fire Extinguishers" My book has a page and a half of guys who go around and certify fire bottles. The fire bottle deal is really not hard.

[LVMAXX]

 

[RichFox]

Reread Dean's reply above.

[836dstr]

This thing is not a big deal individually, but collectively it's huge with 2 or 3 Fire Bottles per car.

I'm not a tree hugger but I can see doing thing that's good for the planet. Let's put things in perspective. How many dreaded Halon bottles get discharged during a season? How many zeros follow the decimal point for the percentage that is of the total ozone depleting emissions?

Safety is another issue. If halon is "toxic" in an enclosed environment, is it OK in a Roadster?

If certification is an issue of weight only, could SCTA buy scales and do the certification process? Once you fire the bottles you're done.

If not allowed, what do we do with Halon systems?
   A. Can Halon be "recylced"? or disposed of?
   B. Can the same system be used with a new agent(see question A.)?
   C. What alternative agent can be used? They should be defined by the SCTA and not be left to the racers to figure out.

Tom

[hotrod]

Here is an old web post that has some good background info on Halons how they work and what their limitations are.

http://yarchive.net/chem/halon.html

NFPA doc regarding Halon extinguishing systems (flood type not bottle extinguishers)

http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/waac/wn/wn15/wn15-2/wn15-208.html

Here is a link to a site talking about a replacement material suitable to substitute for Halon 1301, not sure if it is an acceptable substitute for 1211.

http://www.fike.com/using_ecaro_products.html

Here is a link to another Halon replacement called HFC-227ea

http://www.bfpe.com/suppression.htm

NFPA 10: Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers (I presume this applies to racing fire control bottles also)
http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?DocNum=10


A call to the NFPA would probably be a quick way to find out the best way to replace the Halon based fire systems and learn if there are any approved replacements (or exclusions) that apply to racing fire suppression systems.

http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=143&URL=About%20Us

Larry

[Evil Tweety]

This thing is not a big deal individually, but collectively it's huge with 2 or 3 Fire Bottles per car.

I'm not a tree hugger but I can see doing thing that's good for the planet. Let's put things in perspective. How many dreaded Halon bottles get discharged during a season? How many zeros follow the decimal point for the percentage that is of the total ozone depleting emissions?

Safety is another issue. If halon is "toxic" in an enclosed environment, is it OK in a Roadster?

If certification is an issue of weight only, could SCTA buy scales and do the certification process? Once you fire the bottles you're done.

If not allowed, what do we do with Halon systems?
   A. Can Halon be "recylced"? or disposed of?
   B. Can the same system be used with a new agent(see question A.)?
   C. What alternative agent can be used? They should be defined by the SCTA and not be left to the racers to figure out.

Tom

The quote I had heard was that the Halon increased stroke risk.  But I would think being in a burning car could contribute to heart problems also . . .

[JackD]

Halon fire retardants work to remove the oxygen from the flame and will remove your flame too.
The stroke part is also a factor as it raises your heart rate beyond what it is already and you explode inside.
I a tightly fitted, closed vehicle, the excess halon will snuff the operator long after the fire is out.
Most systems are required to dump the entire load with a single operation.
In have used a valve that is designed to hold fluid pressure in a brake system that can easily be shut off from the operating position if the person desires.
It is not a part of the rules, only applied to the operator area, and common sense will dictate it's proper use.

had a spello

[RichFox]

Today I pulled the fire bottles for inspection and blew out the lines. One was clogged and had to be replaced. I took the bottles to a certified and licensed checking station "Bubba's Fire Extinguisher Co". Bubba told me two interesting things. first he told me that my Simpson bottles have a 6 year pressure test cycle and mine were 7 years old. Then he said he sold halon fire bottles, had no knowledge of any reason he couldn't continue to sell them in '08. And planned to continue to sell and service Halon fire extinguishers for years to come.