2 easy questions

[Jonny Hotnuts]

This is the first year I will have a shoot.

For some reason I remember someone saying that if you have a shoot you must deploy it. Any failure to deploy (even if driver just didnt pull it) is considered a shoot malfunction and you have to go through the tech BS because of the failure.

I also remember someone telling me that you only pull the shoot if you need to (and this person avoids the pull to avoid the re-pack).

So what is the true story about the pull?


Second question:

3.K
Batteries may be mounted in the driver’s compartment if sealed in an acid spill proof box.

Does this also apply to new gen. spill proof gel batteries?

[edweldon]

Jonny -- re the battery question......
I don't know what the Tech inspectors say about this; but figure that in a serious crash situation the battery may take unexpected direct impacts at fairly high g levels. 
If it breaks some of the contents might get up close and personal with the driver.  This stuff is usually pretty corrosive and likely won't feel real nice in contact with skin.  Another concern is that some metal component might short out the main battery terminals and cause a heavy energy release.  Another possibility is that the electrolytes that might escape from a broken battery case could short out other electrical connections also allowing an energy release.  And then there is the potential hazard to rescue personnel of contamination of vehicle surfaces and driver clothing with the corrosive chemicals.

My approach is to put the battery outside the driver's compartment in a heavy steel hard mounted box with good rubber gaskets for the cover sealed wire feed-thrus and a heavy plastic 1/8 thick insulating sheet on top where the terminals are.  Also a couple of miniature vents in the cover similar to fuel tank vents to let the hydrogen out.  I'm also thinking of some rubber isolation mounts for the battery box to isolate shocks and handle high forces in the 50g range.  Maybe overkill but not that hard to actually build out of some 1/8" steel sheet with a good coat of rustoleum to keep the rust down.

Anybody else have ideas on this?
Ed Weldon

[SPARKY]

I build retaing trays out of angle---tie downs with 1/4 alum straps with 3/8 studs  cut a 3/8 plywood battery top with holes for the tie down studs jam on the studs---so that if I drop something on the batts---no arcs or sparks----OUTSIDE by the rear axel

[jdincau]

Jonny,
     The parachute (chute) is your friend. It can save your tires (no hard braking), it can save time (slow down faster and clear the course for the next guy) and it can save your behind. You want to get used to pulling the chute so it can be an automatic reflex in an emergency. Packing the thing is a small price for the benefits, And if you think tech is BS you need to adjust your attitude.
Jim

[John Noonan]

JH,

The Chute in not an option, you are supposed to pull it and should do so to not only get off of the course quickly and in some instances you might find it could save your Acura.

Pull it and pack it then repeat..see you in impound..

J

[jimmy six]

Jonny. If I had a sealed battery in the drivers compartment I would still put in a box.

Use your chute. Have a minimum 5 gallon open container, fill it with water, dip the chute in the water, hang in your pit to dry. It will be dry prior to getting back into line again and repacking it. If you are using a non-metallic fabric on your chute for its release, keep sunscreen or vasaline on it to keep it soft. Make sure the rod going thru the material is free from any snags and rounded, not pionted, on the end...Good Luck JD

[Sumner]

On the chute, since the record in your class is under 175 and since you are running the short course and the rules say that chutes are required for cars that qualify for the long course (run over 175) personally I would say you don't have to pull the chute since it is not required for your car at this time.  My opinion.

Also my opinion would say do like the other guys have stated and use the chute to make sure it is working properly.  On our first run we had no idea exactly how the chute worked and didn't take the line out that you use to pack it  .  Somehow it opened, but the next run it didn't (still a licence run under 175) and thankfully someone who knew what they were doing got us going in the right direction and we have been fine since.

You also want to use it so that you know that it is deploying and not hanging up on something on release.  Packing it is not a big deal, as long as you have muscles, and you may as well get use to that and you will have plenty of time to do it in line or we do it in the pits where it is easier to get it all strung out.

We haven't put it in water like JD suggested and I'm going to suggest we try that this year.  As it gets salted up it gets bigger and you need even bigger muscles to get it packed.  Hooley has always cleaned it good when he gets home, but I think JD has a good suggestion.

Besides you are going to need it anyway since you are going to run over 175 this year, aren't you or you wouldn't of put it on  .


On the battery, personally I would just keep the battery out of the driver's compartment anyway.  Is it your main battery or is it a second battery for data logging/computer like we run?

c ya,

Sum

[thundersalt]

Pic of the chute saving my a$$.

Greg Everitt (749 stude) uses baby powder on his chute and always works well. The biggest problem with a chute failure(that I have seen) is the release cable not flipping back out of the way of the bag and holding against the pilot chute.

[Stainless1]

JNuts,
The chute, as you make runs working the car up to speed you will want to know it's manners, as well as how the chute interacts with the car when it is needed. 

The battery, the AGM batteries do not release any thing when broken open.  With that said, if you must run the battery in the driver compartment it is a good idea to have it well protected and confined.  My opinion is the AGM battery can be in the compartment without being in a sealed box, but guess what, my opinion doesn't count.  Send a note to the scta and ask the question on their tech line.  Let us know what they say.

See ya on the salt 

[RichFox]

I have an Optima battery in the drivers compartment of my roadster because I didn't find any other place for it. It's in a good stainless steel container and I wouldn't have it otherwise.

[manta22]

I don't have much room in my BGMS so the choices of where to place things like a battery are limited. I want to keep the battery away from the heat of the headers and also move some weight forward so I'm putting the battery in a sealed case and securely bolting it in place in what was once the passenger's footwell. Here is the box I just ordered:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/4021,331_Sealed-Battery-Box.html?itemNo=Battery%20box

I could make one but I'll put that effort into other things.

Regards, Neil   Tucson, AZ

[Sumner]

I don't have much room in my BGMS so the choices of where to place things like a battery are limited. I want to keep the battery away from the heat of the headers and also move some weight forward so I'm putting the battery in a sealed case and securely bolting it in place in what was once the passenger's footwell. Here is the box I just ordered:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/4021,331_Sealed-Battery-Box.html?itemNo=Battery%20box

I could make one but I'll put that effort into other things.

Regards, Neil   Tucson, AZ

Hi Neil, since that case is plastic are you planning on putting it inside a metal box or anything?

c ya,

Sum

[manta22]

Sum;

I checked the rule book on this; rule 3.K says that it must be

"...properly secured with a metal framework and fasteners." & "Batteries may be mounted in the driver's compartment if sealed in an acid spill- proof box."

The box doesn't have to be metal-- only the tie- down straps and bolts need to be metal. This makes sense to me.

Regards, Neil   Tucson, AZ

[Jonny Hotnuts]

And if you think tech is BS you need to adjust your attitude.

Jim,
Going through an unnecessary procedure to explain why your shoot did not open is not what I want to go through if I just opted to not pull it. I don’t want to have to explain why my shoot malfunctioned and have it logged in my book that I had a shoot failure IF it was because I thought it was OK not to pull it on a slow licensing run.

I did not say tech was BS...only going through something that could easily be avoided is.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

BTW Manta

That same box is available through Summit racing....for 4 dollars more!