Lettuce discuss fire supression systems

[2011SVT]

Working on a 'multi venue' racing platform for next season. In addition to an 8.5 cert roll cage, racing seat with halo, etc. etc., I am wanting to put in a fire suppression system for the cockpit and engine bay.

 

Been doing a fair bit of reading and it looks like both Halon and FE-36 have some big drawbacks (e.g. you cant breathe, no 'reignition' protection, the gas can easily just blow away if you are still moving) vs. the aqueous foam (AFFF) type which have none of those problems but are a mess to clean up (maybe the least of your worries at the point the fire has reached your jimmies).

 

Was wondering if you guys had any thoughts on the subject?

 

Thanks!

 

- Chuck

[SHIEF]

Just curious, but why are you putting one of these systems in? I'm assuming it's on the GT500. I've seen one of the Halon systems have to be used in person on a Cobalt (super stock car). It was a complete mess afterwards. If it were me and I was putting one on, I'd go with the foam. Although I'm not educated enough on it to know if one works better than the other. Either way your going to have a mess to deal with regardless.

[2011SVT]

Just curious, but why are you putting one of these systems in? I'm assuming it's on the GT500.

 

Will be upping the ante as it were - more power, more speed, more track time. This has changed my thinking about some of the personal safety minimums I am comfortable with.

 

I've seen one of the Halon systems have to be used in person on a Cobalt (super stock car). It was a complete mess afterwards.

 

I had not heard that about Halon. I thought it's advantage was there was zero mess and that even electronics could be recovered without cleaning. I have seen arguments that some have made that it is corrosive but then others have said it is chemically inert in that regard. (?). However, everyone seems to agree that you can't breathe it so using it as a cockpit extinguisher could be problematic.

 

If it were me and I was putting one on, I'd go with the foam. Although I'm not educated enough on it to know if one works better than the other. Either way your going to have a mess to deal with regardless.

 

Yeah, best thing to do is not have a fire

[SHIEF]

Being safe is understandable. I've heard the same on the chemicals being safe/less clean up, but not working as good as your typical units. The guy who owned the cobalt had to replace his electrical board (had msd digital 7 with an open control board). I guess if I were to do one id focus it on the engine bay being you could attempt to stop any fire from reaching into the car.

[2011SVT]

I am actually going to have two separate systems with adjacent handles for that very thing. Would rather just squirt the engine good if that's what it needs than ruin my nav unit in the process :fuuuu:

[neonkiller]

I mean No price or parts are worth me to get pissed over cause Im still alive, Waterproof/fireproof/liquid cool your ign/computer module get foam wreck catch on fire and then live.

 

Sounds resonable to me but this is coming from a guy who put a 35r on a 1.lvw engine when kids were scared too put 2871's on em.

 

just my two cents.

[The Other Nick]

Afff is a very good idea as with alot of the new metals that are going into the blocks in cars will react with violently to anything else it is also a very easy clean up. Afff is also cheap you can make your oen with some dawn dish soap and get the same effect as long as you can airate the foam. All the foam does is take one of the key ingredients out of the fire tetrahedron. I hope this helps some what.

[TurboNova]

Just have an extinguisher in the cock pit and call up Bill Lutz to have him write a policy on the car for the value. Let that bitch burn and profit if it catches fire.

[2011SVT]

Appreciate the feedback very much guys. Not a lot actually written on the topic on the interwebs but lots of 'opinion' and dealer hype.

 

I'mma gonna do the AFFF thing I think. A number of racing orgs are certifying it, its SFI, FIA, blah blah.... Now, to pick a system....

[craig71188]

Just a thought - I read an article by Randy Pobst about a race car fire he was in. He mentioned not having a portable extunguisher on board - and what a msitake that was. I have worked with a lot of road race cars over the years and we have always had Halon systems. Typically one nozzle at the rear of the engine bay and one near the drivers feet in the cockpit. The thought being, if it's a big enough fire to have to use the system, get between the fire and the driver to buy time to get them out - whether or not the car gets saved is secondary. The system may or may not get to the source of the fire. Having a small portable extiguisher on board allows the drive to get out and possible extinguish a small fire (save the onboard system mess), or possibly stop a "reignite" after the system gets him clear in a big fire.

 

As far as system type - if the fire is big enought that you need to set it off - it's going to be a mess, period.