larryfs

is there a real purpose to the fire extingusher rule ?
What will anyone do with a little sh!tty canister extinguser?

I'd run and let it burn.....

JaGsC5

Yeah, every person in the world would run and I would too but who's to say if you're able to get out of the car? You could be pinned. Although fire is rare it's probably more likely in a stock car vs. a race prepared car. If it does catch on fire there's not much that won't burn on a plastic Corvette. That said, it's a good idea to wear a driving suit as well. An SFI A/5 suit will only allow you 10 seconds before receiving a 2nd degree burn. Imagine the type of burn you would get by just wearing jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. Just food for thought.

Remember this crash?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHLc1TpuTFg

AlwaysInBoost

those little 2.5# fire extinguishers are a joke. they'll put out a small VERY small electrical fire at best, on a good day, when its raining. You need 25-30# extinguisher or more to put a car fire out.

Jason

One time at a high speed autox, after a particularly long spin through the infield grass, I was back in the paddock looking things over when I smelled the distinct odor of burning grass. I nonchalantly asked my neighbor if he had a fire extinguisher. He did not. Neither did I. Luckily it never went beyond the odor of burning grass. But I've never been to the track without one in the car, in the trailer, and in the truck since.

Aardwolf

One time I went through tech they asked me if I had an extinguisher, I said no. He said good, because they fly off and hit you in the head.

JaGsC5

Yeah, that's because guys are to cheap to mount them properly. That's the reason why NCCC requires a metal mount this year. The funny thing is that guys will use 2 tiny little sheet metal screws and screw the mount to the floor. Now you have an extinguisher with metal mount flying through the air.

Tintin

You need the fire extinguisher so you have time to get out of the car and run away, not to save the car...

My co-driver in Firehawk was racing in a GT-1 race on an off weekend and the fuel fitting let go. The car filled with vapour and according to him it immediately exploded - in a massive fireball that was visible from the pitlane. He had all the necessary clothing including a balaclava but had his helmet visor cracked open about an inch. That was 20 years ago. He burned his retina in his left eye and it still waters constantly. A wise person uses a closed helmet and keeps it closed and wears nomex even in an HPDE if they drive fast enough to crash..

Here is a good thing to do sometime if you never have - take the cap from a plastic soda bottle and fill it with gas - you'll have about an ounce. Set it down in the middle of a concrete pad and toss a match into it. Then be shocked by how big the flame is and how quickly it burns. I used to give that demo to guys who were new to the track. They never drove with any exposed skin again..

I carry a 10 pound halon extinguisher when I am on the track. As an interesting side note, halon exposed to flame gives off a toxic gas, so it is important to not breathe the fumes and to leave the car asap..

JaGsC5

Good writing!

FKING1

One may not be very effective on a big fire, but, if other cars are near, several extinguishers could save someones car!

ghoffman

The small Halon was perfect for when my C4 blew a PS hose and the oil was on fire. It saved me alot of money.

1lapRacer

Make sure you use a metal mount and check it during pit stops. I had one come loose in the car this weekend and go off after tumbling around for a couple of corners. They make a nasty mess but I sure like having one in a car whether it is on track or on the street.

ghoffman

Well, that is why you use a Halon or Halotron, not a dry chemical. Halon has no mess at all, it is like flooding the area with Freon. Super effective, no mess.

gkmccready

At the track if you pull off on to the dry grass the fire extinguisher is useful if the grass catches on fire... better to catch it when it's just the grass and not the car...

Short-Throw

Bingo!

We (the membership committee) just met with our safety team at Autobahn two weeks ago discussing all aspects of safety, fire, extraction, etc...

A 3 layer suit and nomex underwear only gives you seconds of borrowed time until the suit starts to melt. Get out of the car! The elaborate fire systems in a car are there to steal oxygen so you can escape, not put the fire out. A small fire extinguisher for the most part is useless.

As a rule, I always get out of my car after every practice session or race with my eyes closed as fast as I can. The idea is to be conditioned to do it naturally heaven forbid you ever need to. Not my brainchild, but advice from a pro racer.


Mike

larryfs

by the time you reach for the little extingusher, unstrap it, pull the pin, operate it, you could be out of your car and running the other way long ago.

I'd say it's situational dependent, as every situation will be completely different.

It probably makes more sense to have one in your trailer that is handy.

PA Z06

I did a track event 2 years ago with a group that required it, and the more I thought about it the more I thought its not the worst idea to keep it in the car all the time.
I still drive my car on the street every now and then with alot of other high hp cars, you never know.

bluemagoo

I agree that the #1 priority is to get out of the car. I still like to carry an extinguisher in my car though based on a previous road experience:

On a cool Fall afternoon about 25 years ago, I watched my good friend auto-x his pride & joy 1959 Alfa Guietta Sprint Veloce at the local college parking lot. I felt honored when he tossed me the keys and asked me to run a couple of miles into town and add some hi-test while he worked the track between runs.

On my way back from the gas station, I smelled something burning, pulled over to the side of the road and killed the engine. When I lifted the hood, there were flames all over the top of the engine. Holy S**t!

Fortunately my friend had an extinguisher mounted between the seats and I was able to extinguish the fire quickly rather than stand there by the side of the road and helplessly watch his car burn.

P.S. My friend still owns that Alfa!

ghoffman

I do sell both Halon and Halotron Amerex fire bottles with all steel releases and a nice bracket to mount it in front of the seats. It would take about 3-5 seconds to get it out and put out a fire. I keep it in the car all the time. Just go price a new paint job on a hood, or a set of plug wires and see if it is worth it. I have mine on the driver's side.



http://hardbarusa.com/hardbar/produc...products_id=95

http://hardbarusa.com/hardbar/produc...products_id=93

Bink

I think it takes LESS than 3-5 seconds when your car is catching fire.

I have one of Gary's seatmount/bottles.

Last summer at the VIR/NCM event my car started to smoke so I pulled into the pits and popped the hood. Smoke was coming from the left side header/collector area. As Jody and I were trying to figure out the source (AN fitting had worked loose) it caught fire. I grabbed the bottle and put it out. Only damage was a melted O2 sensor harnes - which is nonfunctional in my car.

Bill Dearborn

It isn't very safe to breathe when it isn't exposed to flame as well. It completely removes any air from the area where it is employed.

Despite all the rules a fire extinguisher that is improperly installed is probably worse than not having one. Proper installation includes being able to reach the FE when you are belted in the car. As one poster pointed out above gas makes a very big and quick fire. If you have to undo your belts to reach the FE and employ it you may be better off getting out of the car. I tried mounting my FE in front of the drivers seat but it comes loose to easily if the latches are hit by the drivers feet. All I had to do to reach it was loosen the shoulder harness. When I moved it to a location in front of the passenger seat I found I had to completely remove the lap belt and shoulder harness so I could lift my self out of the seat and reach over the console to get to it. If I mount it to the roll bar between the seats it is even harder to get to as I have to remove the harness and twist my body around as I lift myself free of the seat. That same manuever taken in the opposite direction would get me out of the car. The other problem with a FE mount is the likelihood the FE becomes a missile in violent hit. The metal bands that hold a 5 lb extinguisher in place are not all that sturdy if somebody just pulls hard on the FE. Just think how well they would hold up with a thousand pound shock that comes about from the car impacting a wall or rolls over. I firmly believe the only proper way to do it is with a fire system so all you have to do is hit a button with one hand and then proceed to get out of the car.

Bill