~Stingray

It happens every now and again. Its really about age. These cars are old and unless you have done a frame off restoration and replaced everything to the point of making a new car, you are using 30+ year old parts and wiring. Things sometimes just go bad.

~Stingray

I could be wrong, but I think it is like a sprinkler system for your car. what is "Pumped" to nozzles strategically placed to engulf the engine and suppress a fire if a button is pressed.

I would imagine the liquid would help in a container under pressure bc if it required the car's power to work, it might now in the event of a fire. I think racing cars have special systems that emit a super-cooled liquid that basically movies around objects to suppress the fire. This could be the same thing.

Rescue Rogers

The way I understand them is that its just a fire extinguisher that is hard plumbed into the car with the nozzles in strategic locations. Its always under pressure but no handle to sqeeze. You pull the pin and it goes off releasing the full bottle. I dont know where I could fit a 20 lb bottle, maybe next to the gass tank. The pin would be hard wired to the dash somewhere like a ripcord.

Rescue Rogers

Just did a quick search This company came up first
http://www.firebottleracing.com/shop...ystems/rc-500/

Permanent mount 5lb bottle if theres fire under the hood, light this off then open the hood and use your extinguisher that you have behind the seat if needed. $400 bucks. Not bad for the piece of mind.

Group buy?
More deals on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...ar+fire+system

Im getting this one soon.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Firecharger-...4AAOxylpNTVrsR

I believe This is the foam they use at airports on jet fires. And its refillable, not that I plan on using it, but its a good point
I'll do a write when it happens. Maybe a month or 2 out

SuperBuickGuy

What's most painful to watch is people who don't know how to use their fire extinguisher. What good is a tool if you don't know how to use it.

When you're putting out a fire, do NOT completely discharge your extinguisher in one shot. The powder takes the air away, so, like painting a car, you put a coat over the top, (it should mostly extinguish the flames), let it cool, then another coat when the fire re-ignites. You repeat this until you're out of powder or the fire is out....

Suggestion - go to Costco, buy a two-pack of fire extinguishers. Buy a metal pan, put it in a fire-safe location, fill the pan with grease or whatever, let it light and burn for a minute to get fully engaged, then put it out. You'll learn pretty quickly that if you totally discharge your extinguisher on the first go - it won't put out the fire.....

my two cents... flame away

zdeckich

That really sucks to watch. But the music in the video was funny.

CV62Air

AFFF is good stuff! Used it in the Navy. Thanks for this link, RR.

Some other things to think about-- fire triangle-- HEAT + FUEL + OXYGEN. CO2 and Halon have some cooling effect, but generally displace oxygen so after the gas dissipates, the fire will often reflash or relight. The foaming agent blankets the fire and creates a barrier between the fuel and oxygen, less chance of a reflash, even with gasoline or oil fires.

Also, aim your extinguisher at the lowest part of the flames. And if you are practicing with a pan full of kerosene or other fuel, be careful not to splash it out of the pan and catch the surrounding area on fire.

When I was a kid, our fire department used to have " hands on " demonstrations with handheld fire extinguishers at the annual carnivals/fairs. Haven't seen any place doing that in the last few decades, though.

Simple rule of thumb-- if the flames are over your head, your 5 lb handheld extinguisher is not going to be enough-- get to a safe distance and call for help.

If you are using a water hose on a sizable fire, you can use the spray to 'knock down' the big flames, so you can get closer to it, then a stream to hit the base of the fire. And you can use water on gasoline and oil fires, just be aware of the splashing and spattering of the fuel.

Carlsbadliving1

Devastating. Music is horrific. Four years of labor not easily compensated for by insurance. Very sorry for your loss.

SuperBuickGuy

Don't forget wet chemical as well such as



http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/sa...FQdxvAodNvAEeQ

As a former college student who fought fires during the summer to pay for school.... I must remind, that there was a large amount of fire suppression material next to the car.... dirt. Of course, in the heat of the moment, it's hard to think outside the box... which is why practice is everything.

fire sucks, I just had a car ignite, fortunately for me I had a fire extinguisher, training, and then water to finish the job nearby.... all it cost me was a bit of paint to cover up the smoke damage.

babbah

Funny????

CadVette

I now own a Corvette because I had a nice Mustang GT350 convertible that caught fire and burned up. Found out through my insurance company a lot of Mustangs catch fire up to the 2004 model year. My fire started inside the wiring harness. Had a cheapo Kiddie fire extinguisher in a roadside kit I bought from Costco. Pulled the pin and nothing happened after I pressed the trigger. I now carry a high quality extinguisher in my Vette.

~Stingray

Those built in system, I wonder if you could put the tank where the vacuum reserve tank is. Assuming you removed it.

GlenJack

Thanks for these links. This is definitely something to become educated on. I think I will talk with local fireman and also do some research on some racing sites. Thanks again!

SuperBuickGuy

most put the tank inside for a few reasons:
1) it's easier to check that the system hasn't discharged while you were sitting
2) if there's a fire, you care more about getting out without roasting then you do about whether the engine burns
3) fire systems are susceptible to heat/cold - inside the car has, generally, fewer extremes
and for completeness
4) most sanctioning bodies require the system inside the car

with all those said, numero uno is the most important... after all, what good is an empty system?

Bowerss2

Not a good idea. It should be in a well protected location, so it is still useful after a crash if needed. I am planning on mounting mine in the storage compartment or make a bracket for in front of the passenger seat. Depending on the size of the bottle it wouldn't be a terrible idea to have coverage in the passenger compartment either. There are tons of guidelines for racing leagues you could use to plan out an effective system.

There is a company that sells automatic deployment systems, they use a glass ampule like commericl sprinklers do. I am trying to decide if that or a manual system would be better.

CV62Air

I am thinking of a pinned actuator handle of sorts, maybe mount a pinned pull handle below dash near steering column or maybe under driver's seat, with a "remove before flight" type pin with a streamer on it. Prevent accidental discharge.

Definitely want the bottle in an easy to "preflight" location.

SuperBuickGuy, what size bottle do you think would have put out this particular fire? Do you think the 15lb wet chemical you hyperlinked would take care of it? or the popular 5lb halon?

Bowerss2

The biggest problems with fire under the hood is getting to the base of the fire to put it out. Spraying flames coming out of the hood does nothing to extinguish the fire. This is why a plummed system is so much more effective is that is delivers chemical to the cause of the fire directly. A lot of videos of car fires people try to get the the flames by opening the hood.... That is bad juju

Old school Halon 1211 (don't know for sure but I think that 1301 has similar performance), 5lb. The new DuPont FE-36 (which is often marketed as Halon by shady people) takes about 1.8ish more to handle the same fire. So for a FE36 system 10lb is recommended. It is interesting to note that the SCCA makes no distinction between the two and says 5lb is good for either chemical.

AFFF is great but the systems are kind of big if not used for a dedicated racr car, also because it's liquid instead of gas it needs more careful planning on the nozzle coverage. This also makes a mess, but it actually quenches fire. I have a AFFF system in my workshop.

Rcdizy

Out of respect I would never post anyone else cars or inside of garages etc on the internet.

The guy who made the youtube video is an ***.

Id prefer not to be filmed when under severe stress.

tokim

The time, dedication and money spent to achieve a quality finished car after four years is quite a commitment, and accomplishment.
Obviously the person who put music to the video has never done it, and is clueless.

zdeckich

Yup pretty funny. Pretty sure it was intended to be.