just wondering how many of you have installed a fire extinguisher system in your car. i am currently looking into part # SSI-RC500-DTS from www.summitracing.com


i think it is good insurance against one of the worse preventable hazards... a fire!
a few question i had before ordering this. hopefully some of you can help me out.
#1. where can i find replacement heads for the squirters and does it use a standard compression fitting and line? i would like to run the system a little different than what it *looks* like it is designed for. (one head in engine, one in cockpit)
#2. is there a way that anyone knows of that you can run the spray seperatly for cockpit and engine bay without running 2 seperate systems? if so, how can this be done?

i am sure this can all be easily figured out when i get it, but i just wanted to ask if anyone else has it done already. anyone have any close up pics?

 

In one of my Summit catalogues from last year they installed one of those systems in a car. There are options available for them that aren't shown on the webpage. Best to call and get more info.

As for running seperate systems, why bother? Halon does not leave a mess and doesn't harm anything, spraying it where it isn't required won't do any harm and can help keep the fire from spreading.

As far as I know, we aren't allowed to buy a Halon system in Canada, due to ozone layer concerns. I thought the USA had passed these laws too, but it looks like they forgot to tell Summit. Unless they tag them all as pre 1996

Since I'm only a couple hours from the States, maybe I should get one.

 

interesting...

 

My mistake. It looks like the EPA repealed their ruling to allow Halon to be used in non-residential applications. EPA Ruling Since you don't live in your car, it should be OK.

I know for us in Canada we can't buy a Halon system now unless it is used and built before 1996. You can't have it serviced unless it it labelled built before 1996 and has to be at least a 10 lb bottle.

 

I must admit id feel much safer running at the track with some Halon behind me. I might invest in a kit like that, or just buy a tank and rig up my own. Does anyone here have a setup with a Halon tank?

 

DIDNT HAVE ONE WHEN MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. SERVES ME RIGHT.

 

Yea, I'd like one of those in my car. I'd mount the bottle right behind the drivers seat and just run the cable under the seat with the pull **** a couple inches from the seat edge. That would be a nice clean install.

The only thing I was wondering is how much fire one nozzle can put out? Would just one for the entire engine bay be enough? Seems like it wouldnt, especially with just a 5lbs cause your only going to get 2.5lbs thru each nozzle. Maybe I'd just run them both to the engine bay. If fire is in the cabin I'm jumping out anyway. If I cant get out than I probably cant pull that **** either. Hmmm decisions decisions. Looks like a good kit for the $ though

STEPHEN

 

I do know I had a car go on fire once. And if a fire estinguisher wasn't readily avaliable, my car would have BURNT to the ground. Instead it was easily put out to the point where all I had to do was install a new batt cable and clean my engine compartment. They DEFINATLY come in handy.

 

Here's another source for Halon fire extinguisher systems.

IO Port

 

Check this bad boy out. Picked one up some time ago but have yet to install.

SAC-Tech Carbon Elite 4.0 litre system

http://www.stable-energies.com/sd_exting/exting.htm

It can also handle methanol fires.

 

DAMN Kris! thanks for the link. they look the best so far from what i have seen...

 

http://www.h3r.com/products/home_vehicle.htm

Halon was one of those things that the EPA screwed themselves on. There's no way to really dispose of it so they said "OK, we'll let you buy new whatever we have left, and the old stuff...we'll recycle and sell that too." I've got a dead little ~2 pounder that I really need to get replaced. I noticed that the needle was a little below the green and thought, what the hell. Squeezed it and nothing.

Oh yeah, I've got mine sitting right between the rear bins. Looks like it belongs there.

 

Umm..you wouldn't want to be inside the car when using halon, I would think. It displaces the oxygen to starve combustion. It also starves you of oxygen. I remember this to be one of the biggest fears when working inside a large mainframe computing facility. It is also why the operators would sometimes have a 'bubble' control room.
If the fire is open to the atmosphere (windows down, etc) then I wonder how effective halon would be if the fire is very hot...with fresh oxygen pouring in...

 

If that was referring to me, I wasn't inside. Guess I forgot to point that out.

 

Any home fire is open to atmospheric air ( almost any fire is) and Halon extinguishers were widespread and effective until the EPA banned them because of CFC's.

I wouldn't want to be inside the car when any extinguisher goes off. But I'd rather be in there with one where I can still see the door handle, seat belt and anything else needed for me to get out.