Installing fire protection in engine compartment., Is this the least expensive means of good fire protection? Options

[c12croft]

Here is a link to an automatic extinguisher unit.
Question is: the sensor head that discharges the Halon, is preset at 165 degrees,,,,is this too low????
Please advise, thank you all for your comments.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fire-Extinguisher-...a#ht_1532wt_922

[timothy_nd28]

It's a cool idea. How would you change the setting?

[underthetire]

Head is way too big IMO, and you can not change heads unless you discharge the bottle, replace head and re-charge.

I was working with Safecraft on some 914 systems, however the price was getting kinda high. They were a dual nozzle system, one over each side of the engine. The owner has one on his 356. We were looking at a 195 or higher deg system.

[stugray]

I plan on going with this one, but it is not automatic:

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productde....asp?RecID=3431

If you can recharge it yourself, you would probably be less likely to hesitate in using it.

Stu

[GeorgeRud]

These type of systems are getting really popular with the motorhome crowd as they also have to watch out for engine compartment fires (as well as generator compartment, refrigerator compartment, etc.).

I'd consider getting a foam unit these days as halon is getting harder to come by, and the foam has cooling properties that the halon doesn't. You might look at the ones being offered by Firefight Systems in Florida, they're big on the motorhome market.

[tornik550]

This may sound a bit ignorant however where would you mount it? If you mount it above the engine tin- it would most likely not extinguish fire below the tin. I would guess that most engine fires occur below the tin- it would be difficult to find a location that would spray most areas under the tin?

[timothy_nd28]

Multiple systems. Above the tin you could use the Halon style, then have a 2nd system, foam for underneath the tins. Alternatively, you could go with a Cardox system for above and below the tins. You could have a emergency oxygen mask deploy from behind the steering wheel!

[ape914]

you may want this kind of systenm, but add multiple heads to get a multiple locations. a fire extingusher company can change the heads and save the halon for you for minumal cost

[jmill]

When I do it I'll get something like this.

BTW FE-36 is the new halon.

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productde....asp?RecID=7024

[pcar916]

The issue here isn't where to mount it. That seems to me to be either behind one of the seats or in the trunk. But this is only a one pound unit. That makes for a couple of things to think about. Most of your fire danger comes from gasoline. Most of those start because, either directly or indirectly, they are started by a fuel leak and an electrical source. So.

1. Unless you combine any fire suppression system with an electrical cutoff, the fire may very well start again.

2. One pound, unless it's in a completely confined space (no outside oxygen) is, I'm sorry to report, probably not enough to kill the fire. But unless it's just larger than a spark, it will only "start" to kill it.

I have my car plumbed with an 11 pound bottle and have a 2.5 pound bottle between my seats. The 2.5 pound bottle doesn't fill me with confidence but it has at least a small chance of killing a fire that I might then not have to use the car-wide system to fight.

... and I'm thinking seriously about changing to a 5 lb bottle between the seats.

I'm very fond of plumbed systems. They are already pointed at the problem areas, but you'll have to have more capacity than a pound to impress all but the most insignificant fire.

In my book you'd be better off getting a 2.5lb handheld bottle.

Good Luck!

Note: I've had a newly restored BMW go up in flames when a fuel injector line broke and spewed so I've been here.

[iamchappy]

I went with the SPA AFFF mechanical system. Easy to plumb, gives me piece of mind knowing it's there if it's needed.

I have nozzles above and below the engine.

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productse...sp?Product=2426

[c12croft]

I went with the SPA AFFF mechanical system. Easy to plumb, gives me piece of mind knowing it's there if it's needed.

'IAMS'
THAT'S ONE BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[c12croft]

When I do it I'll get something like this.

BTW FE-36 is the new halon.

JMILL,
GREAT IDEA, BASIC, SIMPLE AND COST EFFECTIVE;
WAIT; HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST?

[jmill]

When I do it I'll get something like this.

BTW FE-36 is the new halon.

JMILL,
GREAT IDEA, BASIC, SIMPLE AND COST EFFECTIVE;
WAIT; HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST?

Your looking at @ $450. That's a 5 lb bottle of FE-36, two nozzles, pull handle, cable and the line. Good isn't cheap.

[iamchappy]

When i purchased my system it was on sale for around 290.00 at pegasus.
They do go on sale a few times a year.

I have one of these also. You can never have enough.......

[Cairo94507]

I agree 100%. My build sheet has an on-board fire system just for peace of mind - and hopefully to help with my insurance. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)