Cab and Engine Compartment Volume for Fire System? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jaymar
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I had a Pegasus foam/water suppression system on my 68 Camaro. Never used it but I've seen some nasty and QUICK vehicle fires so it was never a question of it. I bought a similar system for my LX but never installed it. Instead it sits in storage because I could never make a damn decision.
BTW, as far as my mounts are concerned, I just placed the PO this morning to run another batch of both sides.
was said Camaro a drag car by chance? I would hazard a guess that the fires you saw were in race prepped cars in a race environment. In those cases, where you are strapped to a rocket with a fire breathing engine and potential for high speed crashes, I can see where a fire suppression system makes sense. I still just dont think a weekend warrior land cruiser is a good candidate. Unless you spend your weekends rally racing your rig and it is highly modified.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
Yeah it was my go fast car.
Here's my take on this whole topic:
I've had my vehicle since day one and all the electrical on it I've done myself. I sleep in my truck more than I'd like to admit. Most of the folks here are not original owners and not electrically inclined therefore as these trucks age and are getting passed from owner to owner, the propensity of having fouled wiring climbs dramatically. Heck there was just a thread by Dominican FJ80 where is wiring caught fire. I've seen people use heaters in their vehicles that wind up catching fire. I've seen people burned alive inside their vehicles. It's an image you never ever want in your head. Since then the fire extinguisher has been an important tool. There is a distinct advantage, albeit costly, to using a push/pull foam/water suppression system. It's instant. Pure and simple. Is it overkill? You bet! Does it require servicing far more than a bottle of clean agent on a bracket? Totally! But I for one will say that if you have the resources to do so don't listen to naysayers. Do it up and don't look back. Like everything else we do to our trucks from carrying spares and tools and other crap that may never get used, I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Most will say as long as you get out let it burn. Well, my truck is a family member and I will go to great lengths to protect it.
I don't disagree. I have a 1963 Chevy Nova that has been passed down through my family since new. It's worth way more to me in sentiment than any amount of money someone could offer me. It all just depends on where you draw the line on stuff.
Love your stuff btw. The line I draw doesn't always line up with your products, but I still admire the stuff you do.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
No worries. There is stuff I make that even I don't use but I get asked by enough people and so...
You don't have to admit it. We know.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
Old VW's have a weakness for fires. I used to have a Westfalia years back and remembered this product. Might be a pretty cheap insurance, cost is pretty low and install would be minutes. Not for the cab though.
blazecut video - Google Search
blazecut video - Google Search
thatcabledude
GOLD Star
That is pretty sweet
Ha, owning a ghia and opening this thread that was the first thing I thought of. Still on my many vdub projects.
Every car fire I've ever seen (which is like three) has been a VW. Why is this the case?
Having seen some data on where fires occur, engines are the usual suspect as that is where fuel, heat, and electricity all reside. An automatic system there could be useful. I would not want the cabin system to have automatic operation when I was using the car (i.e. I can't just get out when going down the highway at 60 MPH to avoid the Halon or CO2 discharge or whatever you decide to use)...maybe some sort of switched operation if you are determined to put in a cabin system for when you are not in the truck then it can be automatic.
Put in a smoke detector if you are worried about sleeping in the car and a fire starting.
Proper fuses would be more benefit to the cabin than most anything else I can think of spending money on besides the smoke detector.
Put in a smoke detector if you are worried about sleeping in the car and a fire starting.
Proper fuses would be more benefit to the cabin than most anything else I can think of spending money on besides the smoke detector.
In the older air cooled vdubs 99% of time I seen blaze is because people put the fuel filter in the engine compartment. The fuel line runs to the to the carb(s) awful close to the coil and dist.
SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
I've been in the position that @NLXTACY described in post #23. The PO sucked at wiring, I found all sorts of issues like; Undersized wiring, over amp fuses in stock looms, 5 but connectors inline on the same line within 10"s, unfused main power into the cabin on 14 guage wire for many accessories. It was scary.
A CO2 and a Dry Chem extinguishers were among the first items installed when I bought it. And before I lost the head gasket I noticed the unmistakable smell of 'burning electronics / wires'. I was terrified. Since then I've replaced the entire affected harness and removed ALL of the PO's wiring.
Automatic engine fire suppression systems would be nice but I feel my engine bay is too vented for that to be as effective as me with a CO2 and Drychem bottle. Further, it would be wise to have a master KILL switch that disconnects power at the battery if the suppression system is triggered or fire / crash or driver detected.
Our race car had a full in cab and engine system that was activated by the driver via a pull handle, also had an external pull handle and kill switch. anyways It always scared the hell out of me, especially after a driver hit a wall, car caught fire, he activated the system which then caused him to pass out (coroner suspected he may have had a heart attack as well) the system did extinguish the fire for about a minute. Then air was able to get back in and the fire restarted (hot engine + leaking fuel + o2) he was trapped, the rescue team was unable to extract him before he was badly burned. He later died in the hospital.
That said I wouldn't mind a foam AFS in the engine bay.
A CO2 and a Dry Chem extinguishers were among the first items installed when I bought it. And before I lost the head gasket I noticed the unmistakable smell of 'burning electronics / wires'. I was terrified. Since then I've replaced the entire affected harness and removed ALL of the PO's wiring.
Automatic engine fire suppression systems would be nice but I feel my engine bay is too vented for that to be as effective as me with a CO2 and Drychem bottle. Further, it would be wise to have a master KILL switch that disconnects power at the battery if the suppression system is triggered or fire / crash or driver detected.
Our race car had a full in cab and engine system that was activated by the driver via a pull handle, also had an external pull handle and kill switch. anyways It always scared the hell out of me, especially after a driver hit a wall, car caught fire, he activated the system which then caused him to pass out (coroner suspected he may have had a heart attack as well) the system did extinguish the fire for about a minute. Then air was able to get back in and the fire restarted (hot engine + leaking fuel + o2) he was trapped, the rescue team was unable to extract him before he was badly burned. He later died in the hospital.
That said I wouldn't mind a foam AFS in the engine bay.
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dirtyboots
Atrocious Driving
Liking the engine compartment idea..was looking in to something similar and haven't done much research and was unaware calculations were involved for the volume so thanks for that..Concur with others that the in cab presents more issues than it solves considering safety.. from what I recall on this picture on the thread I can't find is there was an underhood situation that spread rapidly..googly landcruiser on fire shows a 100, and a couple of 80 series a burnin'..every rig can burn poor v dubs apparently more readily than others
SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
@NLXTACY I think i remember seeing you build a battery disconnect panel so perhaps you know... Are there any remotely operable battery kill switches?
Ex) Get in a wreck and am stuck in the vehicle. I would like to be able to completely disconnect both batteries at their terminals more or less by the push of an in-cab button.
Ex) Get in a wreck and am stuck in the vehicle. I would like to be able to completely disconnect both batteries at their terminals more or less by the push of an in-cab button.
You could mount a fire bottle like what we have for turbine fires if you can get one, it will put a fire out in the turbine in air in 1 to 2 seconds, weighs bout 6 lbs and is pretty small, you would just need to plumb the pipes to where you want to direct it, would cause corrosion if not cleaned up rapidly. If you want pic more info let me know
SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
A lot of racers on tight budgets do something similar to what you suggested. Basically they have a regular bottle mounted within arms reach then connect the output to a distribution line of sorts. (I've only seen this with gas not dry chem or type k's)
NLXTACY
Wits' End
Yes there are remote kill switches. The same kill switch I have on my site from Flaming River also has available an extension rod that is cab mounted. The only caveat is that the disconnect needs to be online with the rod. It's not as easy to set up on our trucks as it is on a race care. Here is the disconnect itself: Flaming River Battery Disconnect
Think the two main possibilities for a mishap are battery and fuel correct?
I bought battery disconnects for that reason. I wouldn't mind looking at a way to re -enforce/ rebuild or upgrade the fuel rail and lines in the 80.
I bought battery disconnects for that reason. I wouldn't mind looking at a way to re -enforce/ rebuild or upgrade the fuel rail and lines in the 80.
