Fire Supression for GTDs

I think I've done my homeowrk regarding the selection of a fire supression system, but I would appreciate any advice from current GTD owners that have fitted them. It looks like that right now we'll be going with a SPA MFE 400A 4.0 Liter twin flow electronically fired system which utilizes an AFFF supressions material. Location appears to be settling in to the right hand side up against the firewall outboard of the engine bay strut (thanks Roy! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

I guess the first question is has anyone fitted one in a similar manner? Can these systems take the heat radiated from the headers? Are there advantages or disadvantages to an electrically fired system? And finally any comments in regards to AFFF as a supression material.

Many Thanks

Brian

Hi Brian

We have had an electrically fired SPA system in the engine bay for some time with no problems experienced. We did have it in front of the passenger seat for a while but made access to the data logger + other electronics (junk as Roy refers to it!) behind the seat a real pain, so in the engine bay it now resides.

Regarding the electrical firing vs cable pull - 'you pays your money you make your choice' but I know of two cable systems that have failed on GTDs when required in anger.

Both were well installed and seemed in good order, but on one, the cable pulled through the nipples instead of pulling the extinguisher lever and on the other, the cable had corroded within the outer sheath (possibly due to rain getting in?) and the system was locked solid.

Roys electrical system has required 2 batteries in about 5 yrs and certainly works - as we found out after his 'bump' at Longleat. The damaged front bodywork was removed, during which the wires were cut but as the system was still armed (oop's) pop - fizz - squirt went the bottle contents... doh! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Re the type of content - I suspect you can only purchase approved type materials now as I believe Halon has been banned.

[ QUOTE ]
I think I've done my homeowrk regarding the selection of a fire supression system, but I would appreciate any advice from current GTD owners that have fitted them. It looks like that right now we'll be going with a SPA MFE 400A 4.0 Liter twin flow electronically fired system which utilizes an AFFF supressions material. Location appears to be settling in to the right hand side up against the firewall outboard of the engine bay strut (thanks Roy! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

I guess the first question is has anyone fitted one in a similar manner? Can these systems take the heat radiated from the headers? Are there advantages or disadvantages to an electrically fired system? And finally any comments in regards to AFFF as a supression material.

Many Thanks

Brian

[/ QUOTE ]

From experience in a fire.

On baord systems only work if you have the nozzles in the right areas.

Mine were in the engine bay and cockpit. They went off perfectly but the fire was in the sill.

The whole car went up as a result.

My advice.

Install a system and a hand held.

If your car does catch fire in an area that your system does not cover you've had it.

At the time if I had a hand held I'm pretty sure I could have slowed the progress of the fire.

Unfortunately for me it was not the case. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flamer.gif

Halon (1301) has not been banned as such . Under the Montreal protocol 1987 if Halon is used in a fire it can be refilled with Halon again, though the cost is extreme and I further think they, the users, would be encouraged/asked to use AFFF in the future. This certainly applies in the USA and to the best of my knowledge is also prevalent in Europe.
AFFF has some very good properties and some that may not be all that good. The better properties are that it really does a good job on class A and B fires, has a dramatic cooling effect as well, and is non hazardous in confined spaces. The other (lesser) properties are that it can be affected by wind and gravity and is not good on class C fires or Magnesium.
In motorsport, yes, I think it is no longer accepteable and AFFF has replaced it. Ponder the thought though - would AFFF work in an inverted car.
Halon will probably never be available again commercially
and IMHO was the best ever fire extinguishant. If I could have the choice and weight didn't matter, I'd use both with a dry powder and CO2 for good measure. And with JP's experience, I think small access panel or directional piping into the sill area might be a good idea. The BAe Nimrod had just that into the 3 servodyne bays.
And yes, I've been in two and a half fires.
Dave M