think this’ll work?
Bumble
The RMVR regs state, “Formula cars shall have a system
that includes a three (3) pound by weight capacity, a minimum of two (2) nozzle
locations, with an SFI 17.2 rating.” This system is not SFI certified.
Bill, along with Rich’s response about needing SFI 17.2, the agent must be FE-36, NOVEC 1230, or an acceptable substitute. The 3 lb. spec is minimum, so you are welcome to run a larger capacity if you can fit it and want to. The full spec is in the RMVR General Rules D.3.b
Thanks Justin. I know I have to have it for next year, just saw this and thought it was quite a bit less expensive. Guess I’ll be “biting the bullet” for two SFI systems (one for the Vee, one for the Spitfire). Also, out seats don’t have to be SFI di they?
No problem, Bill. I’ll be purchasing a 5 lb. system in the coming months, so I feel your pain and appreciate your scrounging for a good deal.
From my understanding of the rules, FV seats are not required to be SFI approved.
better not be…you know how hard it would be to find fire-resistant bumble fabric ??? ![]()
Lol, that and you’re already sitting on a fuel-tank bomb.
not me! Tanks are exterior by my knees… Now if I ever get the Z-12 prototype running yes I will be. But for now my “bombs” are forward. Back when they didn’t have cells in them, There was a 1/4 inch OD glass tube that went from the top to the bottom of the tank so you could see how much fuel you had on board.
@Bill-F, FYI in case you haven’t heard, the RMVR fire suppression rule is likely expanding to any system certified to SFI 17.1, SFI 17.2, or FIA Tech List 16, opening up a lot more options than just the SFI systems. The rule has gone through the board’s first reading and isn’t official until the second reading in December, but I wanted to pass the info along.
just ran this one by Charlotte (Tech) and she gave it a green light. Looks like it will literally replace my handheld in the bracket then just plumb it.
Bumble
@Bill-F, that’s a good system, but, in the event you didn’t note it already, it’s water-based foam, so it will cause a mess particularly with electronics if you ever have to use it or accidentally use it. For damage and cleanup, along with some other reasons regarding the physics of the agents, I prefer a gaseous system.
If you haven’t check out Spa’s systems, they’re worth a look. I’m likely going to run their 10 lb SFI system so I can have additional nozzles: one in the engine compartment, one pointed toward me, one pointed toward the battery (located where the back seat used to be), and one located in the trunk with the fuel cell/pump/filters/regulator. For another $200, an additional 5 lbs of agent (more time for me to get out of the burning deathtrap) and targeting all major fire hazards is worth it to me, and I have the room to fit the larger tank.
However, they make a 5 lb. system not much more in price than the Lifeline foam system you’re considering. They also carry FIA systems if you prefer them. Here are the links:
10 lb system: SPA Technique 10lbs FireSense+ Fire Suppression System - SFI 17.1
5 lb system: SPA Technique 5lbs FireSense+ Fire Suppression System - SFI 17.1
If I’m reading it right, their “Firesense” product is the same AF3 water based foam
@Bill-F, that’s a major question I was going to call Spa to clarify since I’ve been told by multiple non-RMVR people they offer gas systems, but all the info I’ve found is that the 4Fire product is AFFF. If you sort that before I do, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll be looking for another gas system.
what I have found since is that most the cheapest “gas” 2 nozzle systems start right at $500. ALTHOUGH… I did find a 5lb gas system from ESS at Miatacage.com for $413 so looking strongly at that system for the moment.
ok - never mind. I dug deeper and found that it too is AFFF but their write up on it says its odorless and residue free. So not sure just what it is…
Hmm, residue free? I’d probably have to see that to believe it. I’m hoping between our (and others’) efforts we can find an SFI/FIA gas system at a decent price.
I contemplated contacting a manufacturer or retailer and seeing if there is the potential for RMVR to get a 20% discount or something if we purchased a certain amount, but that would take a lot of teeth-pulling to get members to sign up for a purchase that I don’t have the interest in coordinating at the moment. You would think if we approached a manufacturer or retailer and told them our club members were looking to purchase 50+ systems we’d get some help with the price.
I’m gonna be stupid and say I’m going to contact a couple and see what response I get. That we’re not guaranteeing purchases, but there are between 50 and 75 people that need to buy or uprate their systems
It seems to me that, if one gets to the point of pulling the fire system handle, you almost certainly have bigger problems than AFFF residue. In any case, while Bill is doing a yeoman’s job here, the FIA has already done the work (https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/tl16_0.pdf). The only homologated “gas” fire suppression systems utilize Novec 1230 (which has been reclassified as PFAS and is being discontinued) or FK-5-1-12 (used in some systems sold by FEV, Protrust, and OMP).
my issue with AFFF is from what I’ve read its also kinda bad if you breath it in. Since I’m an asthmatic, I want to be alive AFTER I get out of the car if the stuff goes off… ![]()
@Bill-F, I came across this system on Speedway Motors in both 2.5 lb. and 5 lb. The agent is DuPont FE-36, a gas-liquid safe for electronics, residue-free, and supposedly safe to breathe in the concentration used for car fire suppression.
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Fire-Bottle-BRC-500-1-Fire-Suppression-System-5-Lbs-,8409.html
A couple downsides: First, the 2.5 lb. version isn’t SFI rated (DOT rated). The 5 lb. version is SFI 17.1. Second, the bottle isn’t rechargeable, so once it’s used or the charge goes bad, you’d need to replace the bottle. However, my understanding is that it’s usually about the same cost to recharge/recertify a bottle than it is to buy a new charged bottle.
Another bit of food for thought.