Fire System Suggestions

[Goallie11]

I just discovered that the fire bottle in my car stopped being manufactured and serviceable in 1995 so need to replace it. How it ended up in a 1997 Van Diemen car and it's been getting through inspection all these years, I don't know.

It looks like Lifeline is the only manufacturer that makes a bottle that fits in the space I have, which is under my knees next to the battery. I'm looking for max dimensions of 11.75" by 6" but preferred dimensions of 9" by 5". Any suggestions on other manufacturers to look at or specific systems that fit that space?

[Steve Demeter]

The pickings are pretty slim for a bottle that fits in that small space since Halon went out. Good luck. One of these days I wil have the same problem!!!

[Nardi]

Try Brad at Primus, he does Van diemen stuff all day long.

[John Green]

I moved the battery to the nose box freeing up enough space

[kea]

Taylor,
Call me tomorrow.

[DBS Motorsports]

Spa Technique in Indy has a bottle that fits. I have put two in cars here. Ask for Dan.

https://spatechnique.com/collections...s/spa4f-sfi3-m

Doug

[Rick Iverson]

Spa Technique in Indy has a bottle that fits. I have put two in cars here. Ask for Dan.

https://spatechnique.com/collections...s/spa4f-sfi3-m

Doug

Sweet!

[EYERACE]

If the needle on the gauge of the bottle is yet in the green such that it will pass a Tech Inspection, what does it matter if it's not being made anymore and/or serviceable? Need to replace it according to whom?

[DanW]

If the needle on the gauge of the bottle is yet in the green such that it will pass a Tech Inspection, what does it matter if it's not being made anymore and/or serviceable? Need to replace it according to whom?

Only matters if you find yourself on fire, push or pull the handle and nothing happens. Rust never sleeps. Bottle in my Crossle dated back to 1983 with pressure in the green. I took it to see if it could be serviced. The plunger had seized in the head. It had also been recharged with a rupture disc so hard the pin would not puncture it. But it weighed ok and the green? It was just ballast.

I replaced all with a new kit, new nozzles and made sure the lines were clean.

[Goallie11]

If the needle on the gauge of the bottle is yet in the green such that it will pass a Tech Inspection, what does it matter if it's not being made anymore and/or serviceable? Need to replace it according to whom?

GCR states the fire bottles need to be serviced per manufacturer requirements to be legal. If the manufacturer says has a life of 10 years and service every two years and yours hasn't been serviced in 3 years then you wouldn't pass if they check. Plus what Dan said.

"9.3.22 Fire System
A
6. All fire systems shall be serviced according to manufacturer’s specifications."

Now, my bottle didn't have a manufacture date or anything and I doubt there's a manual out there for it so I couldn't back up any argument I may have come up with if push came to shove. And I don't want to burn if it comes down to it so am replacing.

[Goallie11]

Here are the two smallest bottles I've found so far.

Lifeline - 10.5 x 5" - https://www.lifeline-fire.com/zero36...halsystem.aspx

SPA (thanks for the suggestion Doug) - 9.65 x 5" https://spatechnique.com/collections...s/spa4f-sfi3-m

Stopped by Keith's shop today to compare my bottle, the Lifeline Fire Marshall Halon one, and the SPA and they were pretty much the same size, so seems it's the one to go with.

[Rick Kirchner]

If there are no manufacturer requirements for service, then you aren't out of compliance.

[FVRacer21]

Glad someone beat me with the SPA unit.

have installed 2 in FVs and been very happy.

So happy I inadvertently set one off…….

worked very well.

there are some small AFFA units out there but I was looking for a gas unit as the temp here in the NE can get cold - even during race weekends.

BTW - as was mentioned during the SCCA online convention, a fire system is designed to give time for the driver to get out, not to save the vehicle. If the latter is important, and you can spare the space and weight, you should consider the largest system you can fit. No guarantees though.

ChrisZ

[DaveW]

Spa Technique in Indy has a bottle that fits. I have put two in cars here. Ask for Dan.

https://spatechnique.com/collections...s/spa4f-sfi3-m

Doug

Dimensions?

I found a drawing with some fiddling around on their site, below:

[EYERACE]

Still learning after all the years.......did not know of GCR entry.