[adrooz]

Any recommendations between AFFF, Novec and FE36 for a track car?

[BlackTalon]

do a search -- this was just discussed again within the last month or two. Good search terms include "vicegrip"

[Dr K]

Any idea how to check a system for leaks after install?

I was hit from behind at Summit during my last race there, and due to poor choice of bottle placement and a very hard hit (bent frame, but further back than cage or suspension) my system was triggered. First I realized was soapy water spraying on the inside of my windshield from the rear firewall, where a firewall connector was located. Plenty of pressure in the trunk and on the gas tank, but just dripping from the nozzles in the passenger compartment and engine compartment. Ben had suggested testing the system but I didn't want to introduce any other material into the tubing (wish I'd listened to him, although I would have been a lot wetter). It there had been a fire, however, I would have been ZERO better than with no fire suppression system at all.

[BlackTalon]

???? thread hi-jack?

[TurboPooch]

My advice is limited to installation since I have not had to use one (and hope I never do). I installed an ESS system in my car and sourced from ApexPerformance. I bought that model due to the ease of recharge if you ever have to use it. You can recharge it yourself and get back to racing if it would be a minor fire (is there really such a thing?) like an oil leak fire that does not disable the car. You buy the kit for $50 that has the fluid concentrate and the mega CO2 cartridge. It uses aluminum tubing with compression fittings that require the use of a tubing bender to keep the tubing from collapsing and must be cut with a tubing cutter and cleaned and de-burred properly for good connections and proper flow.
On the boy's car I used the Spa AFFF Firesafe system sourced from OG. Much easier to install due to the decabon tubing. This stuff is easy to cut and can be bent with your fingers and uses push-on sharkbite type connections. This system must be charged by the supplier and may need future recharging which will require the bottle to be taken/shipped back to the supplier should it start to fall below the necessary pressure on the gauge.
Both are great systems depending on what level of convenience you are looking for.

[Vicegrip]

Originally Posted by BlackTalon

do a search -- this was just discussed again within the last month or two. Good search terms include "vicegrip"

Search to include "What does my on track group or racing league require". Vicegrip = outdated.

As sort of noted above Install is key to a system working when you need it. I have seen some dumb setups including one where the bottle was mounted in front of the gas tank on a older 911. Granted it was a nice fit and a location where added weight is not all that undesirable but..... It would be the first thing to be decommissioned just before the gas tank was crushed. The install had passed a logbook inspection.

[old worker]

The old school answer was 10lb FE36 for the car & you. A second 2.5 Halon bottle to address a small fire. ( Last I checked 10lb refill of FE36 was about $400). The current incident response used at HPDE will be a 3/4 plus minute wait for help. (locked corners, you are the 1st responder). Most club race programs allow for EV help under a white flag 2/3 minutes. Corner worker release & dispatch while cars are moving on the track has been tied to " human life risk ". I welcome updates to this information as it has been 3 or so years since I have researched this.

[Dr K]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'll add to Steve's post: OG is a certified recharger for SPA AFFF systems they sell (ask me how I know...). Agree with ease of install and if requested I can post some photos of the install.

[BikePump]

I am looking at systems for my car as well and am considering the SPA Novec 1230 which is their current replacement for Halon.

Two questions I havent seen answer for (i did search)

1. what is the optimal number of nozzles and where should they be located? would it be different for an AFFF foam system?

2. they offer mechanical, electric, and a 3way system (mechanical, electric, and automatic). opinions in any direction? I like the idea of belt and suspenders and having the automatic is valuable if the drover is not conscious

[Dr K]

I can only answer one of your questions - I went with AFFF for a variety of reasons (and since you know me, you'll guess that one of those was cost) and the system I bought from OG Racing came with 6 nozzles. After a fair amount of discussion with multiple people only 1 of whom had actually had a fire in his car, I use only 5 of the nozzles--which in your case might translate to only 4 nozzles: 2 in the passenger compartment (one on driver, one on passenger, each spraying the waist down since you don't want to cut visibility that might already be compromised), one in the engine compartment aimed right at the fuel rails, one right at the gas tank, and one in the trunk. The last 2 could be combined in your car. The Miata does not have a fuel cell. Many people aim 2 nozzles at the engine, one from each side, but I wanted to maximize pressure in the passenger compartment (and passenger compartment and engine compartment share one of the 2 lines coming off the bottle).

In the 911, I had a Halon system and had 1 nozzle in frunk, one in passenger compartment, and one in the engine compartment.

Now that there is decabon tubing, as Steve noted above this is much easier to install yourself. OG is a certified recharger of the Spa system.