Tubing to use to relocate fire ext. system?

[VelodromeRacer]

As I want to install a passenger seat that I can remove when needed in the racer...I currently have a 2 lb fire ext. that is mounted in the passenger floor and has the lines fixed for 2 nozzel system....

I want to locate it on top of the driveshaft tunnel and I will need to fabricate the metal discharge tubes...any thoughts from the gang on where to buy the fittings/tube..I am afraid that the existing tubes are 2 short..althought I could use a coupler to cut and extend them?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I use teflon bradies hose, just like you would on your brake, I hate that aluminum tubing, the braided hoses aren't cheap but they do look nicer. I will give you this opinion, I'm guessing you want the fire system closer to you, but it's really necessary to be able to reach it when belted in, consider the conditin when you would use the system, you had a wreck or problem, that has resulted in a fire, and you need to deploy the syatem, then you going to be getting out of there, and not belted in, plus the cable needs to be accesable to the workers than it does to you.

You said you have a 2 pounds system, you sure, most systems at a minumum are 5lbs systems. I doin't suggest you run more than two nozzles with a 5 pound syatem, if you want to run three nozzles then run a 10 pound system, if you run a 5 poud system with tow nozzles, then I recommend you choses the cockpit and engine bay as your choices, engine bay most likely choice for a fire to statrt anf then one on you to get you out of the car. Hope this helps. If you look to update your system, let me know I have a friend who manufacuters the Firecharger AFFF systems, which I think are alot better than the halon systems.

 

[Michael Oritt]

When I redid my cockpit last year I was going to use the flex tubing but a fellow racer pointed out that it is susceptible to being burned through so I used the soft AL tubing with compression fittings.

The original fire bottle had a spring-loaded push button on the top of it and after an event last year I dropped my helmet before putting the safety pin back in--guess where it landed. $300.00 later I had a replacement bottle installed--this time I used a pull-Tee handle in the dash.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Well the teflon lines are going to alot tougher, as teflon takes a fair amount of heat before it melts (that why we make piston pin buttons out of it (620 degree melting point) , so if the fire is that bad in thc cockpit or engine bay, you have worse problems than a hose melting, but with a AFFF even a hose melting would not be much of issue, the the good thing about foam, it stands a better chance of putting the fire out and keeping it out, Halon and other can't make that claim, only offer an escape time.