SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1533430
OFF-ROAD FIRE SUPPRESSION A New Push For Automatic Systems In Race Vehicles By Dan Sanchez Success in extinguishing a vehicle fire in off-road racing, comes down to time. Many scenarios had vehicles burn to the ground, simply because there wasn’t enough time to activate a full-vehicle suppression system, or because a pit crew with fire extinguishers were out of range. When these scenarios happened during the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000, it was a realization for SCORE’s Tech Director Dan Cornwell that teams needed to improve their fire suppression systems. “There have been too many close calls where I’ve seen several vehicles engulfed in flames when they didn’t have to be,” he said. It’s incredibly disheartening to watch any race vehicle destroyed this way, such as Alan Ampudia’s No. 10 truck and the No. 46 truck of Toby Price’s did during that race. “It’s completely avoidable if vehicles have an automated full vehicle fire suppression system,” says Cornwell. “Yes, these systems are more expensive, but it's also less than rebuilding an entire vehicle from scratch.” Cornwell, along with fire suppression manufacturers, are pushing for full-vehicle automated systems to be mandatory in off-road racing and other motorsports. “The goal is to get everyone to step it up, and it will take time,” says Cornwell. “These types of systems can save lives and vehicles, but we recognize they cost more. For now, we can continually recommend them to teams, and it will be a gradual process until we can change the regulations and be fair to everyone. The good news is that many fire system manufacturers are willing to help.” AGENTS OF CHANGE Top fire suppression systems manufactured for racing use the latest technology in the types of fire suppressants (agents) available. Currently, there are three basic types of agents used in fire extinguishers. FOAM: Draws out heat and prevents reignition because of its high water content. When used, it must cover and smother the fire, so there are efficiency limitations in some applications where foam agents can’t reach. POWDER: Extremely effective for various types of fuel fires. When mounted in a racing vehicle, however, the powder packs down in the extinguisher from vibration, making it ineffective. These should be mostly confined to pit crews or safety teams in a handheld unit. GAS: Best for use in all applications and reacts with fire by expanding in any space it's applied to. Gas agents are also referred to as “clean” agents. 3M Novec is the most clean agent, as it’s non-conductive and won’t damage electronics. It also evaporates leaving no residue. Novec is also a super coolant so it’s also a great agent for fighting EV fires. “We push to use a clean agent in our systems,” says Tyler McQuarrie from Lifeline Fire. The company uses Zero FK which replaces the popular Novec 1230. “The ease of maintenance and how it works is better than powder systems. It’s a liquid in the bottle and when sprayed expands as a gas with no residue, and it doesn’t hurt electronics.” Johanna von Disterlo of Safecraft says their company also uses a clean agent in their automated and hand-held fire extinguisher systems. “We use Fluro FS, which is a non-corrosive clean agent. A few of the many benefits are its non-toxic and non-conductive properties, and there’s no residue left behind.” AUTOMATED SYSTEMS While some race teams already use full-vehicle systems that have nozzles pointing into the engine compartment and transmission tunnels to disperse the agent, not many of them are fully automatic. “The benefit of using an automated fire suppression system is if you’re unconscious or in a panic to get out of the vehicle, the system will activate,” says Wyatt Skaggs of Firebottle Racing Systems. “There is also a scenario, however, that if you see or detect a fire before it reaches the sensors, you should be able to activate the system manually. We offer Automatic/Manual systems so you can get the best of both worlds.” In a fully automatic system, sensors are placed in key areas where fires could start. When a sensor reaches 170 degrees F, it activates the system and floods the area with a clean agent. In some cases, fires have been put out before major damage is done, and pit crews can make repairs and get the vehicle back on the racecourse. HANDHELD UNITS AT THE READY With off-road racing being such a unique sport, the need for fire suppression needs to be over the top, according to Cromwell and fire suppression manufacturers. “We are racers and have competed in the SCORE Baja 1000 in a Trophy Truck and UTVs,” says Lifeline’s McQuarrie. “Fire suppression needs to be over-the-top because, unlike other motorsports, off-road racing requires you to be self-sustained when fighting a fire. Having an automated system is a great start, but a handheld backup is always great as a secondary line of defense.” This is especially true for UTV racers whose first line of defense against fries is a handheld unit strapped to the vehicle. If this is the case, fire suppression manufacturers recommend using only a fire bottle with a clean agent. “Chase crews should also have at least three to four handheld units on their vehicles at all times,” says Safecraft’s von Disterlo. “Even with a fully automatic system on a vehicle, there’s no such thing as too much fire protection.” MAINTENANCE AND REGULATIONS No matter what type of fire suppression system(s) you have it’s essential to maintain them and follow motorsports regulations. “All systems over 5 lbs follow the SFI specifications (SFI 17.1) requiring them to be updated once every two years,” says Skaggs. This includes replacing them every six years. “Although fire agents have a shelf life of 30 years, it’s important that the bottle, pressure check, head, and gauge are inspected,” says McQuarrie. As for hand-held units, the manufacturers we spoke with all agree that they should also be checked, and if you’re uncertain, you can consult with the manufacturer. As for most safety items, finding what’s best for your team’s or individual needs depends on the information you can gather on various systems. “I would encourage doing research,” says von Disterlo. “The size of the suppression system shouldn’t be dictated by the bare minimum required. The locations where the likely chances of fire can occur, fluids near those areas, and fuel fires, can help you determine the number of nozzles needed in your particular vehicle. It can impact how much the suppression system would be helpful in the event it is needed.” SJ FireBottle Racing Systems https://www.firebottleracing.com The Firebottle RC-500 is a high-performance, 5-pound manual fire suppression system specifically designed for the demanding conditions of the dirt racing. The aluminum bottle measures 17.20" x 4.00"and weighs just 10 pounds. Each RC-500 system is SFI Certified and features two pull handle manually activated nozzles. MSRP $550. The AMRC-1002 is a high-performance, 10-pound automatic-manual fire suppression system with an aluminum bottle that measures 18.95" x 5.25" and weighs just 17 pounds. The AMRC-1002 features two automatic discharge lines set at 24" and 84" for maximum coverage, along with 3 manually activated nozzles. Certified with an SFI rating, it includes 1.5" roll bar mounting brackets and clamps for easy installation. MSRP- $999 (shipped). Lifeline Fire Systems https://www.lifeline-fire.com/ ZERO 10lbs Auto + Mechanical Lifeline has created the SFI 17.1 Mechanical + Automatic fire systems that is used on many SCORE Trophy Trucks. It's as simple and light as possible, while maintaining Lifeline’s historic reputation for performance. MSRP $1,179.99 Lifeline Fire Systems https://www.lifeline-fire.com/ Zero 360 FIA 2.25kg FK 5-1-12 Fire Marshal System The latest Zero 360 FK 5-1-12 represents a significant step forward in motorsport safety, convincingly passing the FIA tests and performed extremely well for plumbed in fire systems which were witnessed by the British Standard Institute. MSRP $749.99 Zero 360 FK Designed for motorsports, the Lifeline Zero 360 hand-held unit is perfect for pit crews or strapped to a roll bar for immediate use. Available in 3 and 5 lbs. bottles with a polished or non-polished finish. MSRP (non-polished) $274- $374 Safecraft https://safecraft-inc.myshopify.com/ LT System This fully automatic LM Model system uses thermal sensor and can be also configured with a manual activation. Comes with 10-lbs bottle, (mounting brackets sold separately). MSRP $943 LT System Safecraft’s manual 10-lbs modular system allows for a wide variety of activation and mounting options. Available in 3, 5, and 10 lb. systems. MSRP $550 - $820 PB3 Hand-Held This 3 lbs. fire extinguisher is a hand-held portable unit with a machined billet aluminum nozzle. Available in a 5 lbs. bottle (PB5). Billet mounting brackets (roll bar, and flat mount) are available separately. MSRP $285 - $412