8 replies to this topic

[blue996tt]

Well,

Here goes, my first post.

My question is what fire suppression system does most everyone use ?? ESS, SPA or Safecraft ?? I pretty sure I want a 3 zone - 5liter/10lb system, but any input is greatly appreciated.

I have a 93 SM that I use for a "country club" Miata race series. There is about 16 or 17 of us all running "mostly" spec cars. We follow the SCCA rules for the most part, but it's all for fun and race craft development, so we aren't real tight on enforcing all the rules.

Thanks.

[davew]

I have been selling and installing a lot of the new SPA 4 liter system with the steel tank. AFFF fluid, 6 nozzels, 5 tee fittings, 15 feet of line 2 pull handles. And you can't beat the price at $350. I have one on the shelf

dave

[G-Man]

I have this SPA system (or incredibly similar) and installed it yesterday. Seems good value for something I hope to never use. Install was straightforward but as everything with a race car, far more complicated than expected. (Based on where I wanted to put it and needing it horizontal and fore-aft, I had to fabricate a mount for it, etc.)
Used two nozzles in engine bay and one on my legs per SCCA Tech recommendation (19885 Rx-7).
Only frustration is the 2-year life before servicing - not sure what's involved with that or cost, etc.

[Cy Peake]

My whole team has the steel bottle SPA units in our SMs.

[blue996tt]

Thanks for the quick responses, I run all the track events for the local Porsche Region (PCA) and at our last event we had a corvette burn to the ground. Thank god the driver was unharmed, but it did help to drive home just how important fire suppression is. Workers used 5 bottles on the car and didn't make a dent.

DaveW, I may be calling you in a day or two...

[Gatoratty]

Steel Spa 4 liter. Make sure you have the newer bracket with the wing nuts. The old style bracket allowed the bottle to slide in the mount. Nothing like your system activating in a race when the bottle handles slide into the tunnel!! Ask me how I know. Spa replaced my mounting bracket and recharged the bottle.

[Cy Peake]

I cut some slits in the floorpan (they work for rain drainage too) and ran two huge band clamps around the bottle and frame rail.

[Mark McCallister]

I don't know that anyone other than Paul has actually tried one out, but I was impressed with the SPA unit, except for the POS bracket that came with it. I made a bracket out of angle iron and steel rods. The floor pan that it's bolted to or band clamps will fail long before my custom bracket does. I put one nozzle on each side of the motor, 3 in the cockpit, and one in the trunk pointed at the filler hoses, and have a handheld extinguisher mounted next to it.

[wheel]

In decades of racing, I have never pulled the trigger on my fire system, but I have used my small hand-held three times. Once when a blown engine ignited the grass under the car, once for an oil line break, and once for another driver's car. All three times I was far from a corner worker station, and twice I probably would have lost the car, had I not put the fire out. So, you might consider adding one of those, too.

wheel