Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 16:00:25 -0600
Reply-To: Bill Johnson <bjohns@DTX.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bill Johnson <bjohns@DTX.NET>
Subject: Re: FIRE!!! (True story from this morning)
Wonder how NASCAR does it. Anyone know.
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers" <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 3:40 PM
Subject: Re: FIRE!!! (True story from this morning)
Airplanes have rings of hollow tubing circulated through the engines and in
strategic points with discharge nozzles directed to certain areas. When
there is
a fire warning light, the captain can by pulling a handle or pressing a
button,
activate the CO2 cylinders discharging their contents into the tubing that
directs the CO2 to the nozzles. Should put out any fire.
Such a ring could be made up and installed in a vanagon. with the main feed
line
going through the firewall into the area under the back seat to connect with
a
CO2
cylinder mounted there. A pull handle could be placed at the edge of the
frame
under the seat. So if there was a fiire, one need not open the engine hatch
or
the oil flap or crawl underneath. Just open the side door, pull the handle
and
the CO2 will discharge through the feed line to the suppression ring then
directly into the engine compartment, flooding the whole area with CO2.
If the ring is mounted on top of the engine, and the lid is kept closed, the
flood of CO2 above the engine flowing down should put out the fire. It's
reasonable to consider.
Might work!
John Rodgers
"88GL Driver with new FI hoses
BRENT CHRISTENSEN wrote:
> Well, I never got to get a real close look, with all the excitement, but
the
> flames were coming from between the valance below the bumper and the
exhaust
> system, in addition to the license plate opening. I knew that if I opened
> the license plate, flames would come jetting out and I would probably just
> oxygenate the fire, so I attacked it from under the bumper. I never
really
> thought about all that shrouding in an air-cooled motor. I just kind of
> knocked down the initial flames from a distance of about 18 inches, then
> jammed the nozzle under the bumper and sprayed from each side. Then I
got
> in through the license plate opening. That really seemed to do the trick.
> I'll be real interested to take a look at an airhead now to see the layout
> of that shrouding.
>
> The fire was caught fairly early -- the flames had not engulfed the entire
> rear of the van, as you see in some fires. (One problem with being in
> *front* of the engine while driving...) If this had been the case, I
doubt
> I would have been much help.
>
> Brent Christensen
> '89 GL Syncro Westy
> Santa Barbara, CA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gary Shea [mailto:shea@GTSDESIGN.COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 10:59 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: FIRE!!! (True story from this morning)
>
> On Tue, 25 Jan 2000, BRENT CHRISTENSEN wrote:
> > Well, ironically after all this discussion about fire and Halon vs. PKP,
> > etc. I had the opportunity this morning to put the theory to
practice...
>
> First off, bonus points to you for saving that van, and I bet it
> does feel good. Nice work ;)
>
> What I want to know is how, on an '80 vanagon, could you get to the
> engine compartment from below? Was all the sheet metal gone? I
> have never thought about this before and it's time I did!!! I read
> your description and all I know is that there's no real gap there
> on my '81.
>
> Gary
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