[Land-speed] Fire alarm lite

[Rick Byrnes]

Hi Bob
I should have been a little more explicit in my first note.

The automatic fire bottle is in addition to manually activated bottles.  In 
my car there is another 30 pounds and on the Ford Fusion I had an additional 
20 pounds that I control with manual cables, just like always.  The light 
tells me the first bottle went off automatically and I drive to emergency 
side of the course and bail if its still on fire.  Of course after setting 
off the second bottle for the engine bay, or the third bottle if I can feel 
fire as far forward as I am.
I have practiced the drill many times in preparation for this past season as 
I have an inordinate fear of fire.

Relative to the Orbis smoke detector, I do not know if it is the best, but 
in the enclosed space of the car, it is enough.

Also, the chances of a false alarm with smoke detector is much better than 
with the IR and UV sensors.  Some real aerospace type of sensors get much 
better, but still have some incidence of false alarm.  The cheaper the 
sensing system, the more potential problems with false alarms.
The use of smoke sensor was a pretty comfortable move for me, in addition to 
more than half a dozen H2 sensors set at very sensitive levels.  On one run 
we got shut down because one of these sensors picking up a minute amount at 
the rear of the car.  The guys replumbed the exhaust outlet and no more 
problem.

I think I would suggest some additional research to make sure you can be 
happy with whatever sensor you choose.
The logic of smoke sensor when flames may be almost invisable seems really 
good to me.

Rick