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Annual Tech at home in Philly? Fire Bottle Question Too.

PostPosted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:08 pm
by Herman23
Hello. I am working to prepare a new-to-me SRF GEN2 car and hoping to get it out to a few races yet this year. I have a few newbie questions. Can an annual tech be done at home or are scales needed? Are there any tech inspectors in the Philadelphia area that know SRFs well that make house calls (at a reasonable price) that you recommend I call? Lastly. I have a lifeline halon non-gauge fire bottle that is rough on the outside and I can't quite make out the tare and full weights. Does anyone know the specs? Is this bottle too far gone and should I just buy a replacament system at this point? Thank you for your insights in advance. This site has been a great source of information.

Richard Herman
Wayne, PA

Re: Annual Tech at home in Philly? Fire Bottle Question Too

PostPosted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:27 pm
by Robert Mumm
No scales are needed for a Annual Tech, the primary reason for the tech inspection is to make sure the car is safe to race. You may be able to find a local tech inspector to do it, but it can always be done at your first race weekend. Contact your local region to see if someone local is willing to do an inspection.

Your fire bottle does look old and since it does not have a gauge what will happen is you will have to take it out of the mount and a tech inspector will use a scale to weigh the bottle to see if it is still full. If it is still full it will pass tech, but that being said, one that old may just not work properly I have been told. Off hand I do not know the weight they look for, but experienced tech guys do, so find out the weight, and measure yourself ahead of time. If you are going to do it at the track, make sure you have all the tools to lift off the center section with you at tech (they won't have them) to be able to get to the bottle and disconnect the lines to be able to weigh it.
Good luck and have fun with our new toy!

Re: Annual Tech at home in Philly? Fire Bottle Question Too

PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 10:01 am
by Dog Licked Racing
New fire bottle - $350.... Burns pain for a long time. Ask Nikki Lauda

I know of very few Gen 2 fires, usually when the PVC canister or hose below it brakes.

Re: Annual Tech at home in Philly? Fire Bottle Question Too

PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 10:49 am
by dave
Dog Licked Racing wrote:New fire bottle - $350.... Burns pain for a long time. Ask Nikki Lauda...

We replace those little old ones w/o gauges, no matter what. One of the full ones we had replaced anyway got dropped. Pfffft. Like popping the top on a beer bottle, no pressure.

It's worth it to have one with a gauge.

Re: Annual Tech at home in Philly? Fire Bottle Question Too

PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:20 am
by Herman23
Thank you for the guidance. I think a new fire bottle is in my future.

Re: Annual Tech at home in Philly? Fire Bottle Question Too

PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:30 pm
by Bob Devol
Good move. Years ago, I accidentally triggered an old fire bottle I had replaced. Same result as Dave: except mine was not so much a "pffft" as a sigh. (Yes, the bottle had weighed okay.)

Re: Annual Tech at home in Philly? Fire Bottle Question Too

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 6:48 pm
by hongisto
I'm a dealer for SPA (and a long-time SRF person), and I'll sell you a new fire system at discount if you decide to go that way....my web site is: www.racingfiresystems.com

Mark