Kill switch for fuel cars. (1 Viewer)

[paulnhra]

If my memory is correct there are remote manual kill switches, and an
auto switch just past the finish line. Does someone have more info?

 

[none]

The Crew Chiefs all have a device that they can shut their car off. There is a transmitter just past the finish line that will do it if the car is still under power when it gets there. And there is a box in the tower that could be used to shut them off as well.

And obviously the driver can shut it down.

Alan

 

[Jeff]

I own one, and I'm pretty sure I'm the reason they are allowed in TAD/TAFC .... because last August I requested that the rules be expanded to include (allow, not require) more than just the nitro classes. The current dominant provider started offering them roughly a year ago and they are much more reliable that the prior version. The receiver on the car can be configured a variety of ways, but generally its just a matter of whether you just show the driver a light (e.g. it would save a lot of money if you would lift off the gas) or whether the crew chief 1. cuts the fuel, 2. cuts the ignition, and/or 3 throws the parachute. The NHRA system sends a signal that must do all three during a national event. Whole system costs about $2k, crew chief box outputs about 2 watts and can activate from a couple miles away. Older system evidently had about a 1 in 3 chance of being crew chief activated. I don't recall the developer's name, but he is a very nice guy and does a lot of Indycar stuff and some F1 stuff.

 

[Cliff]

Maybe a bad question, but what would prevent a team member from another team activating the box on your car? Is each device unique to the car?

 

[Dan]

The crew chief shutoff just closes the throttle blades either with an arm on the injector or an inline air cylinder from the pedal to the blades....originally it would shut fuel off shut off ignition and throw the chutes in a fuel car that usually leads to throwing the blower off why most people got away from that set up

 

[Dan]

Yes they all have there own frequency.... the box in the car and the crew cheif box are paired together

 

[r2]

Yes they all have there own frequency.... the box in the car and the crew chief box are paired together

I have wondered how the tower is able to kill a car, or both cars if all frequencies are different. Which of course they would have to be. But it still makes me wonder what type of magic button performs this. I was hoping for an answer when they first came out with this safety measure. Leahy makes the device I believe.

Is there anyone from the tower that can answer or ask about this?

I'm going to speculate it is the same as the finish line kill, as it doesn't have a car code programmed into it. The fuel cars are not the only ones who have this device and frequencies are not my specialty.

 

[.]

Dave Leahy's website...

Welcome to Electrimotion.com

 

[camaro]

I have wondered how the tower is able to kill a car, or both cars if all frequencies are different. Which of course they would have to be. But it still makes me wonder what type of magic button performs this. I was hoping for an answer when they first came out with this safety measure. Leahy makes the device I believe.

Is there anyone from the tower that can answer or ask about this?

i would imagine the tower has a signal source with all the participants encryption / frequency encoded in to it and therefore can disable all cars and will simply mask out all signals except the particular car in trouble !! . . . . . any basic digital circuit could perform that task

 

[r2]

i would imagine the tower has a signal source with all the participants encryption / frequency encoded in to it and therefore can disable all cars and will simply mask out all signals except the particular car in trouble !! . . . . . any basic digital circuit could perform that task

I'm convinced electronics were invited just to mess with my mind and mental stability.

Every 12 year old probably knows the answer I have found.

I understand what you are saying James, however it is simpler or more complex than I can understand without schematics.

 

[none]

Think of it like a hotel that has 200 rooms that all have a specific key that will only open a specific door. And there's a Master Key that will open them all.

Can't remember where but the system got activated accidently one time with Alcohol Dragsters in the lanes and every car had the parachutes pop out!

Alan

 

[r2]

^ see, just ask a 12 year old.

 

[Dan]

They are 2 different systems..... the crew chief one where only the throttle closes is it's own system.......the racetrack controlled system is it's own system....we run 2 recievers on the car one for the track system (wall in shut down and the tower) and one for crew chief button....the track system on everyones car runs on same frequency

 

[r2]

They are 2 different systems..... the crew chief one where only the throttle closes is it's own system.......the racetrack controlled system is it's own system....we run 2 recievers on the car one for the track system (wall in shut down and the tower) and one for crew chief button....the track system on everyones car runs on same frequency

Thanks Dan, I knew it was something simple like that. I'm an idiot and a PIA which is a terrible combination.

 

[camaro]

Maybe a bad question, but what would prevent a team member from another team activating the box on your car? Is each device unique to the car?

they would have to be smart enuff to hack into the system and one thing about hackers are, the really good ones wont waste their time, unless a lot of money is involved !

 

[Jeff]

Bruce Natvig at Motorsports Safety Electronics builds the crew chief shut off system that I see (almost exclusively) at the starting line nowadays. We are mounting the small box in front of the drivers foot box and the antenna at the back. The larger crew chief box has a green light confirming that its attached to the receiver in the car and the red light indicates its been activated. The shut off button is pretty positive acting with at least 2 pounds of pressure to make it click. The Electromotion box that you must have is separate and is activated by a directional signal transmitted from the finish line. They also have a crew chief box.

 

[r2]

Thanks for the explanations guy's, and the pic Jeff. I learned everything I had wondered about for some time. I hope others did as well.

 

[Professional Fan]

I have also found this thread informative. A question I have is how often is it used by crew chiefs? I'm guessing rarely in elims and less frequently now in qualifying since there are only two shots to make the field.

 

[T.Smith]

I have also found this thread informative. A question I have is how often is it used by crew chiefs? I'm guessing rarely in elims and less frequently now in qualifying since there are only two shots to make the field.

We've never used it on race day. We've use it twice this year in qualifying. One was a hole out at the step and the second was after a double step.

 

[Cliff]

Was it used when Leah crashed?