Safety Question

[my friends call me Zappy]

I thought the " auto shutdown " system kicked in if a driver doesn't deploy at least one chute.
Yet the announcer said Densham was not using chutes to save pit time.......

 

[TF CREW]

The system can be deactivated by the driver inside the car.

 

[Mike]

The system can be deactivated by the driver inside the car.

Yes, only if he pulls the CHUTES. Otherwise, the entire system (fuel/ignition/parachutes) is supposed to activate.

 

[flapjack]

I read the Electrimotion documents and there is a way for the driver to deactivate the system if sh/she smokes the tires early in the run, or some such. iF that doesn't happen, the the system will activate after they cross the the trigger beams at the end of the track, or if they pop the blower, or whatever else is supposed to trigger the system.

 

[Mike]

The only other way (other than my above comment) to deactivate the system is to power down the entire system. Doing so is not a common practice that any driver does as far as I know. I know Gary has been driving for a long time, but to not pull the chutes after a winning run in an effort to save rebuild time is just ridiculous (esp. at Pomona). Hopefully Gary was just a joking as to why they did not come out. It seems as though the funny cars are having a more frequent problem with chutes not coming out lately. I cannot confirm this however. As a matter of practice, we pull the chutes on our car every run regardless of tire smoke or an aborted run. You just never know what might happen.

 

[mw6789]

I cant imagine that NHRA would not be taking a close look at this, especially after the saving time comments.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Are you sure that wasn't just because he didn't make a full pull in the 1st round and didn't NEED to deploy? I don't recall what happend in the second round (whether he made a full pull or not) and if he pulled the chutes.

Sean D

 

[Just Paul]

4.826 @ 234.41

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Yes, only if he pulls the CHUTES. Otherwise, the entire system (fuel/ignition/parachutes) is supposed to activate.

That was my understanding. The system automatically activated (killing ignition-fuel-and deploying both chutes), if the car passed a certain point WITHOUT the driver pulling one chute. The idea was to prevent a runaway, ie stuck throttle --driver unconscious.
If the driver can override the system.....why have it??

 

[flapjack]

That was my understanding. The system automatically activated (killing ignition-fuel-and deploying both chutes), if the car passed a certain point WITHOUT the driver pulling one chute. The idea was to prevent a runaway, ie stuck throttle --driver unconscious.
If the driver can override the system.....why have it??

Because if the driver smokes the tires, he/she can shut down the system, coast to the end of the track without stopping in the middle of the track because the chutes popped. I am guessing this is for expediency. Not exactly sure of the reason for being able to deactivate the system; that is my best guess.

 

[Mike]

When I first set the system up on our car, we had planned on having the capability to open 1 chute or 2 depending on the track length. In the end we decided to have both chutes pop EVERY pass regardless of the track length or situation. We considered the expediency factor as well and concluded that driver SAFETY trumped all no matter what. We also set it up so that the driver could not shut down the system (override) via the power switch. If necessary to kill the car in case of emergency etc., all the driver needs to do is hit the safety button and everything turns off (fuel, ignition, chutes pop).

 

[flapjack]

When I first set the system up on our car, we had planned on having the capability to open 1 chute or 2 depending on the track length. In the end we decided to have both chutes pop EVERY pass regardless of the track length or situation. We considered the expediency factor as well and concluded that driver SAFETY trumped all no matter what. We also set it up so that the driver could not shut down the system (override) via the power switch. If necessary to kill the car in case of emergency etc., all the driver needs to do is hit the safety button and everything turns off (fuel, ignition, chutes pop).

Thanks Mike for the background on at least what one team does (and why).

 

[TF CREW]

I cant imagine that NHRA would not be taking a close look at this, especially after the saving time comments.

We had issues with the system on the TF car and when NHRA officials had noticed that the car had passed the transmitter and had not activated the system they were in the pits not to long after wanting to know why

 

[TF CREW]

The system can be deactivated by the driver inside the car.

Like a parachute has never failed to deploy

 

[TF CREW]

Yes, only if he pulls the CHUTES. Otherwise, the entire system (fuel/ignition/parachutes) is supposed to activate.

Like a parachute has never failed to deploy

 

[Mike]

Like a parachute has never failed to deploy

Like I said, it seems to be happening more frequently. The question is why.