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Re: Nitrous Safety (long version)

To: elinnhoff@smmc.saint-lukes.org, autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Nitrous Safety (long version)
From: GSMnow@aol.com
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 14:53:16 EST
In a message dated 2/26/02 10:48:36 AM Central Standard Time, 
elinnhoff@smmc.saint-lukes.org writes:

<< The far more real concern is the high pressure bottle. To save weight many 
 Nitrous bottles are thin wall, aluminum, even carbon fibre. The safety
 margin  of these bottles is no where near what is required of welding 
gasses. >>
 =============================
> SHENANIGANS!!!!  I call BS. Where's your proof of this?  Do you really think
> that companies like NOS, Edelbrock, Compucar, etc would knowingly put out
> unsafe products?
 
No, they are not unsafe when used as designed. They still have well over a 2 
times safety factor for the pressure they are meant to hold. Welding tanks or 
more like a 4 to 1 safety margin. I remember when nitrous bottles were iron 
and weighed a ton, but racers DEMANDED lighter bottles, and many companies 
supplied them. I am sure NHRA has a spec they muct meet, and if there were no 
Yahoos putting pipe plugs in place of the relief valves, there probably would 
never be another bottle explosion.
 
<< It is just loike any other rule, SCCA says no compressed gasses, we have 
to 
 abide by that. >>
 ============================
> What about FSAE cars in AM that use high pressure cylinders (I saw one at a
> KC event with over 1100 psi in it) to run their air shifters???  Those are
> most definitely 100% legal for use in Solo2 events.
 
I have only seen one car with an air shifter. I don't know for sure, but I 
thought he just filled it with an air compressor. I am sure 175 psi would be 
plenty to operate the shifter for a couple runs. But if those bottles are 
over 200 psi, then they should have the protective cage or they are running 
illegal.

<< Don't mean to poke anybody in the eye, but what you said here is most
 definitely not 100% gospel. >>

If you want, I can look up nitrous bottle specs. I won't name any names, but 
I helped a guy put a cheater NOS system into a drag vehicle, and the bottle 
was a tiny featherweight thing to give just 50 hp for 6 seconds. He only ran 
300 psi of nitrous because the bottle walls were so thin. It was hidden in 
the hood scoop of a removeable hood, operated by radio control with just a 9 
volt battery. He jets the carb rich, and NOs just makes a fog over the it.

It is amazing what some people will do for an "edge"

This was not even in a car, so don't worry about the guy next to you at a Pro 
Solo just yet.

Gary M.

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