UTVs are gradually replacing ATVs in many roles in fire management. They can access most of the areas that can be reached by an ATV but are safer to operate as they have roll over protection. The current generation of UTVs are more like golf carts than the “mini-dump truck” style of first generation UTVs. With a 75gal tank, pump, and hose reel installed, a UTV makes an excellent fire engine for spot fire suppression. Add a Green Dragon ignition sphere dispenser and you have a very useful vehicle on a prescribed burn operation.
The Green Dragon dispenser can be mounted to either the front or the rear of the UTV. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Mounting to the rear cargo area can be accomplished by drilling holes in the floor of the cargo box and bolting the Green Dragon mount angles directly to the box. Alternatively, a frame can be fabricated which spans the width of the cargo box and the dispenser can be mounted to this frame. In either case, the dispenser is mounted with the arc of fire facing to the rear. The disadvantage of rear mounting is that the dispenser is not easily seen or operated by either the driver or a passenger. Also, the rear cargo area is valuable real estate on a UTV and may be better used for other equipment.
If the UTV has a front cargo rack, the dispenser can also be mounted on the front of the UTV with the arc of fire facing forwards. It is specifically designed to mount to tubular frame cargo racks using sliding unistrut nuts and U-bolts. Depending on the make and model of the UTV, the tubes in the rack may go side to side or front to rear. For cargo racks with side to side tubes, use the unistrut nuts and mount angles in the short end channels of the Green Dragon frame. For front to back tubes, move the mount angles to the unistrut nuts located on the long side channels of the Green Dragon frame. With front mounting, the dispenser can be operated by either the driver or a passenger. The disadvantage is that the dispenser can partially obscure the driver’s vision, but with the steering wheel on the left, this problem is minimized.
On an UTV, the propellant source is going to be a gas bottle. If using compressed air, the bottle can be mounted in any orientation. However, if using carbon dioxide, the valve end of the bottle must be about six inches higher than the other end to ensure that none of the liquid can get into the valve. With no passengers, the simplest solution is to mount the bottle in the passenger space.
Connecting the dispenser to a 12VDC power source is relatively easy. Some UTV's have a 12V utility outlet which can be power the dispenser with a suitable adapter. Alternatively, the user may prefer to hard wire a plug and socket system.
The Green Dragon dispenser can be mounted to either the front or the rear of the UTV. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Mounting to the rear cargo area can be accomplished by drilling holes in the floor of the cargo box and bolting the Green Dragon mount angles directly to the box. Alternatively, a frame can be fabricated which spans the width of the cargo box and the dispenser can be mounted to this frame. In either case, the dispenser is mounted with the arc of fire facing to the rear. The disadvantage of rear mounting is that the dispenser is not easily seen or operated by either the driver or a passenger. Also, the rear cargo area is valuable real estate on a UTV and may be better used for other equipment.
If the UTV has a front cargo rack, the dispenser can also be mounted on the front of the UTV with the arc of fire facing forwards. It is specifically designed to mount to tubular frame cargo racks using sliding unistrut nuts and U-bolts. Depending on the make and model of the UTV, the tubes in the rack may go side to side or front to rear. For cargo racks with side to side tubes, use the unistrut nuts and mount angles in the short end channels of the Green Dragon frame. For front to back tubes, move the mount angles to the unistrut nuts located on the long side channels of the Green Dragon frame. With front mounting, the dispenser can be operated by either the driver or a passenger. The disadvantage is that the dispenser can partially obscure the driver’s vision, but with the steering wheel on the left, this problem is minimized.
On an UTV, the propellant source is going to be a gas bottle. If using compressed air, the bottle can be mounted in any orientation. However, if using carbon dioxide, the valve end of the bottle must be about six inches higher than the other end to ensure that none of the liquid can get into the valve. With no passengers, the simplest solution is to mount the bottle in the passenger space.
Connecting the dispenser to a 12VDC power source is relatively easy. Some UTV's have a 12V utility outlet which can be power the dispenser with a suitable adapter. Alternatively, the user may prefer to hard wire a plug and socket system.
Seen here is an alpha prototype of the dispenser mounted to a Kubota RTV900 at the USFWS Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
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