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Posted by: oakdalecurtis Sep 24 2016, 01:33 AM

I purchased the 6 foot BlazeCut Fire Suppression System. This length only requires one length down one side of the lid, one curve, and one length back the other side of the lid. I also found that the stiff tubing does not like to bend into a tight enough arc to fit into the confines of the engine lid. The tube kinked at the center of the curve, but I don't think it damaged it. I bought an electrical gray pipe curve, 3/4" ID, split it with my band saw, and zip tied and taped it around the BlazeCut tubing at the center of the arc where the tubing wanted to kink. This supported and held the tubing, keeping the tubing in the required arc while preventing it from kinking. I also found that plastic zip ties were not strong enough to hold the tubing in position under the engine lid. The stiff BlazeCut tubing does not like to bend or go where you want it to very easily. As you can see, I removed my rain tray a while ago since I never take the car out in bad weather and the engine runs cooler without it.
I fastened the tubing to the underside of the engine lid using metal pipe claps, 3/4 ID, and short self tapping metal screws into the lid supports. I wrapped the BlazeCut in heavy plumbers tape wherever it came in contact with the metal lid. I also cut thin strips of black tape and put them on the top side of the BlazeCut tube so you could not easily see the white tubing through the engine grill from the outside.
If you look on the left side of my engine lid, you can also see a steel braided cable I added a while back so I don't have to hold on to the engine lid when I open it. Without the cable, if you popped the engine lid and didn't hold it, it would fly open and put a lot of bending force on the hinges, which I have already rewelded once. Now the cable catches it before it works on the hinges.
BTW, if you have a weak opening engine cover, here's a link to an easy and simple fix that lets you put more pop in the opening, especially with the extra weight of the BlazeCut under the lid. My lids pops open fully now, even with the tubing under it.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=290514&hl=
I hope I never have to find out how well the BlazeCut tubing works!

Posted by: Frankvw Sep 24 2016, 02:56 AM

Thanks for your update and tips&trics. I understand you removed the raintray.
Do you think it will be possible to install one WITH the raintray still there based on your experiences with the install now ?

Posted by: oakdalecurtis Sep 24 2016, 03:07 AM

The rain tray would block most of the mounting points on used in my car. I don't know how I would mount it with the tray in place, but there is enough room above the engine. You can't drill holes for mounting screws in the plastic tray for obvious reasons, so you would have to come up with some other clever way to mount it there.

Posted by: BeatNavy Sep 24 2016, 06:03 AM

Yeah, I bought one of these a few months ago, and it's been sitting on my workbench waiting for me to figure out how to install without removing the raintray. I need my raintray, so I'm not sure how or if it's going to get installed any time soon...

Thanks for the write up.

Posted by: oakdalecurtis Sep 24 2016, 09:46 AM

I suppose you could screw the clamps right into the rain tray if you put a little silicone glue on each screw as it went through the plastic. It's not like the water from rain that gets in the tray on the top side is under any pressure to get past the screws.

Posted by: Andyrew Sep 24 2016, 09:48 AM

Looks good! Conduit clamps work well in this situation.

Posted by: PanelBilly Sep 24 2016, 11:18 AM

Mine fit

Posted by: oakdalecurtis Sep 24 2016, 11:50 AM

Looks good Billy, you may find that heat and ozone degrade the zip ties over time and they will break. Also, if you can see the white tubing through the engine grill, you can hide it from view. Put about on inch long strips of black plumbers tape on the top half of the tubing where you can see it from above the engine grill, and the white tubing "disappears' from outside view.

Posted by: FlacaProductions Jul 9 2020, 11:07 AM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=17042 - given the recent couple of engine fires that have been documented here, I thought I'd dig this thread back up - any luck on an install WITH the rain tray over the years?

Posted by: willieg Jul 9 2020, 12:16 PM

PanelBilly: How did you stop the BlazeCut from kinking at the bends?

Posted by: mb911 Jul 9 2020, 12:59 PM

I ended up getting mine from @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=17042 .. I painted it flat black and put it on mu GT lid. Fits perfect.

Posted by: BeatNavy Jul 9 2020, 01:18 PM

Hey Brian - as Ben noted above, I ended up giving mine to him so he could install. I still wanted to keep the rain tray and didn't want to try to make it fit with that.

Hopefully I won't come to regret that in a big way, and hopefully Ben won't need it!

Posted by: mb911 Jul 9 2020, 01:32 PM

I agree. 2020 has been an overall awful year in many ways.. I don't want to need it.

Posted by: Coondog Jul 9 2020, 02:48 PM

I like it and Curtis is doing it right by carrying a back up extinguisher.....

Posted by: eric9144 Jul 9 2020, 03:03 PM

Since most of us seem to do a lot of running in groups, I've always figured an extinguisher is there as much for me as anyone we may be driving with... Anytime I see a torched 914 it gets me in the gut because I know how much most of us put into them in blood, sweat, tears and $$$$.

"Two is one and one is none" aka a backup is never a bad plan in case one doesn't work or finish the job.

Posted by: Beach914 Jul 9 2020, 03:17 PM

I carry a Halon extinguisher and one of the "Element" brand extinguisher sticks in each of my cars.
I remember reading this thread awhile back and its something I should consider doing.

Posted by: cuddy_k Jul 9 2020, 03:19 PM

The Blaze Cut system looks really cool...but looks like it's only effective on fires above the engine tins. Is there a piece for under?

Posted by: PanelBilly Jul 9 2020, 06:12 PM

I bought it from Amazon and it came rolled up. I took advantage of the natural curve and fit it into the lid.

Posted by: oakdalecurtis Jul 9 2020, 06:30 PM

PanelBilly: How did you stop the BlazeCut from kinking at the bends?
[/quote]

I actually over bent mine at first and it kinked! I was shocked that it didn’t blow! But since it continued to try to kink at the center as I curved it, I took some electrical pipe curves, cut them in half and wired them around the curve to prevent the BlazeCut from kinking any more. You can see my fix in the photo. If you don’t overbend it, it will make the 180 without kinking...

Posted by: CHIZ 914 Jul 9 2020, 07:15 PM

Was thinking about that system and looks to work very good, the fit with a rain tray would be the issue
Now just have a fire bottle with a quick release seat frame mounted, perhaps add another one, but might clutter up the cabin.


Attached image(s)

Posted by: djway Jul 9 2020, 11:36 PM

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LVMGJ4/?coliid=I2P1W7PGWM3BXE&colid=1X6BOS4VRGIWW&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
I just found these on Amazon. You can put in 4 for the price of a blaze cut. Purple too.
I have a blaze cut on my 914 with rain tray and it does not fit well but its in there.

Posted by: jd74914 Jul 10 2020, 06:26 AM

Ehhh...found in the questions section:

Question: Does this have any certifications with any fire agency? I see the description lists all types of fires, but I don't see anything about testing.

Answer:We have several certifications for the fireball, one is RoHS2 DIRECTIVE 2011/65/EU another is the MSDS safety test and the CE test report plus we have gone through the China National Quality Supervision and Testing For Fire Fighting Products.

Just FYI for those who don't know: RoHS is a rule about hazardous waste in electronics, MSDS is a Material Safety Data Sheet (tells you the exposure risks), CE is a self-certifying report that says the manufacturer tested it, and in general only applies to electronics. And I'm not going to comment on the China National Quality thing...

Be careful if you want to try that product out.

Posted by: mlindner Jul 10 2020, 07:38 AM

I wonder if you could put two shorter lengths instead of the long looped style. Mark

Posted by: FlacaProductions Jul 10 2020, 10:01 AM

That's exactly what I was just thinking....cost would obviously be more but if it can be easily made to work with a rain tray, that might be the ticket.

Posted by: oakdalecurtis Jul 10 2020, 10:31 AM

Hey mlind, even the shortest BlazeCut is 44 inches long, obviously too long to use straight only. Highly pressurized, cannot be cut or shortened...

Posted by: Olympic 914 Jul 10 2020, 11:29 AM

What about running it around the perimeter of the engine bay instead of putting it on the lid? Maybe fit a longer one in there. I don't know what sizes are available.

Posted by: oakdalecurtis Jul 10 2020, 11:42 AM

hey Olympic,
Regarding engine bay perimeter installation of the BlazeCut tube, I would speculate that it would probably still work in a fire, but might take longer to activate, as it is the direct flame that melts the hole in the plastic tube and allows gas release. If the tubing is on the perimeter alongside the fire and not above the flames, it might take longer to reach melting temperature and activate.....

Posted by: mlindner Jul 10 2020, 11:47 AM

Just found the shortest is 100cm/39 inches, that would work great with two straight ones behind the engine grill. Mark

Posted by: FlacaProductions Jul 10 2020, 12:00 PM

I see the shortest being 44" but i can't go out and measure where that would work...

https://www.blazecutusa.com/products/t100e

Posted by: Jamie Jul 10 2020, 12:35 PM

The posted specs say should not to be exposed to water, so not a good idea to be mounted in the exposed engine compartment of a 914.

Posted by: mlindner Jul 10 2020, 01:39 PM

The T100 E has a tube length of 100 cm, 39 inches, easily fit two straight tube under 914 engine lid.

Posted by: FlacaProductions Jul 11 2020, 09:21 AM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=13770 - I think we're looking at the same product here but getting different specs.
I don't see 39 inches listed anywhere...it does say: "44" unit length"
I'm wondering if the tube is 100cm/39 inches but the overall unit is 44" when including the fittings on each end.

https://www.blazecutusa.com/products/t100e

Posted by: mlindner Jul 11 2020, 09:43 AM

So if with the metal ends it 44.....still works since the engine lid is 46 inches wide. Mark

Posted by: FlacaProductions Jul 11 2020, 01:31 PM

Now to figure out a way to secure/attach....

Posted by: mlindner Jul 11 2020, 02:30 PM

Come-on FlacaP.....we all fabricate, that is not an issue. Best, Mark

Posted by: FlacaProductions Jul 11 2020, 04:16 PM

Someone else has to lead the way on this - i'm 2100 miles away from my 914 and i won't be around it anytime soon. sad face.

Posted by: ClayPerrine Jul 12 2020, 07:20 AM

Betty and I are seriously considering this for our 914s, but we have some reservations.....

How hot does the engine compartment get? Is it hot enough on a hot Texas summer day to activate it?

What happens if you have two installed, you have a fire, and only one of them discharges? The other one is immediately suspect, and would have to be disposed of. But how do you get rid of it?


The Blazecut units contain HFC227ea. In the computer world, this is known as "FM200". It is a gas that suffocates a fire, so no powder residue. But I know from safety briefings on computer room operations that you can't be in the room when the FM200 is discharged. It will kill you via suffocation. What happens if you are in the car when it goes off? Will it get in the car? If so, how much does it take to suffocate you? And what about all of you that have cut an access panel in the firewall? Does it seal tight enough to keep it out?


Clay

Posted by: ClayPerrine Jul 12 2020, 08:11 AM

Doing some shopping online and found this:

https://augustamotorsports.biz/products/automatic-tube-style-fire-extinguisher-suppression-system-fireslayer-6

They also have this disclaimer on their page: "At this time the FireSlayer is not an FM, UL or SFI Approved fire extinguishment device."

Posted by: Coondog Jul 12 2020, 08:20 AM

Let’s see if I can answer some of the points Clay brought up.

I live in the desert and my concern is the continued heat that the tubes would be exposed to. In time this could cause the tubing to weaken.

If your running two tubes and one activates but does not completely put out the fire then the fire would have to get large enough to activate the other tube.

If the other tube didn’t activate during a fire then I agree it’s highly compromised.

You would have a greater exposure to the toxic smoke from your car on fire then this system depleting the oxygen to the point it would cause suffocation.

These systems just temporary remove the oxygen which of course puts out a fire but does not keep the gasoline from emitting fumes or does it get to any fire that’s underneath your tins.

Unless you pay extra for the system with the pressure gauge then you would never know that it’s holding its charge.

My gut feeling is you still need to carry a 10 lb.Purple K Fire Extinguisher as a back up.

Posted by: ClayPerrine Jul 12 2020, 08:29 AM

We have extinguishers mounted in all of our 914s. They get checked and replaced on a regular schedule. We are not getting rid of them for any reason.

Posted by: djway Jul 12 2020, 02:36 PM

I have a longer tube in my car, in so cal, with AC, and I drive it in the summer when it is hot.
It's been in there several years. It has a gauge on one end which reminds me I need to check it.
I purchased it when they were about half the price they are now.
No way it could remove O2 enough to cause you to black out let alone suffocate as it would require the O2 to be held back for several minutes. IIRC at sea level atmospheric pressure is around 15psi and would push right back in.

Posted by: nivekdodge Apr 19 2024, 06:30 PM

The activation temp seems low. Has anyone had it go off...Prematurely?

Kevin

Posted by: mb911 Apr 20 2024, 05:03 AM

No never had an issue.