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03-23-2017, 09:11 AM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Rochester, MN
Posts: 420
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Early Engine Bay Fire Detection
There is a small amount of discussion on the forums re this topic. Would welcome more input/feedback. The question is, who has put some kind of fire detection into their aircraft (thermocouple, bi-metallic switch, thermistor, etc.)? Where did you place it (near the low pressure exhaust area?)? Have you hooked it up to one of the discrete inputs on an EFIS? Cost?
Just seems to me that there must be some relatively inexpensive solutions out there that we could leverage in our homebuilts. Seconds count in this situation.
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Rich and Cindy Macrafic
Rochester, MN
Flying
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03-23-2017, 09:33 AM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pocahontas MS
Posts: 3,884
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If you really want fast, try googling 'optical flame detector', 'photoelectric flame detector', 'optical flame sensor', etc.
Smoke will likely give lots of false positives & heat can be very slow to no detection, depending on where the sensor is located in relation to the fire.
Charlie
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03-23-2017, 10:14 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Vacaville, CA
Posts: 167
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Detection
I haven't had a fire in the engine compartment, but I've had fuel leaks, oil leaks, and in my cars I've had coolant leaks and transmission leaks as well as burning clutches and brake pads. IMO you will smell any of the above conditions immediately. I suppose knowing if the problem has developed into a fire would be useful, however the action to any of those events would include landing ASAP.
In other words I think you'll detect a fire as quickly with your nose as you will with a detector.
-Andy
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Andy Simpkinson
RV-9a Subaru engine.
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03-23-2017, 01:13 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Gardnerville Nv.
Posts: 2,828
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I brought up this question last year, http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...t=gopro&page=2
I like the quote from Ron:
So here's what you do. You build a little cage inside the cowling and wire it with a microphone that feeds into your intercom. Place a canary in the cage and, voila! When the canary stops singing...
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7A Slider, EFII Angle 360, CS, SJ.
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03-23-2017, 05:01 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Rochester, MN
Posts: 420
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bret
I brought up this question last year, http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...t=gopro&page=2
I like the quote from Ron:
So here's what you do. You build a little cage inside the cowling and wire it with a microphone that feeds into your intercom. Place a canary in the cage and, voila! When the canary stops singing...
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Sweet Bret! 😂
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Rich and Cindy Macrafic
Rochester, MN
Flying
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03-23-2017, 07:01 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Clarkston, MI
Posts: 660
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bret
I brought up this question last year, http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...t=gopro&page=2
I like the quote from Ron:
So here's what you do. You build a little cage inside the cowling and wire it with a microphone that feeds into your intercom. Place a canary in the cage and, voila! When the canary stops singing...
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Gee... what mine did that gem come out of? 
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03-24-2017, 08:42 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Landing field "12VA"
Posts: 1,530
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low-tech
How about a cotton thread across the cowl exit area holding open a spring-loaded NC switch? Thread burns through, contacts close, light comes on.
Backup / cross-check with an exit air temp probe, in case thread gets old and weak, breaks when it shouldn't.
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Bill Boyd
Hop-Along Aerodrome (12VA)
RV-6A - N30YD - Built '98 / sold '20
RV-10 - N130YD reserved - under construction
donating monthly to the VAF - thanks, Doug
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03-24-2017, 10:57 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BC
Posts: 1,674
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Check out www.blazecut.com click on the link for "small enclosures".
Bevan
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RV7A Flying since 2015
O-360-A1F6 (parallel valve) 180HP
Dual P-mags
Precision F.I. with AP purge valve
Vinyl Wrapped Exterior
Grand Rapids EFIS
Located in western Canada
Last edited by Bevan : 03-24-2017 at 10:59 PM.
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03-25-2017, 08:26 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: oregon
Posts: 94
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That Blazecut is very interesting for sure.
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03-25-2017, 08:54 AM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pocahontas MS
Posts: 3,884
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You'd need to check on what they mean by a 'small enclosure'. I doubt that any application they're considering has the pressure/flow induced by 100+ mph airflow.
I think it's been discussed here before, that most fire suppression systems will have a really hard time being effective in such a high flow environment.
Charlie
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