How FireBag Fire Safety Thermal Activated Shutoffs Work

When exposed to fire, the FireBag’s fusible alloy melts, triggering a spring which causes its plug to form a gas-tight seal.

The FireBag’s triggering temperature is +203°F to +212°F (+95°C to +100°C). When the ambient temperature rises to this temperature range, the alloy melts, releasing a spring.

Once activated, the FireBag shutoff blocks the flow of gas, reducing the risk of higher intensity fire situations.

This simple maintenance-free solution requires no power, actuators or external heat detectors, relying solely on heat exposure to activate.

Once triggered, the FireBag Thernal Activated Shutoff (TAS) remains closed, requiring replacement before the gas supply can resume.

FireBag Thermally activated shutoffs are suitable for both indoor and outdoor installations. They have a working temperature from -40˚F to +176˚F (-40˚C to 80˚C).

The FireBag is engineered to meet, at a minimum, the DIN 3586 international standard, which requires integrity at 1,700˚F (927˚C) for 60 minutes. It has been independently tested and certified to this standard. In practice, the FireBag maintains its integrity at temperatures up to 1,700˚F for 90 minutes at a Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP) of 150 PSI—exceeding both the temperature duration requirement and the minimal 100 PSI MAOP threshold.

Whether for single or multiple meter setups, the FireBag is most effective when installed upstream of the regulator, or indoors just inside the building wall, protecting regulators and meter sets.

As seen by this video of a demonstration conducted in Pennsylvania, the Thermal Activated Shutoff activation is audible and the fire is immediately extinguished as the fuel source is cut off.

Gas regulators, installed above ground, are highly vulnerable to numerous hazards — especially fire. Constructed primarily of aluminum, plastic and rubber, gas regulators and meters fail under the heat of a fire. When they fail, they release high pressure gas, fueling dangerous fires.

TECO FireBag Thermally Activated Shutoff (TAS) Features

• Fast activating trip temperatures of 203°-212°F, providing a gas-tight positive gas seal
• Once triggered, as per th DIN 3586 testing standards, the TECO FireBag TAS exceeds exposure temperatures at 1697°F for one hour
• Can undergo mechanical or thermal stress without misshaping, as thermal cooling occurs after a fire is extinguished.
• Tested & Approved for gas systems operating from inches water column to 150 psig MAOP
• Approved for Indoor & Outdoor piping applications
• NO external power or detectors required to activate
• Does not require regular inspections like active safety devices
• Approved for use by Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) – Installation and Design of Automatic Gas Shut Off Devices G.L c. 164, § 75A (2012)
• Approved for use under CMR 248, Mass Fuel Gas & Plumbing Code (2011)
• Over 14.5M TECO FireBag devices installed worldwide, with greater than 300,000 in the United States.

Certifications

The TECO FireBag is certified for domestic and international thermal gas shutoff standards, including:

• Tested and certified by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) according to DIN 3586 testing procedures (2013).
• Tested under GTI OTD technical program comparing commercially available Thermal Activated Shutoffs (2019).
• Meets and exceeds DIN 3586 Thermal Activated Shutoffs for gas applications
• European UNI EN 1775 Standard for indoor gas installations
• European Directive 90/396/CEE certification for durability in mechanical or thermal stress
• German DVGW TRGI 86/96 Standard for thermo-activated locking systems on gas heaters, water heaters & domestic gas fittings
• German Standard Muster-Feuerverordnung (FeuVo v. 02/95 – edition 9/97) for thermal-activated devices
• Italian UNI 7129 Ed 2001 Standard for fire protection & gas supply line components
• How to Order TECO FireBag Thermal Shutoffs