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FIRE/OVERHEAT DETECTION SYSTEM

Overview

Fire and overheat detection systems provide aural and visual alerts when overheat or fire are detected.

Engine Fire Detection

Dual-loop fire and overheat detection systems are in each engine area. Both loops of a system must sense fire
in order for a fire alarm to be given. If one loop is inoperative, then the system may be set to operate on the
operative loop.

APU Fire Detection

A single-loop fire detection system is in the APU compartment.

B737-300/400/500 General Familiarization FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY ATA-26 Page 8

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 FIRE MASTER MASTER FIRE
WARN CAUTION CAUTION WARN
A.P.U.
BELL CUTOUT P US H TO R E S ET P U S H TO RE S E T BELL CU TOUT
FIRE
CONTROL
1 . P U L L H A N D L E D O W N
2 . D I S C H A R G E B O T T L E

B O T T L E D I S C H A R G E

ENG 2 CORE
DETECTOR
PILOTS LIGHTSHIELD
BOTTLE HORN
DISCHARGE CUTOUT

ENG 2 OVHT SIGNAL ENG 2 FAN

UPPER DETECTOR
UNLOCK
HANDLE ENG 2 ENG 2

B737-300/400/500 General Familiarization

OVHT FIRE AND ENG 2 FAN
L R OVERHEAT LWR DETECTOR
DETECTION P28 APU REMOTE CONTROL PANEL
CIRCUITS (RIGHT WHEEL WELL)
ENG 2 FIREWALL
RIGHT FIRE ENG 2 FIRE SIGNAL
FIRE WARN DETECTOR
WARN LIGHT
LIGHT
FIRE SWITCH-
ENGINE 2
28V
DC APU
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UNLOCK APU DET REMOTE APU REMOTE

HANDLE INOP WARN LIGHT HORN WARN
APU EXHAUST APU TAILPIPE
L R APU FIRE DET FIRE DET
DC
FIRE
DETECTION HORN DRIVER
CIRCUITS APU FIRE
APU FIRE SIGNAL DET
FIRE WARN
LIGHT
AIR

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28V FIRE SWITCH-

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DC APU GND
ENG 1 OVHT SIGNAL

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LANDING GEAR

FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY

LEFT FIRE WARN UNLOCK ACCESSORY UNIT
LIGHT HANDLE ENG 1 ENG 1 ENG 1 CORE
OVHT FIRE AND DETECTOR
L R OVERHEAT
28V DETECTION
DC FIREBELL CIRCUITS ENG 1 FAN
UPPER DETECTOR
AURAL WARN FIRE WARN ENG 1 FIRE SIGNAL
ACCESSORY UNIT LIGHT
FIRE SWITCH- ENG 1 FAN
ENGINE 1 LWR DETECTOR
ENGINE AND APU FIRE MASTER OVHT DET WHEEL OVHT DET
BELL CUTOUT L BOTTLE R BOTTLE
WARNING WELL R DISCHAR GE DISCHARGE
CONTROL MODULE A B A B A A

LOGIC ENG 1 FIREWALL ENGINES

DIS CH
FAULT
DETECTOR NORMAL A DISCH NORMAL DISCH ET
CIRCUITS XE
ENG 1 ENG 2 TS
1 2
L R APU DET L R
OVERHEAT OVERHEAT T
A INOP A A R
TEST L G G
F APU BOT TLE
FIRE SWITCHES
I O F
A DISCHAR GED ( FUEL SHUTO FF)
N V I PULL WHE N ILLUMINA TED
U A G
O H R LOC K OVERRIDE : PRESS
L
P T E R R BUTTON UND ER HANDLE R
T APU
FLASHER
ENGINE AND APU FIRE CONTROL MODULE
ENGINE AND APU FIRE
DETECTION UNIT MODULE

Engine and APU Fire/Overheat Detection System Simplified Schematic

ATA-26 Page 9
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Wheel Well Fire Detection

A single-loop fire detection system is in the main landing gear wheel well.

Wing and Lower Aft Body Overheat Detection

Two single-loop overheat detection systems are located in the wings, the air conditioning bays, the aft cargo
compartment, the keel beam, and the APU area.

B737-300/400/500 General Familiarization FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY ATA-26 Page 10

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 OVHT DET WHEEL BELL CUTOUT OVHT DET L BO TTL E R BOTTLE
WELL R DISCH ARG E DISC HAR GE
A B A B A A

FAULT ENGINES FWD KEEL BEAM

DISCH ET
NORMAL A DISCH NORMAL DISCH
XE
1 2 DET FAULT OVHT DET
ENG 1 L R APU DET ENG 2 L R TS
OVERHEAT OVERHEAT T ISOL CHECK
A INOP A A R
TEST L G G
F APU BOTTLE
FIRE SWITCHES
A I O F
DIS CHARGED (FUEL SH UT OFF )
U N V I P ULL WHEN ILLUM INA TED
A G NORMAL
H R LOCK OVERRI DE: PR ESS
L O
T E R R B UTT ON UNDER HANDL E R
T P APU FWD A/C PACK LEFT AFT A/C
P8-1 ENGINE FIRE CONTROL PANEL DET FAULT OVHT DET PACK OVHT DET DET CONT
ISOL CHECK CHECK

NORMAL SW 2
LEFT WING OVHT
DET INBD DET CONT AFT KEEL BEAM
CHECK
DET FAULT OVHT DET
ISOL CHECK

B737-300/400/500 General Familiarization

SW 1
LEFT WING OVHT
DET OUTBD NORMAL
OVHT DET AFT OVHT DET
SECTION 58 SECTION 56 DET CONT
DET FAULT CHECK
UP
ISOL CHECK
SW 1
SW 2 NORM LEFT WING, SW 3
SW 3
BODY, APU
DET CONT
DN
CHECK
OVERHEAT OVERHEAT M237 COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT
CONTROL LEFT ACCESSORY UNIT
CONT CIRCUITS
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ENG 1 STRUT
UNIT
SW3
CAVITY OVHT DET
WING,BODY
OVERHEAT OVERHEAT OVERHEAT
TEST
LEFT SEC AIR CONDITIONING
S658 AFT MODULE
CARGO

DET

DET
DET
RIGHT RECIRC FAN

L. WING

AFT & FWD

KEEL BEAM
RIGHT OFF
SW2 SW1 ENG 2 STRUT

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WING,
CAVITY OVHT DET

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BODY WING,BODY AUTO

A/C PACK DET

OVERHEAT OVERHEAT

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CONTROL 40 60

FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY

AIR CONDITIONING OVHT
CIRCUITS
COMPARTMENT
MODULE
20 80
OVERHEAT
UNIT PSI
BOEING TEST
0 100
EQUIP NO. M237
WHEEL L PACK R PACK
MAIN WHEEL WELL OFF OFF
WHEEL ISOLATION VALVE
WELL OVHT DET OVERHEAT AUTO AUTO
CLOSE
CONTROL WELL
WHEEL WELL ON ON
TEST CIRCUITS AUT0
ENGINE AND APU
COMPARTMENT FIRE CONTROL WING WING
OVERHEAT ACCESSORY ANTI OPEN ANTI
MODULE PACK PACK
UNIT ICE ICE
TRIP OFF TRIP OFF
(E3-2) M237 COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT ACCESSORY UNIT WING-BODY WING-BODY
RIGHT WING OVHT OVERHEAT TRIP OVERHEAT
DET OUTBD BLEED BLEED
TRIP OFF TRIP OFF

RESET
OFF OFF

RIGHT WING OVHT RIGHT FWD A/C RIGHT AFT A/C

ON ON
DET INBD PACK OVHT DET PACK OVHT DET 1 APU 2
BLEED
AIR CONDITIONING MODULE (P5-10)
Wheel Well and Wing and Lower Aft Body Overheat Detection System

ATA-26 Page 11
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ENGINE FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM

Engine Fire/Overheat Detectors

The engine fire detection system monitors engine and nacelle temperature for fire and overheat conditions.
Dual-loop fire/overheat detectors are located in each engine area.

The system uses power from the 28-volt DC battery bus. The circuit breakers are on panel P6.

Engine fire detection system components are fire detectors, engine and APU fire detection accessory unit, and
engine and APU fire control panel.

A detector consists of two identical sensing elements attached to a support tube by quick-release mounting
clamps.

Each sensing element contains an inert gas and gas-emitting core, and has a responder on one end. The
responder contains three pressure switches for sensing fire, overheat, and integrity (fault).

The inert gas in a sensing element expands as a function of average gas temperature. The gas-emitting core
expels gas due to high localized temperatures. Both actions cause an increase in pressure in the element,
which causes an alarm pressure switch in the responder to close, activating an alarm signal. Both actions are
completely reversible - as the temperature decreases, the pressure decreases, and the alarm switch
deactivates. When a sensing element is damaged allowing the inert gas to leak, the integrity pressure switch
opens, activating a fault signal. The pressure switches provide alarm and integrity signals to the appropriate
detector control card.

The detectors are identical except for length, temperature trip and reset settings of the pressure switches.

Each engine has four Engine Fire Detector Elements; one detector is located on the right side of the strut above
the fan case, one detector is located on the upper left side of the fan case, one detector is located on the
underside of the fan case, and one detector is located around the engine core. You can access the three
detectors in the fan area by opening the fan cowl panel. You can access the core detector by opening the fan
duct cowl and thrust reviser halves.

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STRUT DETECTOR
SEE B

CORE DETECTOR
LOWER FAN SEE D
DETECTOR
SEE C
UPPER FAN DETECTOR
SEE A

SENSOR
CLAMP

SUPPORT TUBE
CLAMP

UPPER FAN DETECTOR

A

SENSOR
CLAMP

SUPPORT TUBE
CLAMP

STRUT DETECTOR
B

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Engine and APU Fire Detection Accessory Unit

Engine fire detection system components of the engine and APU fire detection accessory unit are engine 1 and
2 control cards and accessory control card. The unit is on shelf E3-3 of the electronics rack.

ELECTRONIC
EQUIPMENT
DETECTOR SYSTEM
RACK E3
FAULT/INOP TEST

ENGINE AND APU FIRE

DETECTION ACCESSORY ENGINE NO 1
UNIT
SEE A

A - LOOP - B
ENGINE NO 2

A - LOOP - B
APU FAULT/INOP

TEST

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Engine and APU Fire Control Panel

Engine fire detection system components of the engine and APU fire control panel are two fire/overheat
detector selector switches, test switch, engine 1 and 2 overheat lights, engine fault light, and engine 1 and 2
fire switch handles. The panel is on the aft electronics panel of the control stand.

There is one fire/overheat detector selector switch for each engine. Setting the switch to NORMAL enables
both loops to operate in AND - logic. Setting the switch to A or B enables the indicated loop and disables the
other.

Setting the TEST switch to OVHT/FIRE checks the integrity of the sensing and warning circuits. The engine
fire switch handle lights, OVERHEAT lights, master FIRE WARN lights, and bell activate.

Setting the TEST switch to FAULT/INOP checks the fault discrimination circuit. The FAULT and MASTER
CAUTION lights illuminate.

The fire, overheat and fault lights illuminate when the appropriate signals from the accessory unit are sent.

OVHT DET WHEEL BELL CUTOUT OVHT DET L BOTTLE R BOTTLE

DISCHARGED DISCHARGED
WELL
A B A B
DISCH FAULT DISCH DISCH ENGINES
NORMAL L R NORMAL L ET
R
ENG 1 ENG 2 XE 1 2
OVERHEAT APU DET OVERHEAT TS
R
TEST INOP T
FIRE SWITCHES L
F I O F
A N V I APU BOTTLE
(FUEL SHUTOFF)
PULL WHEN ILLUMINATED
U O H R DISCHARGED
LOCK OVERRIDE PRESS
L P T E BUTTON UNDER HANDLE
T APU

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APU FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM

APU Fire Detector Elements

Detector elements are located in the engine and exhaust areas of the APU. Detector elements are located in the
engine compartment, exhaust heat shield, and muffler assembly.

The sensing elements are attached to a support tube by quick-release mounting clamps. Each sensing
element contains an inert gas, a gas-emitting core material, and has a responder on one end. The responder
contains two pressure switches, alarm and integrity, and provides the electrical interface with the airplane
wiring.

The inert gas in a sensing element expands as temperature increases. The gas-emitting core material expels
gas due to high localized temperature. Both actions cause a pressure increase in the element, which causes
the alarm pressure switch to close, activating an alarm signal. When the temperature decreases, the pressure
decreases, and the alarm switch opens. If a sensing element is damaged and the inert gas leaks, the integrity
pressure switch opens, activating a fault signal. The pressure switches provide alarm and integrity signals to
the APU fire detection card.

ELECTRICAL
TERMINALS
WIRE BUNDL
CLAMP

DETECTOR
RESPONDER

SUPPORT TUBE

DETECTOR WITH TERMINAL LUG TYPE RESPONDERS

B737-300/400/500 General Familiarization FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY ATA-26 Page 16

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