Can any of y'all that have pop-offs post pictures of them inside and out? I am wanting to learn more about them as far as who all makes or made them, which ones are manual, which are automatic or both manual and automatic. On the automatic ones, how are they triggered, RPM switch, pressure triggers and so on. I would love to hear what you guys that have them and have run them have to say about the different options and styles of valves,and who you think made the best one and why. I would also like to see some good pictures of valves both on and off the pump if y'all have them. Also, do any of y'all run them on double duty lake/race boats like mine will be, and if so do you disable it while at the lake, or just set it up to be manually fired when at the lake/river?
I will be running one of HTP's Jet-A-Ways on my boat and might also run a pop-off when we go to the track if we step up into some bigger numbers from where we hope to start.
Anybody got one for sale????
I will say that for some strange reason Willis kept popping the pop-off valve off the pump at Ming in Sept. So what ever one you chose to go with it will in my eyes need a better bolting system to hold it in place plus a special restrieghnt sytem. It doesn't take much for a restrieghnt system as Willis proved by using a small ratchet strap. But there is one, to my knowlage in Lake Ming.
Jim
WheelerDealer -
We're running both Duane's Jet-A-Way and Dan Nelson's PopOff (Jett Performance Marine here in Phoenix) ... In my opinion, as humble as it never is, is that each is the Best Device of their type made to date. Unfortunately, Dan no longer makes his design and used ones are hard to find ... If you can find one at a reasonable price, I'd suggest you get one ... Again I think they are the Best Made.
Our PopOff is set up to be 'Triggered' both Manually (by a button on the steering wheel Right Next To The Driver's Thumb ... He doesn't have to reach for it) and Automatically in case of Severe Intake OverCharge (set off by a pressure sensor installed midway up the suction piece ... There is a analog/digital box hooked to the actual PopOff that is used to set the psi you want it to go off automatically ... psi is converted to an electrical signal which actually actuates the silinoid) ... That is the way Dan Designed It To Be Used, and Only In That Way.
I might comment that PopOff's were Designed To Be & Are Racing Devices and as such are a High Maintainence Item ... We check our's throughly after Every Run and Totally Disassemble It & Clean It Throughly after Every Race Replacing Retaining Bolts, Bumper Rubbers, etc., as required ... Sometimes we do this during a race, if it doesn't seem to be working just right. I personally think that most of the popoffs, 'Popping Off/Apart' are a result of either poor maintainence (not paying extreme detail to the unit) and/or modifications done to the unit by those other than the original manufacturer ... but, that's just my take on it.
One thing I feel very strongly about is that I think any boat running faster than 9 seconds & say 110/115 mph (certainly 120 and above) should be Required to have Both a rachet type device (like a Jet-A-Way) and a PopOff Installed & Functioning Properly ... Each device does something different and addresses different circumstances that likely occur in the Race Environment.
Realize what I've said above only pertains to Nelson's unit as that is the only one I've used to date ... and, will continue to use unless forced to find another unit due to lack of availability of replacement parts ... Something I don't think we'll be faced with in the near future. Wheeler, if you do manage to find a used Nelson unit, PM me and I'll fill you in on some other things about the unit, refurbishing it (if required) and its maintainence.
Should Be Able to post some Pics For ya later tomorrow,
Battrey is Dead In the Camera, Need to buy a new one!
Everything Takes a Chit after Christmas
We carry a Miersch Popoff
Along with the NEW Saftey Restreint Bag that is made to Fit.
The Kit comes complete with, Co2 tank, lines,Regulator and Popoff,
The NEW Saftey Rastreint Bag Sell's for only $100.00
Thats alot Cheaper than Purchasing a New Popoff, That goes to the Bottom of the Lake Or River!
Restraint Bag???
Restraint Bag???
yeah, they sewed a little baggy together that straps the miersch on so it won't fly 100' in the air when the bolts break. tom cress was wearing one at the last race - kinda cute. won't work with yours though. the miersch doesn't have the valve popping way up like dan's does. the door just opens.
Seems to me replacing the restraint bolts after every race, or during if needed, would make more sense (and be far cheeper ... our SS Bolts cost $1.86 ea., w/Tax) than putting a 'Junk Bag' over the PopOff. A guy spends $1,500 to $2,000 + Dollars for a PopOff, then has to spend another $100 Bucks to make sure he doesn't Blow it Shy High and lose into the drink ... Get Real ... Better Yet, Get a PopOff Designed and Manufactured To WithStand The PSI's Involved ... Then Maintain It Properly.
I know Willis' PopOff was a Miersch and the first time it came ajar (but stayed with the boat) he broke a retainer eye bolt on one side because he asked me if we had one ... When he 'Launched It', the PopOff, into Ming his next run he had run into town and gone to either Ace Hardware or Home Depot for a replacement bolt ... what kind or grade he got I have no idea. I do know that the eye bolt he showed me and wanted a replacement for didn't look like it could restrain much of anything much less hold a PopOff onto a suction piece.
Jerry Hick's PopOff that he 'Launched' into Ming is a different story. His was a Modified Jett Performance Design Unit (Not Modified by Dan Nelson ... Could well have had to be as I understand it was purchased used and the previous owner(s) had reworked it in some unknown manner) ... it had somewhat larger retaining rods down its sides with a different retainer collar that had counter sunk (flanged) #8 grade bolts connecting the collar to the rods. It's interesting that the Saturday evening before Jerry Launched the Guts of his PopOff into Ming he and I were talking about the Nelson Unit and I related to him our maintainence procedures and what I watched for to go bad ... His comment to me was basically he hadn't had any of those kinds of problems and didn't see the need to do what we do ..... Next morning, First UBFJ Run ... He Launched It just after going thru the traps ... Bye the Bye, on that run he got the 1st Leg of his new UBFJ Record ... a 7.56 ... Backed up in the Finals by a 7.53 (The New Record & w/out using any n2o ... Didn't have a bottle in the Boat ... '"Hot Tub" is One Dialed In, FAST Boat And Jerry Is One Heck Of A Driver, Perhaps The Best Jet Drag Boat Driver Driving Today).
Now I'm not going to say that we won't Launch Ours ... Cause, God Forbid, It Could Happen ... But ... With regards to PopOffs, I will Sat Maintainence, Maintainence, MAINTAINENCE, ..................... !!!
Hi Bear,
BEAR_454PE originally posted...
Seems to me replacing the restraint bolts after every race, or during if needed, would make more sense (and be far cheeper ... our SS Bolts cost $1.86 ea., w/Tax) than putting a 'Junk Bag' over the PopOff.
I kinda agree with you here Bear. I certainly agree with your maintaining of the valve or any other pieces of equipment that could cost or save you your drivers life and I don't think what you do is overkill at all, I do however think it makes perfect sense to put a restraining device of some sort on that high dollar much needed piece of equipment that is hanging back there where it is sure to be lost without one if something happens...Murphy's Law ya know!
Thanks for the replys guys. Pictures please if you have them.
In this blowoff valve 101 discussion what hasn't been addressed is the that the currently available popoffs have a terribly unreliable track record.
I've seen them launch many times,
Go off at 1/2 track many times,
And fail to go off at all.
And then coming up with a restaint bag to catch the parts as they fly off ?
I have the highest respect for Jak and his maintenance program that has seemed to work for them but to me anything that requires that high of maintenance attention is just a bad design to begin with.
I talked to a racer who has run in the high 7s with his boat and his take on the popoffs was " we have one because the rules require it, but I have no confidence whether it will work or not"
I could use some kind of pressure relief setup for my boat but I won't invest 2k into something that is that crude and unreliable.
Also the popoff that most are using is only something that was just BOLTED on the only available hole rather than engineering what was required to do the job even iif it required additional welding or machining on the pump body.
think we need to get duane at htp to come up witha new design of the popoff like the jetaway and let them work together i believe duane could come up witha good popoff
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote