Fire by Design Lookbook
Fire by Design began with ignition, and that is still its point of view: a concrete bowl is only as good as the system that lights it, reliably, night after night. The Las Vegas company pairs GFRC bowls in dozens of shapes with its own All Weather Electronic Ignition System, and it builds the fire and water and fire on water versions that suit a pool edge. This lookbook covers the collections, the ignition choices, and exactly what Fire by Design requires near a pool.
The story
"Fire by Design was founded by Bob Roman in 2005," out of a need, as the company puts it, to create better fire feature systems. Working with a local engineer, Fire by Design spent about eight months developing its All Weather Electronic Ignition System, AWEIS, with custom circuit boards and code, and completed it in 2010. The company is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Today Fire by Design makes ignition systems, burners, burner pans, pilot assemblies and tiki torches, and it sells complete GFRC kits: a concrete bowl matched to a Fire by Design burner system, so the vessel and the fire arrive as one engineered piece.
The look
Fire by Design offers bowls in three collections, which it names AP, CCC and PPHX. The PPHX bowls carry, in Fire by Design's words, the "same classic Phoenix Precast shapes as their concrete counterparts," in the Wok, Oblique and Tuscany series, round and square. The AP collection is the broadest, with series such as Geo, Legacy, Banded Rim, Belize, Executive, Aura, Aspen, Manhattan and Midway, in shapes from round and square to vase, pedestal, oval, block and cylinder.
The effect ranges from the soft, wide curve of a Wok bowl to the sharp slant of an Oblique or the long, low line of a Midway fire pit. Many shapes come three ways: fire only, fire and water, or ready for fire on water, so one design can repeat around a pool with different effects.
The lines we carry
Fire bowls, tables and pits
On our store the Legacy and Geo series cover fire bowls, fire tables and vases; Oblique and Wok cover bowls and tables in round and square; and Midway, Aspen, Belize and Manhattan bring rectangular, oval, square and cylinder fire pits. Executive, Banded Rim, Aura and Linear round out the range. Sizes vary by series, and each product page lists the sizes offered.
These are the fire pieces our clients order most, beginning with the Legacy Round.
Fire and water, and fire on water
Fire and water bowls from the Geo, Legacy, Oblique, Wok and Tuscany series pair a water effect with fire in the same bowl. Our catalog also carries the Vessel, Spartan, Zen and CCC Wok bowls, each as a fire bowl, a fire and water bowl, and a submersible fire on water bowl. Fire on water works with the SUBEIS system: the burner manifold sits about 3 in. below the water surface, gas rises through the water, and a pilot just above the water line lights it, so the flame seems to float. SUBEIS also comes in a 30 VDC version, and Fire by Design's rules call for 30 VDC within 5 ft of a pool, so tell us where the bowl will sit before you order. Our guide to fire on water bowls explains the effect in detail.
Fire by Design also makes automated and manual tiki torches, which we carry in our tiki torch collection. The full range is on our Fire by Design collection.
Finishes and colors
Fire by Design describes its bowls as available in a range of sizes and finishes, and the finish chart differs by collection. Each product page shows the color chart for that series in its images, and the finish is chosen as a variant when you order. Because every bowl is handmade concrete, expect natural variation in tone and texture. If you are coordinating several bowls around a pool, ask us to review the finish charts with you before you order.
What comes in the box
A GFRC kit pairs the bowl with a Fire by Design burner system. The 24 VAC AWEIS package includes the AWEIS box, an 18 in. pilot burner assembly, a safety backup valve and a 50VA transformer; the 30 VDC version uses a 185VA power supply instead. The SUBEIS kit includes the ignition control module, a 12 in. fire on water pilot burner assembly, a 50VA transformer, and grease wire nuts and tubes for waterproofing the connections. Media, controls such as the remote kit, timers and emergency shutoffs, and key valve installation are offered as separate items on our store. The product page states whether a weatherproof cover is included.
Fuel and ignition
Fire by Design features run on natural gas or propane. AWEIS comes in 24 VAC, 30 VDC and 120 VAC versions. Standard Capacity is rated 290k BTU, and High Capacity, 780k BTU, is offered in 24 VAC and 120 VAC only. When you switch it on, the glow plug heats, the pilot flame appears within 10 seconds, and the burner lights within 10 seconds after that. If wind blows the flame out, the system re-lights, typically within 15 seconds. There is also a battery powered AWEIS on three AA batteries, with Bluetooth models that work with the Firetronix app.
The AWEIS box can sit up to 150 ft from the burner, and up to three can be daisy chained. Fire by Design calls for drainage in every enclosure, a key valve or gas ball valve within 6 ft of the feature, and warns: "Do NOT use this appliance if any part has been under water." Near a pool, its Pre-Installation Checklist sets three requirements for any feature within 5 ft of a pool or spa: the 30 Volt DC AWEIS, Fire by Design's 30 Volt DC power supply certified for use near swimming pools, and the gas line bonded at each feature. The power supply itself must be at least 10 ft from the pool. The certificate covers that power supply; it does not make the bowl itself pool certified.
Warranty
Fire by Design's Limited Warranty sets terms by component: "Bowls: (2) years from delivery date"; "Fire Rings: Lifetime Warranty"; stainless burner pans five years and aluminum pans lifetime; "Electronic Ignition Systems: (1) year Commercial / (3) years Residential"; and one year for the Vulcan Fire Module and tiki torches. It excludes misuse, neglect, accident, incorrect wiring, units altered or repaired by others, and "stress cracks and surface crazing" in concrete bowls. Keep your invoice or the product serial number, which Fire by Design requires on all warranty returns.
Care
Before each use, check the bowl and burner for debris. Twice a year, inspect the pilot and burner holes for debris and insects (spider webs are the usual culprit) and clear them with compressed air. Once a year, have a qualified technician inspect the system and check the pilot for corrosion. Keep media in and around the pilot but no more than 2 in. above the burner. For water care, see our guide to caring for pool bowls.
Lead times and ordering
Lead time is shown on each product page, and our team confirms it before your order ships. Size, finish, gas type and voltage are all chosen per order, so please confirm them with us first. See Shipping and Returns, or call 888-887-1870, Monday to Saturday, 9 to 5 Eastern.
For designers
Fire by Design publishes its installation manuals, a Pre-Installation Checklist, typical installation scenario diagrams and certificates of conformity. We have not found published spec sheets or CAD files, so ask us and we will request drawings; Fire by Design also quotes custom projects. Planning a pool project? Start with Pool Fire Features: Bonding, Permits and Who Does What and our Contractor Program.
Common questions
What does Fire by Design require for a fire bowl near a pool?
For any feature within 5 feet of a pool or spa, Fire by Design requires the 30 Volt DC AWEIS, its 30 Volt DC power supply certified for use near swimming pools, and the gas line bonded at each feature. The power supply must be at least 10 feet from the pool. Your electrician and local inspector make the final call.
How does a fire on water bowl work?
It uses Fire by Design's submersible SUBEIS system. The burner manifold sits about three inches under the water, gas bubbles up through it, and a pilot just above the water line lights the gas at the surface. The flame appears to float on the water, which is the effect people remember.
Will the fire re-light if the wind blows it out?
Yes, on AWEIS systems. Fire by Design says the flame sensor shuts the system down when the flame goes out and then re-lights it, with a typical response of about 15 seconds. One AWEIS runs one fire feature, so each bowl in a row needs its own system.
Sources
- Fire by Design, home page
- Fire by Design, About, founding and AWEIS development
- Fire by Design, FBD-0001 AWEIS Ignition System, REV 090826, models, kit contents p.4, operation, clearances, drainage, media p.16, submersion warning p.13
- Fire by Design, FBD-0002 SUBEIS Ignition System, REV 090826, contents p.4, water level p.5, installer p.8
- Fire by Design, FBD-0004 BP AWEIS Ignition System, REV 090826
- Fire by Design, Pre-Installation Checklist, REV 090226 r5, pool and spa requirements, key valve
- Fire by Design, PS Series Low Voltage Power Supply Instructions, 10 ft rule
- Fire by Design, Certificate of Conformity 14600-4S, 30 VDC Power Supply
- Fire by Design, Limited Warranty
- Fire by Design, FAQ, re-light time, one system per feature, returns
- Fire by Design, PPHX GFRC Bowls
- Fire by Design, AP GFRC Bowls
- Fire by Design, Instructions index
- Fire by Design, Typical Installation Scenarios
