The Crossfire is a relative new product on the market. Handmade and thoroughly tested, this match lit or remote operated unit is unique. Burners, until now, were simply bent perforated pipes with a central manifold. Gas entering the manifold is distributed throughout the rest of the burner via the cross pieces or spokes. The burners are called fire rings regardless of the burner's shape.
The Crossfire uses a unique port system to produce flame for either natural gas or propane, as you can see in the above photo, Each port is shaped, tuned, and positioned to produce a different overall look. By shaping, tuning and adding additional air to the gas, the manufacturer, Warming Trends, causes the resulting yellow flame to swirl. Standard systems are 24", 30", and 36". Like the traditional electronic ignition kit, the Crossfire is built to be a single unit supported by the pan. The pan itself can also be either flat or bowl style. The pan itself can be ordered with variations in diameter to fit your design. Since pan sizes can vary, the main difference between the three systems are the number of ports. There are five ports in the 24", twelve ports in the 30", and 15 ports in the 36" systems. The maximum gas required for each system is 60k BTU, 108k BTU, and 180k BTU respectively. This is a significant, economic saving when it comes to operating the Crossfires over the electronic ignition systems of 150k BTU for the 24" and the 30", and 300k BTU for the 36".
There is significant heat transfer between the fire ring and the pan and, thus, between the pan and the valve box below for the electronic ignition systems. If the valve box overheats the valve will shut down and the pit flame will go out. Therefore, the warranty on the electronic ignition kits require 18 square inches (36 sq in total) of ventilation on opposite sides of the fire pit below the unit to help dissipated heat. There is very little heat transfer to the Crossfire pan, so ventilation is unnecessary.
The Crossfire has another distinct advantage when it comes to powering the system. The smaller system (the 24 inch) can be run from two D cell batteries. There is no need to run a separate 115 volt electrical circuit. I am told the batteries will last one to two years. I'll accept that it is possible for the batteries to last more than one year, but I can't quite accept two. In any case, just leave enough slack in the flex connector and all you have to do is lift the unit out of the pit, replace the batteries, put the unit back in, rearrange the lava rock, and you are back in business. Cool point #2: The manufacturer will customize a double unit just for you. It is possible to place two systems on one pan and control it from one remote control, and do it from a 120k BTU gas supply. That will give you 10 ports of swirling 18 inch flame in your fire pit.
The Crossfire is a sturdy device to consider when you want remote control of your fire pit ignition. Legend has it that the manufacturer uses a leaf blower to snuff out the flame in order to test the unit's ability to reignite. The Crossfire also comes in a match lit option. You can have the Crossfire's unique flame without having to pay for the sophisticated electronics. This is great for residential use because, usually, the only time the pit will be lit is when the homeowners are actually with it.
For more information about the Crossfire, visit Fire Pit Outfitter.
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