Do you have a fire extinguisher in your lab? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 06:19:06 am
content: Thought about it and did assessment "What if" scenario, considering to buy one.Hopefully, never will be used.What about you?

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 06:53:21 am
content: Absolooooooootely !! In fact 2 in main W/S and 1 big one in garage. W/S = both electrical and Lithium friendly. AND, when working on dangerous goods .. sometimes 1 more.Oh and a fire-blanket and sand.

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 07:56:54 am
content: Quote from: digsys on April 06, 2020, 06:53:21 amIs it foam or CO2 based?Quote from: digsys on April 06, 2020, 06:53:21 amYes, fire-blankets, how I can forget?!

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 07:59:58 am
content: Yup x2CO2 if not too bad, foam if bad, master power switch next to the door.

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 08:08:33 am
content: Quote from: VK5RC on April 06, 2020, 07:59:58 amIs it something better?

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 08:23:02 am
content: Yes. And my bench has a very low value GFCI too

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 09:29:25 am
content: Yes I have a powder extinguisher, fire blanket and two smoke alarms (one ionising and one optical).Make sure that you regularly check your extinguisher pressure regularly, as often as your smoke alarms!Also make sure at least someone else with you is basic first aid trained and knows the rules around what to do if you're lying unconscious near a power source (isolate before contact etc)Also always turn everything off at the source and never leave anything unattended especially battery chargers, soldering equipment, power supplies etc. The latter less so but only if they are half reputable units (so no mastech crap!)

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 09:37:58 am
content: Quote from: olkipukkiActually depends on what project etc we're working on.Small repair / test packs (of little or "low" value) - often just drop it into a large plastic container of water - lined with tiles etcOlder smaller EV packs etc - similar or large sand box or dry foam extinguisherMore expensive packs - Class-D / Dry Foam extinguisher with ALL backup options :-)The extinguishers are only for pricey jobs - can't afford to waste $$s on every project, as during busy periods, we can be running dozens of projects.Got to admit though - I do get lax sometimes - went to a Formula SAE-E 18V pack fire - dropped it into the usual bucket of water setup - then into the back of my wagon and drove it 20Km back to base for analysis :-)

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 10:18:29 am
content: Yes, two fire extinguishers close byFire extinguishers are subject to Murphy's-extra heavy duty-Law, no matter how many and what type you have.Fire blankets, sand buckets, welders leathers and gloves etc are what you need when shtfand you need to be in there snuffing out stubborn flames before it's too lateIf you don't have a mask on, snuffing needs to be done lightning quick without hesitation before the smoke fixes you good!First rule is to isolate/kill all sources of electricityHow do I know all this?

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 10:24:26 am
content: Powder extinguishers are a serious pain to clean up after, just a thought, DO NOT CLEAN UP WITH WATER! ABE type when left to soak in water will split into a strong acid and a very persistent oil, so if you go for a day to be checked for smoke inhalation, you may have a nice scar left on your concrete.If you look into CO2, keep in mind you do not want to be in a sealed area with it, each liter occupies half a cubic meter immediately after release. and will need at minimum 5 extra cubic meters to dilute into to be at non lethal concentrations following.Foam is effective, but some pretty nasty health effects if its the wrong type. usually a bit easier to clean up,I do not have one in my own lab, but I do have E-stops around the benches to cut all power to the benches and a smothering blanket.

author: jogri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 11:13:23 am
content: Important tip for anyone who has a sand bucket as a fire extinguisher: Sand gets hard over time, chances are that your fine sand now has the properties of concrete. Go and check it, a solid 15kg chunk of sand isn't going to be useful to extinguish a fire.Quote from: digsys on April 06, 2020, 09:37:58 amYes, Formula E batteries are fun... In the student lab where people worked with those beautys they had one important rule: Keep all windows open and just throw it out in case it catches fires (the landing zone was concrete and nothing there was inflammable).Magnificent little beasts, i still have a bunch of them at my home. They have the same size as my normal 2500mAh lipos but pack eight times the C-rating and twice as much charge...

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 11:33:16 am
content: Quote from: jogri on April 06, 2020, 11:13:23 amNo wonder they are borderline unstable?

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 11:30:25 pm
content: Quote from: jogri on April 06, 2020, 11:13:23 amDepends on the type of sand, moisture retention, how long it's been sitting etc but an excellent heads upI have two sand buckets (with decent handles!) not quite full with a piece of rebar stuck in to stab and stir the sand every so often, without it spilling aboutand a clear plastic bag on top. Have never used them, do not intend to, but they are there.. just in case I stuff up or someone in the kitchen doesI may 'upgrade' to 4 medium sized plastic painters buckets with air tight lids, and store them upside down and vice versa, and shake them about every so often.you can sense from the shaking and rolling if the sand has gotten lumpy or not, well I can anyway ymmv/emmvThis way they can be used on or near a workspace as props, weights, multimeter and DSO risersetcrather than just sitting in a corner wasting space, getting in the way,FORGOTTENand lumped up like concrete if or when needed on an unwantedsurprise barbequeIf doing this make sure the buckets and lids are similarly marked where they open up at the small finger tab, large 'panic proof' arrow to arrow marks-> <-There is NO TIME to be stuffing about looking for that small opening tab to pull up on, or wrecking your fingernails trying other spots and wasting time,time you could have stifled the fire/flames with sand by now> every nano second counts to determine whether you win fast,or lose and cop a face full of toxic smoke as a reward for being too slow and unprepped to begin with, especially if no mask to be found..put numbers for the buckets and matched lids so no mix ups or small size differences later when refilling and closing them up.i.e. label buckets 1 to 4, lids 1 to 4 with arrow markers on the opening tabs

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2020, 12:26:09 am
content: My "lab" is my tiny condo... So there is an extinguisher in the kitchen anyway: a few steps away.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2020, 01:52:27 am
content: I keep fire extinguishers all over the place. There's one in every room in my house and at least three in my workshop and a big automatic Halon extinguisher as well. Also two in the passenger compartment of my truck and another in the bed of the truck and one in my wife's car.

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2020, 07:51:36 pm
content: Probably need to add First Aid stuff to complete a full kitUsually, how long FE (fire extinguisher) can last?Is there something I can keep 5 years?

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2020, 08:24:27 pm
content: 6kg of dry powder (sometime to be replaced by a Auer HiPress with a bit of surfactant)6kg of CO2and6+2+2kg of the good stuff (....)

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2020, 08:26:22 pm
content: Quote from: Rerouter on April 06, 2020, 10:24:26 amNah. Just avoid powder. Period. Electronic devices are usually beyond repaid when being in vicinity of powder fire extinguisher release. In case you own expensive electronics, do jobs that could be subject to fire - get CO2 one, obviously of proper capacity. Note that USB-powered stuff like Arduino do not need fire extinguisher nearby.

author: Sal Ammoniac
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2020, 08:43:56 pm
content: Yes, I have two of them.