On Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at 5:58:30 AM UTC-5, Peter W. wrote:
Charles, you need to remember that this venue exists to provide overly complex solutions to simple problems after extensive discussions of picayune and irrelevant issues.
The OP wanted a device to shut off a whole-house exhaust fan if a fire (or smoke) is detected. Depending on what is already there, he has various options. They are not complicated, do not require specialized skills and are not overly costly.
The OP is not discussing an ANSUL system. And, given what I do for a living, I would _NEVER_ even suggest or refer to an ANSUL system in a normal family residence. I would suggest a good Class K fire extinguisher if one is that heavily into it that a
standard ABC device would not be appropriate.
Sprinklers? That is an issue in itself. New-Code around here does require residential sprinkler systems under some circumstances. In new construction, they are merely costly. For existing construction, they can be extremely costly. Doing the math on
our house as an example, it would take roughly forty (40) heads to include closets, turns, hallways and such. More if I could not use side-spray heads. Would "city pressure" be enough, or would I have to boost? 80 psi is required at full-flow, so no,
city pressure (60 psi on the third floor - I know) would not be adequate. And, should there be an associated power-failure to the fire - Oops - now I need a fuel-fired pump. Note that we live in a center-hall colonial built in 1890. Not an easy finagle
to get piping anywhere not already established. Even using a flex material (PEX or Vic-Flex).
So, the best advice under other-than-extreme conditions is to keep the smoke-detectors up-to-date, test them regularly, and RESPOND to them when they go off. Have the appropriate fire extinguishers in the appropriate locations, and even fire one off
every so often to be familiar with their use. CO Detectors if one burns fuel in unvented or conventionally vented devices, and so forth. KISS
Common sense isn't.
Now, you want some irony? About 30 years ago, I was involved in a forensic investigation of a residential fire in a house built in 1795, but fully upgraded over the years. The owner had just upgraded his 100A service to a 200A service so as to install
central AC, and also a brand new whole-house fire alarm, with all the bells, whistles, devices and so forth that were current in the 1990s. Local code then required that said fire alarm be powered directly from the mains, without a fuse or breaker. So,
what did our clever electrician do? He connected the feed to the alarm (Copper) into the mains at the lugs (Aluminum). This being a fairly standard house in Chestnut Hill, PA, the basement was typically damp. Well, the aluminum started to talk hard to
the copper, and between the two of them, sparks started to fly. *POOF*. Took a mere 45 days from installation. The 200A Panel was a puddle of steel on the floor. The fire got hot enough to ignite 200-year-old rough-sawn SLYP joists. Not easy. And, once
they get started, they go.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
Hi there, sir. Thank you for your more civil reply. I truly appreciate that. I want you to know I do care and I am trying to work on the areas where Imyself have flaws. I at least recognize I have them. I mean no harm and truly mean well. Also, the
traumatic events of the fire I witnessed at myhouse is not one of those things that kept me down. The event motivated me to help other people to be safe and aware of things to keep themsafe. So, I am allowing (and I believe the good lord is allow it too)
to take a really bad situation from my childhood to allow others to benefitfrom it, just by talking about it. I do this because no one thinks it can happen to them until it does. As an old saying goes, an ounce of preventionis worth a pound of cure.
I get your point on the first sentence, but you can please refrain from any further sarcasm now. I get you. Please bear in mind, I am doing this onmy own time too. I have no intention of wasting anyone's time. I stand corrected on any mistakes. Life is
too short to go on with all of the thingsthat won't work all of the time, although it is okay to mention it once in a while. According to other sources, it had been said, Edison took 10,000 attempts to make the light bulb. We talk about what works to
make it right. We do not talk about the other 9,999 items that failed. I touched on some points that were not germain to the conversation by merely adding those other things in (as suggestions), without mentioning fire extinguishers and classes (
because usually people ask for more info. on that) as types of fire extinguishers are certainly fairly well publicized and people are educated about that. On the other hand, people are not as well educated about smoke alarms or fire alarms. Everyone
seems to think they have tobuy a 10 buck fire alarm and a 5 dollar 9 volt battery and put up with the thing sounding off every single time you cook on a stovetop or bake fromthe oven as some smoke emits from those appliances (causing alarms to sound off
with a 100 dB siren).
The rest of the material is very interesting and educational. Thank you. I learned a lot with it all. Very Good. Seems like you're a chief inspectorto know that much about fire protections, performance, etc... I mentioned the things I mentioned because I
have never been there to thestate of Pennsylvania (know of friends who have). From what I know about the state, it was one of the original 13 colonies (in fact it was the2nd state- only behind the state of Delaware- to ratify the constitution), it has a
lot of history. The history made me think of old buildings andtherefore, this jarred my mind to bring up a lot of other things about fire protection.
I truly appreciate your anecdote about the 200A panel and the lug nuts, each made from a different metal composition. Very interesting, aswere the effects. The outcome was very unfortunate. Things were made better 200 years ago when it came to fine
carpentry. I appreciate that. I am sure finding things that are 200 years old these days is very difficult and much harder than it was in the past someyears ago earlier in our lifetime. Thank you very much for your really valuable information.
Sincerely,
Charles Lucas
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)