[mochouinard]

Hi,

I'm about to hopefully get a functional laser cutter in the next few weeks...

I'm trying to draw up the list of stuff I need to buy... And it feel like some kind of safe fire extinguisher should be high on my list.

I know Costco sell some non expensive 'dry chemical' version. I did saw some side about those causing issues in term of clean up...

So I would like to get your comments about reasonable solution to this.

I would love to hear your best practice then dealing with a fire in your laser cutter so to help reduce the damage or propagation as much as possible.

Also, are they common ? Or I'm just freaking out for nothing right now ?

Thanks

Moc

[TechGraphix]

I have a big CO2-extinguisher because after extinguishing the fire you would have no other damage... Especially for electronics etc..
In fact you could go on with the job after the ice is gone..
Unfortunately it's not the cheapest extinguisher.. the damage of a powder-extinguisher is much more expensive however.. you can, litteraly, throw away your machine...

I cut almost every thing i could, mainly wood.. and because you are using very high temperatures you should not leave it working unattended.. But i never had something like a little fire although there is plenty of smoke..
You do need a relative strong airassist and ventilation to keep the risk of fire low..

It's like diving: it's not dangerous but you can die doing it..

Kees

[Bec Weir]

I bought a 3.5Kg Co2 Fire extinguisher to play it safe. I looked online and found a place in my city that sells the 3.5Kg extinguisher for AUD$180.

Kinda cheap, given that house insurance may not cover having a frickin' lazor in the garage

[34ford]

I just received my new laser and I am looking at CO2 extinguishers. What do you recommend as far as size? 5 10 15 lbs?
A 10lb. is over $200.

[keebler303]

I just received my new laser and I am looking at CO2 extinguishers. What do you recommend as far as size? 5 10 15 lbs?
A 10lb. is over $200.

Just my $0.02 but the one time you need the fire extinguisher, are you gonna wish you had 5 lbs more? If you talk to a company who handles them, they could probably advise you on how much you would need for a "worst case scenario".

Be safe
Matt

[34ford]

Well I found a 20lb. Buckeye at All City Fire Equipment for $221 and $45 shipping.
That thing is 45lbs. in weight!

[Bubba]

I'll throw my 2 cents in here as a fire protection engineer for over 40 years.
Yes, I agree C02 might be the best if your worried about clean up, but is is also the demanding as far as skill to use in put out a fire instead of blowing all over. Also, there is no residual effect especially when dealing with ordinary combustibles such as wood etc. Before you say, "Yes, but this is an electrical fire", remember when you pull the power (open the breaker or blow the fuse), it is no longer an electrical fire. Depending on what is burning, it is either ordinary combustibles or flammable liquids. Most will not be dealing with combustible metals and then you need a special extinguisher depending on the metal.
My best recommendation is to have and use an all purpose ABC Dry Chemical extinguisher. Yes, it will make a mess; but your chances of putting out the fire and SAVING the building are the greatest.
Also in any case, you need to get training in the proper use and maintenance of the type that you want to use. Get the extinguisher and hang it close by but not exactly on the equipment that your trying to protect. If something happens, you want to be able to get to the extinguisher without putting yourself in harms way. If you have it in a rather confined shop area like most of us would, hang the extinguisher by the door as that is a good place for it.

PS: Also in case of fire, call 911 FIRST and then try to fight the fire. The Fire Departments would rather arrive and help with mopup rather and having you wait until it is out of hand and have to fight a major incident!

[rhost]

Halon would be the best for electronics, its what most datacenters use

[Exsecratio]

Halon would be the best for electronics, its what most datacenters use

Except it's use to manufacture new extinguishers has been illegal since 1994, perfectly legal to use (in the USA) just illegal to manufacture new gasses .(it is still ok to use recycled gas though)

I'll throw my 2 cents in here as a fire protection engineer for over 40 years.

Pretty much covers it, a machine can be replaced...sod the mess..who really cares about mess....dying is a lot further up the tree of "non essentials"

Rather than deal with fires the best fire extinguisher is common sense.

DON'T EVER leave the machine running unattended
IF there is a *serious* fire call 911 FIRST, THEN and only then deal with it IF safe to do so.

note: *serious" fire doesn't mean any sign of flame, it means anything more than you can handle in 10 seconds.

If YOU can't put it out in 10 seconds then you shouldn't be trying to, it's a job for professionals.

As an aside, in the UK it's a legal requirement to have at least a 5Kg CO2 unit available and more depending on circumstances.

Machine wise....building wise .....work wise...

So long as my people get out safely who really gives a ***t about machines, that's what insurance is for.

best wishes

Dave

[Bubba]

As previously iterated, I worked for an insurance company and we always stressed "people get out safely". The rest is just money and that can be replaced!
I DISAGREE with "IF there is a *serious* fire call 911 FIRST", as any fire can turn serious before you know it! Once again, the fire department (or brigade for our European friends), would rather help mop up than fight a "serious" fire! Call First and then fight it!!! I don't know over the years how may thought they could handle it then then lost it. One of the last losses I investigated, the plant thought they could get it out and didn't call the Fire Department for about 20 minutes (Closest station less than 1 mile away). End result was a $400,000,000 plant destroyed and a loss of business claim of $1,000,000,000 (yep, 1 BILLION Dollars)!!! It took about 20 different fire departments several days to put the fire out and in the end analysis, they started to haul debris away from the site while it was still smoldering!

DON'T TAKE A CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Exsecratio]

*serious*

I should have clarified Art, I meant not just the usual flaming that comes with laser cutting on odd occasions

I fully agree, people first...the rest can all be replaced

cheers

Dave

[Bubba]

Dave,
No problem as I was trying to make the point that to many times in my career I had to investigate incidents where "It got away from them" as the initial reaction was that they could handle it!!! To me, there is a big difference between "expected" flaming and not expected! As in lets say the "fire" is in the control cabinet or outside the confines of the product being worked on as in the extreme case mentioned above!