I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.
I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a smoke or heat detector that turns off the power to the box if anything goes wrong. Is anything available commercially?

On 04/10/2013 20:50, Matty F wrote:
I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.
I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a smoke or heat detector that turns off the power to the box if anything goes wrong. Is anything available commercially?


More likely to overheat in an enclosed, unventilated box!

What a about a fire safe - used in reverse.

--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

On Fri, 4 Oct 2013 12:50:15 -0700 (PDT), Matty F wrote:

I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a
smoke or heat detector that turns off the power to the box if anything
goes wrong. Is anything available commercially?

Wot! Your not going to build it?

You can get fire resistant board, modern version of asbestos cement
boards. Angle iron to join the corners together. Ventilation has
alrady been mentioned, perhaps the slots/holes could have hinged
flaps of the fire board that drop over them when the smoke/heat
detector is triggered.

Some domestic smoke/heat detectors can have relay base for switching
things on being triggered. Here they turn of the power to the
magnetic door catches so the doors between parts of the building
close.

Be aware that there are "rate of rise" or "absolute temperature" heat
detectors out there, I think and absolute temp detector would be best
in this application.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Fri, 4 Oct 2013 12:50:15 -0700 (PDT), Matty F wrote:

I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a
smoke or heat detector that turns off the power to the box if anything
goes wrong. Is anything available commercially?

Wot! Your not going to build it?

You can get fire resistant board, modern version of asbestos cement
boards. Angle iron to join the corners together. Ventilation has
alrady been mentioned, perhaps the slots/holes could have hinged
flaps of the fire board that drop over them when the smoke/heat
detector is triggered.

Some domestic smoke/heat detectors can have relay base for switching
things on being triggered. Here they turn of the power to the
magnetic door catches so the doors between parts of the building
close.

Be aware that there are "rate of rise" or "absolute temperature" heat
detectors out there, I think and absolute temp detector would be best
in this application.


What drivel.
Without ventilation it would overheat.
With ventilation the toxic gases produced in any fire would escape into the
house.
Ergo any such project is dangerous/pointless folly.

There is a very slight possibility of fire. It is the toxic fumes that kill.
So charge your devices in an outbuilding away from the house if you are
worried. (Garage/workshop/shed etc.)

Or create a container with ventilation linked to outside, definitely not to
inside the building.

Matty F wrote:
I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.
I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a smoke or heat

detector that turns off the power to the box if anything goes wrong. Is
anything available commercially?

I had much the same concern when I built my motorhome. The solution was
to put the inverter, chargers, and voltage converters in a steel wall
cabinet. I fitted a thermostat in the cabinet set to turn a fan on at
30C. The fan discharged into a heat-resistant flex duct which (together
with the input duct) went straight to the outside. The fan turns on (I
can hear it) if one of the chargers are working hard. Typically this
would be when one of the 24V batteries is in need of charge due to use
of the microwave.

Bill

I don't see chargers as being very much more of a risk than other appliances
really, not if they are designed correctly at any rate.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Matty F" wrote in message
...
I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.
I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a smoke
or heat detector that turns off the power to the box if anything goes
wrong. Is anything available commercially?

It's not so much the charger but the batteries that are the problem. I have just watched a documentary where a model helicopter battery was put on charge in a workshop. CCTV shows the battery exploding and setting fire to the whole building that contained a Lamborghini, Jaguar, BMW and other cars.
Last week I turned off the tiny charger for my camera AA batteries and there was a big flash from the switch and the power for the whole floor went out. Other AA batteries get rather hot and the charge doesn't last very long, i.e. the batteries are useless.

On Saturday, October 5, 2013 9:26:44 PM UTC+13, Brian Gaff wrote:
I don't see chargers as being very much more of a risk than other appliances

really, not if they are designed correctly at any rate.

Brian

In article ,
Matty F wrote:
It's not so much the charger but the batteries that are the problem. I
have just watched a documentary where a model helicopter battery was put
on charge in a workshop. CCTV shows the battery exploding and setting
fire to the whole building that contained a Lamborghini, Jaguar, BMW and
other cars.

Likely a Li-ion type.

Last week I turned off the tiny charger for my camera AA batteries and
there was a big flash from the switch and the power for the whole floor
went out. Other AA batteries get rather hot and the charge doesn't last
very long, i.e. the batteries are useless.

Sounds like you need to buy a decent charger. It is the correct one for
the type of batteries you're using?

Batteries do get warm immediately after charging.

--
*Failure is not an option. It's bundled with your software.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Saturday, October 5, 2013 10:54:38 PM UTC+13, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,

Matty F wrote:
Last week I turned off the tiny charger for my camera AA batteries and
there was a big flash from the switch and the power for the whole floor
went out. Other AA batteries get rather hot and the charge doesn't last
very long, i.e. the batteries are useless.

Sounds like you need to buy a decent charger. It is the correct one for
the type of batteries you're using?

Batteries do get warm immediately after charging.

It's the original Sony charger for my Sony camera. The original AA Sony batteries were excellent, as are the Duracell batteries from the US. They do not get hot when charging or afterwards. All other rechargeable AA batteries I have bought are terrible.

We are getting away from my original request.

In article ,
Matty F wrote:
On Saturday, October 5, 2013 10:54:38 PM UTC+13, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,

Matty F wrote:
Last week I turned off the tiny charger for my camera AA batteries
and there was a big flash from the switch and the power for the
whole floor went out. Other AA batteries get rather hot and the
charge doesn't last very long, i.e. the batteries are useless.

Sounds like you need to buy a decent charger. It is the correct one for
the type of batteries you're using?

Batteries do get warm immediately after charging.

It's the original Sony charger for my Sony camera. The original AA Sony
batteries were excellent, as are the Duracell batteries from the US.
They do not get hot when charging or afterwards. All other rechargeable
AA batteries I have bought are terrible.


Are you buying the correct type? If you are and they get very hot the
charger is faulty.

We are getting away from my original request.

The point is that enclosing something in a fireproof box is likely to make
it overheat even more.

--
*If a mute swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Matty F wrote:
I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.

Why?

I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a
smoke or heat detector that turns off the power to the box if anything
goes wrong. Is anything available commercially?

And everything else similar? TV and computers and their peripherals

--
*Red meat is not bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Matty F wrote:
I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.

Why?

I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and ideally a
smoke or heat detector that turns off the power to the box if anything
goes wrong. Is anything available commercially?

And everything else similar? TV and computers and their peripherals

Years ago I was driving down the M18 when the vehicle interior filled
with choking smoke. I was lucky to stop without crashing. A pack of
nicads on charge had, well, sort of melted into a lump of gunge. I've
been very cautious of nicads etc ever since.

By the same token, my gas boiler is in an outhouse. I won't have gas in
the house. It's because the house opposite us was blown to bits by a gas
explosion when I was a kid, and then years later I saw the immediate
aftermath of the Holmes Market gas explosion in Doncaster.

I wonder if this sort of conditioning would work with dogs. If, for
instance, I bashed Bella over the head with a shovel every time she came
into the house with an apple, would she desist from robbing the apple
trees? Or would she merely take the apples to her burial ground and put
them underground?

Bill

In article ,
Bill Wright wrote:
I wonder if this sort of conditioning would work with dogs. If, for
instance, I bashed Bella over the head with a shovel every time she came
into the house with an apple, would she desist from robbing the apple
trees? Or would she merely take the apples to her burial ground and put
them underground?


Most people die in bed. So the obvious thing is never to use one.

--
*Acupuncture is a jab well done*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:


Most people die in bed. So the obvious thing is never to use one.


I can see the logic there. I'm going to sleep on the pelmet from now on.

Bill

Matty F wrote:
I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.
I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and
ideally a smoke or heat detector that turns off the power
to the box if anything goes wrong. Is anything available
commercially?

You can get relay bases for smoke detectors which would disconnect power, but probably reset unless you added a latching circuit or used an RCD which didn't reset.

Anti-arson letterboxes have stuff in them which extinguishes fires and might be adapted.

Owain

On 05/10/2013 23:50, wrote:
Matty F wrote:
I always unhappy about having battery chargers running.
I'd like to make a fireproof box for all the chargers, and
ideally a smoke or heat detector that turns off the power
to the box if anything goes wrong. Is anything available
commercially?

You can get relay bases for smoke detectors which would disconnect power, but probably reset unless you added a latching circuit or used an RCD which didn't reset.

Anti-arson letterboxes have stuff in them which extinguishes fires and might be adapted.

Owain


That's useful now that Nov 5 is coming.

On Sunday, October 6, 2013 11:50:28 AM UTC+13, wrote:

You can get relay bases for smoke detectors which would disconnect power, but probably reset unless you added a latching circuit or used an RCD which didn't reset.

Some motors have a heat sensor that turns off the power and needs a reset. That device would do fine.

Anti-arson letterboxes have stuff in them which extinguishes fires and might be adapted.

Brilliant! I shall have a trough of baking soda inside the box.