Fire safety, what's your tips?

[Jonyyyy420]

I've been growing for a while now, and try to change things out regularly, but cannabis and all aspects of it are still illegal here unfortunately, as a result my insurance wouldn't pay out if there was a fire. what's everyone's tips for fire safety?

 

[Goodshit97]

I've been growing for a while now, and try to change things out regularly, but cannabis and all aspects of it are still illegal here unfortunately, as a result my insurance wouldn't pay out if there was a fire. what's everyone's tips for fire safety?

1diesel1 recommended me an automatic fire extinguisher, or if i have the funds, a clean room fire suppression system.

Im going to be saving for a clean room system but im getting some of the powder filled ones this coming week as i was very close to a fire twice this year with my grows.

Also a fire extinguisher right outside your tents in the room.

 

[Buzzzz]

I've been growing for a while now, and try to change things out regularly, but cannabis and all aspects of it are still illegal here unfortunately, as a result my insurance wouldn't pay out if there was a fire. what's everyone's tips for fire safety?

Buy the best equipment, use ground faults, use surge bars,as mentioned fire extinguishers, nothing that may catch fire near any heat source,keep it clean,check room often,do it in an outbuilding if possible,keep a video cam in the room so you can monitor.

 

[Oldchucky]

Smoke detectors save lives! And probably more than a few houses.

 

[Goodshit97]

Smoke detectors save lives! And probably more than a few houses.

Added one in my room last night since the closest one is about 30 feet from my room.

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

Something else I have seen other THCFarmer members employ is a WiFi Smoke Detector that can send alerts to your phone.

They are around $30.00 on Amazon.

 

[beluga]

Fire-resistant materials. Regular equipment inspections. Cord management. GFCIs. Fire alarms and extinguishers. Keep water away from electricity, keep electricity away from ignitable materials.

 

[Its420anytime]

Old guy here, never worried about that when I was young, also, not alot of issues using ballast lighting that caused house fire.

Getting older means worrying about more things,
Thanks for getting me to think about possible scenarios and solutions.

Keep the preventive ideas flowing.
I just made sure my sweetie knows the exact breaker to flip for electrical fire.

Remember to secure power before using water to put it out. Co2 is preferred method for a Charlie fire, electrical.

 

[mysticepipedon]

Fire bad.

-- Frankenstein's Monster

 

[beluga]

Additionally, as much you can absorb of National Electrical Code. Honestly, it amazes me how little working knowledge of electricity homeowners have. I was in that boat, too, before acquiring a century home.
This book has been an invaluable crash course for me: Wiring Simplified
It's based on 2014 NEC, but most of the important principles haven't changed well... ever.

And some invaluable tools:
GFCI Indicator and Contactless Voltage Tester
A Simple Multimeter

 

[PipeCarver]

Additionally, as much you can absorb of National Electrical Code. Honestly, it amazes me how little working knowledge of electricity homeowners have. I was in that boat, too, before acquiring a century home.
This book has been an invaluable crash course for me: Wiring Simplified
It's based on 2014 NEC, but most of the important principles haven't changed well... ever.

And some invaluable tools:
GFCI Indicator and Contactless Voltage Tester
A Simple Multimeter

Lose connections are the biggest cause of fires in an electrical system. Check all your connections on a regular basis...as I shut down at night I like to give everything a quick look see on those I can. Check for heat by touching your plugs and any connections...If its a heavy load warm is okay but if its a light load like a single fan and you feel a warm - hot plug you have an issue. Touch your breakers for heat,.. again..... warm good hot not.....lose connections from the breaker to the conductor cause heat build up arcing and fires....

If you've any electrical abilities at all You should check your house wires on the panel to make sure the conductors are tight to the breaker screws......same as the neutrals at the neutral bar.....every few years...

Fuses always blow, breaks usually blow 99% but they can fail too and over load a circuit so checking for heat on the breaker's is a good idea. On 220/230 v 2 pole 1 side of the breaker can trip but not pull the other with it and you can have power when you think its off...specialty with older 3 phase breakers... most of my shocks and tool damage has been done on " Dead Circuits"......Everything is hot until you prove its not is a good motto to go by...

 

[Ponky]

Pay a skilled electrician to fix your houses deficiencies. Have fire extinguishers. And try to draw less than 60% load on any given circuit thats on 24/7. Use concrete wall board in the grow room if you can. Have only approved appliances with receipts. Use hardwire smoke detectors. And don't exhaust the air in the house in a way that would cause fire to spread from a burning grow room to living space.

 

[Its420anytime]

Have a buddy available if possible just in case something does happen as you inspect your circuits. Two person rule.

 

[Homesteader]

Some good thoughts/advice tips in here but would like to add one .

Gypsum wallboard saves houses and people. IMO people should always be using this as their outer material of their grow rooms unless they have concrete. Gypsum is Calcium sulfate dihydrate and when it is heated to I think 160 degrees it takes about 30 minutes (1/2" board) to burn off the H20 in the chemical structure. Some xtra fire rated wallboard also has a core of fiberglass that adds another 15 minutes.
I love Gypsum as a fertilizer for cannabis but it saves lives as well.

 

[ChewyCharlie]

Appropriate gauge extension cords and plenty of circuits. I try to use no smaller than 14 gauge and if you do use 16 make sure it’s as short as possible and a well made cord. Add circuits to your panel if possible if you need them. 3 - 20amp circuits(minimum) for a hobby grow. The more the better hell if i could have each item on it’s own circuit i’d do it lol.

 

[GreenGalaxyFarm]

Co2 is preferred method for a Charlie fire, electrical.

agreed, the powder is a mess
co2 can also cool a few 6packs in seconds if need be

 

[PipeCarver]

Appropriate gauge extension cords and plenty of circuits. I try to use no smaller than 14 gauge and if you do use 16 make sure it’s as short as possible and a well made cord. Add circuits to your panel if possible if you need them. 3 - 20amp circuits(minimum) for a hobby grow. The more the better hell if i could have each item on it’s own circuit i’d do it lol.

There's not really a need for 20amp and to use it it requires #12 wire and that makes it hard to attach to regular 15 amp receptacles unless you get those at 20 amp rated....it just adds costs...3 - 15 amp would be plenty....what equipment draws 2000watts +? separate circuit for lights & a few small fans, 1 for then equipment like dehumidifier / air conditioner plus a few fans and one for fans and or a heater or extra lights.......

I agree with the extension cord size, there are a lot of #16 extension cords at Dollar store's but a 15 amp load on them will fry the wires and possibly burn down your house...I have a few of there short yellow #16 I use to extend fan wires & humidifiers but no load more than a few hundred watts.

 

[Peat_Phreak]

CACFI breakers shut off the power to a malfunctioning device before it combusts. They prevent electrical fires before they happen. Cost is $50 if you know how to DIY without killing yourself.

And use lights that have safety approvals such as UL or ETL.

How else could there be a tent fire, if not from an electrical malfunction?

 

[ChewyCharlie]

There's not really a need for 20amp and to use it it requires #12 wire and that makes it hard to attach to regular 15 amp receptacles unless you get those at 20 amp rated....it just adds costs...3 - 15 amp would be plenty....what equipment draws 2000watts +? separate circuit for lights & a few small fans, 1 for then equipment like dehumidifier / air conditioner plus a few fans and one for fans and or a heater or extra lights.......

I agree with the extension cord size, there are a lot of #16 extension cords at Dollar store's but a 15 amp load on them will fry the wires and possibly burn down your house...I have a few of there short yellow #16 I use to extend fan wires & humidifiers but no load more than a few hundred watts.

12 gauge wire and 20 amp breakers are pretty much standard. Sure maybe nothing in someones specific grow room draws 20 amps but when running 110 circuits you don’t really go by a specific appliance.You put more than most anything used in the future will need. Think if you sell the house, the new owners may have bigger lights lol. The cost difference is pennies between 20 amp outlets and 15 amp.

 

[Harpua88]

Great, and important thread. All of these ideas/tips are excellent. I wonder how insurance companies handle (or don't) things when an indoor grow room causes a house fire......

I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses, and electrical work isn't on the strengths list. So I got an electrician to test things, improve/upgrade.......from the start of the house, to the wiring infrastructure (mice.....not good for wires in walls), to GFI boxes, surge suppressors, where lights are plugged in, the quality of wiring, plugs, timers.....all of it needs to be tight. Smoke detectors, fire alarm system, and a plan. What is going to happen if a fire starts and you're not there? No one is there.....

Then there's plumbing. Electricity and water usually don't mix well, and I look at it like circles that overlap.......congruent?.....there are those areas where two worlds mix. Then there's heating/ air conditioning, which uses electricity.......if you're going to have a line hooked up to run a hose to your garden, with filtration, Ph adjustment, etc., it's probably good to have a plumber hook it all up. I had him connect a spigot through the closet wall. That can't flood or splash/spray anything electrical.

Fire suppression tanks above the lights. Sprinklers will put a fire out, but who's gonna shut off the water? A flood when it's 10 below 0 would not be good......

Chemical fire suppression tanks would solve those problems. The concept of CO2 though, that's potentially even neater, provided it's thorough. These fire-delaying building/wall boards are another great idea......

So it's worth having a few professionals test, work on, and upgrade things.