Cheap fire suppression system for a PC?

[Dave C.]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for
my computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online,
but I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the
cost of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is
basically that with some sort of detector/trigger.

Any suggestions?

Why do you think your PC will catch fire? The danger of fire (if there
is one) would be contained in the Power Supply. I've seen a couple of
PC power supplies that virtually exploded in a spectacular sound and
light show. But in both cases, after the initial pops/sparks
flying...the PC was dead and smelled terrible, but there was no
collateral damage. Oh, and both of the power supplies that did that
were cheapie no-name power supplies that (obviously) weren't designed
properly.

I think your best bet as far as fire prevention in a PC is, buy a
good quality name-brand power supply for it. Corsair and BFG seem to
be the best bets as far as brands go, at the moment. If you are REALLY
paranoid, make sure there is nothing flammable sitting behind the power
supply, in case it should throw a spark or two. But you shouldn't
really have anything flammable sitting behind your computer anyway, as
that would be an odd place to store it.

To be clear, I think the danger is not that your computer will actually
catch fire, and I doubt if a computer would cause anything nearby to
catch fire, either. As a friend of mine is always saying, "Anything
can cause Anything". But I think you're wasting time and
energy worrying about a computer fire. At least, if this is an
ordinary run-of-the-mill personal computer we're discussing. -Dave

 

[ShadowTek]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for my
computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online, but
I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the cost
of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is basically that
with some sort of detector/trigger.

Any suggestions?

 

[Mike Easter]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for my
computer.

What is the incidence/ risk/ mechanism of a 'fire' - whatever that
actually means - in your computer?

Do you mean your keyboard catching on fire? (If your question isn't a
joke, then why should my question be a joke.) What exactly do you mean?

Before you can install a detection suppression system, you have to have
an idea of where and what the thing is you are trying to detect and
suppress.

 

[Al Dykes]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for my
computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online, but
I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the cost
of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is basically that
with some sort of detector/trigger.

Any suggestions?

To the extent that any of the material that goes into a PS is
flammable, it is self-extinguishing when power is removed.

In 2009 with name-brand stuff conservatively used, I think you are
needlessly concerned.

That being said, I saw an office fire caused (I am told) by a no-name
power supply in a PC. I didn't do it. It was the office on the floor
below the one I was doing computer support work in. My floor was
saturated with shoot and I got paid a bunch to work on the cleanup.

It was also 12 years ago. PC parts have gotten much better.

 

[Dave C.]

Watercooling!

Not bad. Run the main lines up high, route them over any component
that would be a source of fuel. Fire melts coolant line, fire goes
out.

But seriously, I don't think you really need to worry about fire in a
computer. Well, no more than you need to worry about getting killed by
a tornado. -Dave

 

[Dave C.]

I currently have a Gigabyte PS.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817233010

Hey, I didn't know Gigabyte had their own line of power supplies. That
one should be decent quality. I'll have to read reviews on it
sometime. If Gigabyte put their name on it, I doubt if you need to
worry about that puppy blowing up like some of the cheapies can.

That's my main concern. I need to have a lot of sound absorbant
material around my computer, and I'm thinking about creating a 4
sided cabnet composed of 5/8" sheet-rock covered with carpet. That
may be all I need on the sides, but I need something more as the
bottom layer that will absorb the vibrations from the case.

Last night, I inserted a layer of 3/8" foam carpet-paddeing with an
additional layer of carpet on top of that, which helped to reduce the
vibrations quite a bit, but it isn't good enough yet. I think 2 more
layers of carpet-padding with competely solve the vibration problem,
but adding all that foam makes me a little paranoid.

Currently, the bottom layer that my computer is standing on looks like
this:
______
| |
| PC |
| |
---carpet---
---foam padding---
---carpet---
---5/8" sheet-rock---
---carpet---
-----------------------

If there were some kind of cheap fireproof fabric that I could use as
an outermost layer, something that would prevent a fire from spreading
through to the rest of the material, that would help ease my mind.

Or maybe some kind of fire retardant chemical coating that I treat the
surrounding material with?

Ummm... if the computer is in a cabinet where you don't care how it
looks...and assuming you are worried about sparks or something igniting
the soundproofing foam/otherstuff, how about a layer or two of aluminum
foil? That should work as a cheap, easy solution. -Dave

 

[SteveH]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for
my computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online,
but I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the
cost of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is
basically that with some sort of detector/trigger.

Any suggestions?

Watercooling!

 

[Al Dykes]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for my
computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online, but
I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the cost
of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is basically that
with some sort of detector/trigger.

Any suggestions?

Put a standard smoke alarm above the PC. Keep a fire extinguisher
nearby. Turn the PC off when it's unused.

 

[Paul]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for my
computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online, but
I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the cost
of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is basically that
with some sort of detector/trigger.

Any suggestions?

In a server room, a person might use Halon, to protect all the
computers at the same time. Halon is expensive as a fire suppression
system. Our old mainframe had such a system. Since Halon would
suffocate you, you want to get out when it goes off. The basic idea,
is it removes oxygen from the area of the fire. And is better
than a sprinkler system, if the computers are expensive enough.

I haven't seen such a thing, a fire suppression system, in
looking at PC products, so haven't run into one by accident.

As others have mentioned, electronic components are designed
to smoulder, rather than promote open burning. That is not
to say, there haven't been cases of flames shooting out
of the back of a power supply. Merely that the design
intent on the components, is to not act as a good source
of fuel. So a PC fire can stink up your place, but the
intention is that the PC should not become a molten mass.

In that respect, the responsible purchase of a computer case,
will go a long way to helping you. I consider people putting
a computer in a Plexiglas (transparent computer case), to
be irresponsible from a fire perspective. Even if the case
had a coating over the plastic, the plastic would still be
a good fuel source. The best kind of case would be one made
from steel. Aluminum would be a less preferred construction,
and a plastic case is lunacy by comparison.

This is an example of how they used to solve the problem.
I don't know what current practice is, now that RoHS is
popular.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybrominated_biphenyl

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brominated_flame_retardant

Paul

 

[ShadowTek]

Put a standard smoke alarm above the PC. Keep a fire extinguisher
nearby. Turn the PC off when it's unused.

My computer runs 24/7. I *do* have an extinguisher within arms reach,
but that doesn't do any good when I'm not here.

 

[ShadowTek]

Why do you think your PC will catch fire? The danger of fire (if there
is one) would be contained in the Power Supply. I've seen a couple of
PC power supplies that virtually exploded in a spectacular sound and
light show. But in both cases, after the initial pops/sparks
flying...the PC was dead and smelled terrible, but there was no
collateral damage. Oh, and both of the power supplies that did that
were cheapie no-name power supplies that (obviously) weren't designed
properly.

My power supply is mounted on the bottom of the case, with the fan
facing an open grill on the bottom. One thing that originally crossed my
mind is that any hot material that came loose from within the PS might
fall right out of the bottom of the case.

I may just go ahead and reposition the PS so that the fan opening is
facing up, but hot material from the motherboard could still fall out
throught the grill holes in the bottom of the case, so I guess I could
insert a piece of sheet metal on the bottom to completely cover that
area.

I think your best bet as far as fire prevention in a PC is, buy a
good quality name-brand power supply for it. Corsair and BFG seem to
be the best bets as far as brands go, at the moment.

I currently have a Gigabyte PS.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817233010

If you are REALLY
paranoid, make sure there is nothing flammable sitting behind the power
supply, in case it should throw a spark or two. But you shouldn't
really have anything flammable sitting behind your computer anyway, as
that would be an odd place to store it.

That's my main concern. I need to have a lot of sound absorbant material
around my computer, and I'm thinking about creating a 4 sided cabnet
composed of 5/8" sheet-rock covered with carpet. That may be all I need
on the sides, but I need something more as the bottom layer that will
absorb the vibrations from the case.

Last night, I inserted a layer of 3/8" foam carpet-paddeing with an
additional layer of carpet on top of that, which helped to reduce the
vibrations quite a bit, but it isn't good enough yet. I think 2 more
layers of carpet-padding with competely solve the vibration problem, but
adding all that foam makes me a little paranoid.

Currently, the bottom layer that my computer is standing on looks like
this:
______
| |
| PC |
| |
---carpet---
---foam padding---
---carpet---
---5/8" sheet-rock---
---carpet---
-----------------------

If there were some kind of cheap fireproof fabric that I could use as an
outermost layer, something that would prevent a fire from spreading
through to the rest of the material, that would help ease my mind.

Or maybe some kind of fire retardant chemical coating that I treat the
surrounding material with?

 

[david]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for my
computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online, but
I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the cost
of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is basically that
with some sort of detector/trigger.

Any suggestions?

You need to look at your motherboard and other components. If they have
the UL 94V-0 symbol on it, you have almost nothing to worry about.

 

[Al Dykes]

Not bad. Run the main lines up high, route them over any component
that would be a source of fuel. Fire melts coolant line, fire goes
out.

But seriously, I don't think you really need to worry about fire in a
computer. Well, no more than you need to worry about getting killed by
a tornado. -Dave

I have a vision of the OP kludging up a full blown fire suppression
kit at some cost and then plugging the unit into a cheap-ass power
strip that then proceeds to go up in smoke.

Sh*t happens. Don't fixate on one part of the problem and believe that
you've covered all cases.

 

[ShadowTek]

Ummm... if the computer is in a cabinet where you don't care how it
looks...and assuming you are worried about sparks or something igniting
the soundproofing foam/otherstuff, how about a layer or two of aluminum
foil? That should work as a cheap, easy solution. -Dave

The foil would also reflect all sound back out of the cabinet, since the
cabinet is open on 2 sides for ventilation.


I just did a test burn of the carpet and carpet padding material, and
the results were a bit disturbing. All it took was a moment's contact
with flame to start a fire that soon spread to the rest of the material.

I knew the padding would burn easily, but I thought carpet was made to be
flame-resistant to at least some degree.

I need to find a different material for sound and vibration absorbtion.

 

[ShadowTek]

Here's a site on make-your-own fire retardant spray for fabrics:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4705220_make-fire-retardant-spray.html

Other sites have cheap retardant spray, just google. From your
description, it would not be a bad idea at all to spray your carpet
layers.

I checked out a few sites that described homemade recipies, and every
single one was a borax and boric acid mixture.

I'll have to try it out and see how well it works.

Regardless, I think I'm going to remove all the carpet and padding and
replace it with sections cut from wool blankets. I think that would be a
safer idea.

Treating wool with that homemade retardant sounds like the most cost effective solution.

 

[SteveH]

That's my main concern. I need to have a lot of sound absorbant
material around my computer, and I'm thinking about creating a 4
sided cabnet composed of 5/8" sheet-rock covered with carpet. That
may be all I need on the sides, but I need something more as the
bottom layer that will absorb the vibrations from the case.

Out of interest, why do you /need/ to have all that crap around the PC?
If you want quiet, why not get a quiet case and coolers?

 

[Man-wai Chang to The Door (+MS=32B)]

I would like to install a small fire detection/suppression system for my
computer. I've seen a lot of rediculously expensive stuff online, but
I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Surely there's something that could be had for little more than the cost
of a small hand-held fire-extinguisher, as all I need is basically that
with some sort of detector/trigger.

If you just truely turn off all power, the chance of fire while the PC
is un-attended is slow. DO NOT trust soft standby!

--
@~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
/( _ )\ (Ubuntu 9.04) Linux 2.6.30.9
^ ^ 21:23:01 up 12 days 5:45 2 users load average: 1.25 1.37 1.36
ä¸å€Ÿè²¸! ä¸è©é¨™! ä¸æ´äº¤! ä¸æ‰“交! ä¸æ‰“劫! ä¸è‡ªæ®º! è«‹è€ƒæ…®ç¶œæ´ (CSSA):
http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_addressesa

 

[SteveH]

You can also use watercooling to remove all the
noise producing elements to another room. That
leaves just the hard drive "noise" to manage.

Luck;
Ken

I could never be assed with watercooling. I've got a decent case in the
Antec P180, some decent 120mm fans from Quiet PC and a very quiet VGA cooler
from Arctic Cooling. The only way I could get my PC any quieter is to turn
it off.

 

[ShadowTek]

Out of interest, why do you /need/ to have all that crap around the PC?

I have sensitive hearing, and typical PC noises aflict me with an
occasional case of tinnitus.

If you want quiet, why not get a quiet case and coolers?

I did.

 

[ShadowTek]

You can also use watercooling to remove all the
noise producing elements to another room. That
leaves just the hard drive "noise" to manage.

The hard drives produce the highest pitch noises, so I would still need
some kind of sound insulation.

Also, the greatest resonating vibrations are comming from the
power supply (not its fan), and I would still need to isolate that as
well.