From: charlesandmilly@gmail.com   
      
   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: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)