2. tech-talk
  3. 142378-4181

Threat of fire from audio equipment

Just read Art Dudley's new piece in Stereophile, and found myself becoming all sorts of worried. For many, many years now, I've left solid state equipment powered on -- except during thunderstorms or when heading away from home for extended periods. Now, I'm rethinking this practice.

See Mr. Dudley's article here:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-193-nordost-flatline-cables

My questions:

Is what happened to him the rarest of things, like someone's being struck by lightning? Is putting an amp (or another piece) into standby mode any better than leaving it on -- when it comes to preventing fire, that is -- or can a unit in standby mode burst into flames just like one that's powered on fully? Do others worry about fire? As much as I appreciate a fully warmed-up system, if fire is a legitimate concern, I'll routinely switch things off when I'm not around and listening. Or about to listen.

I'd love to learn what others -- especially those who understand engineering and electricity -- do with their equipment.

Thanks very much.

Howard
 
hodu

Showing 3 responses by 2psyop

2psyop's avatar
2psyop
779 posts
 
Funny thing, In a few separate posts there was talk of the cheaper variety of tube amps from China. The tube amps, so affordable for a few hundred bucks or so, audio guys were buying them up. I had mentioned the various articles I read about Chinese factories and swapping out counterfeit parts as a danger for fire or electrical mishaps. Not too many people buying these amps seem worried....
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
779 posts
 
I thought some amps have fans, that would that add enough oxygen to a spark or flame... after all some fans are supposed to kick on if the amp gets too hot.
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
779 posts
 
I remember the time I informed a fellow soldier that the Lithium batteries we were using needed to be popped before they are disgarded and moved away from other batteries. And they were not to be placed into big piles. Breaking a seal , popping them, allowed the last fumes to be released away from everything outside. Of course many soldiers did not care to understand and the batteries were piled up. After a brief field training excercise, we arrived back to find one whole bay of our motor pool caught fire because of lithium gas buildup. So yeah I am safety conscience...
Fires happen, fumes can cause many problems and I would never want to lose any family members of home damage because of potential problems. I think this thread can make people think about possibilities, however remote they may be.
Let’s not forget smokers who smoke while taking oxygen, just saw one yesterday at the hospital where I work....
third degree burns to his face and neck. He probably never thought it would ever happen to him....
More to discover