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i had a fire in my grow op

L

larry badiner

cables caught fire or something, luckily my cousin knew some electrician stuff and shut off the circuit, then used water to put the fire out. it was over in literally 2 minutes, didn't even have to call the fire department. im just glad I didn't wake up on fire

tomorrow afternoon ill be removing my indoor grow tents and tossing the lights and tents. the circuits off for now, but we're afraid something might have browned out and could start another fire

so, im out of the indoor game (aside from a 2x4 flood table tent with leds, but not too sure if ill go with it). I don't want to be a fucking burn victim so ill be growing in greenhouses

stay safe icmag
 
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Lester Beans

Frequent Flyer
Veteran
That's a scary situation! I'm glad it wasn't worse. You don't have to quit though, just make sure everything gets fixed and tested.

Regardless, glad you are ok.
 

Snook

Still Learning
Veteran
That was/is my biggest fear.. Glad it all worked out.. Did you have all of your 'electrical gear' running of of one outlet/line? I always wondered how greenhouse grows produce sinsemellia bud. Wouldn't moon-lite and starlight hermi them some?
 
That was/is my biggest fear.. Glad it all worked out.. Did you have all of your 'electrical gear' running of of one outlet/line? I always wondered how greenhouse grows produce sinsemellia bud. Wouldn't moon-lite and starlight hermi them some?
Not bright enough. Besides, all outdoor photoperiod plants are exposed to these. A bright street light can prevent short day plant species from flowering though.
 
G

ganjygav

Wow nightmare. Glad you weren't harmed. That's my biggest fear fire. I'm half convinced my ballast will blow up most of the time.
I would say I'm more paranoid about fire than the police.
 

madalasatori

Well-known member
Veteran
Recently smelled burning plastic in my room, noticed that there was a small black hole on the plug. On opening it up I found that the fuse was somehow touching the plastic of the plug and slowly burning.

Phew
 

Blazeee

Well-known member
Veteran
Ive had the IEC cables melt that connect the ballast to the reflector before. The ballast was an older style black maxibright ballast.

Luckily it tripped the circuit and turned everything off.

Have no idea what caused it but both the ballast and reflector were unusable.

Ive also had a buddy who bought a cheaper tent that collapsed due to too much weight. He told me he went round and caught it just in time as the light was still on and started to melt the floor of the tent and there was smoke when he go there.

After my experience and hearing my buddys i have avoided buying cheap equipment.
 

Medfinder

Chemon 91
Good thing crisis adverted.

I ve had an 600 watt Chinese hps bulb just melt the inner strike filament melt and fall against the glass... they said they were gonna send another one right away...hmm...



more smoke detectors.
 
M

moose eater

You're lucky!! Keep your karma clean!!

Where I live, the Fire dudes frequently travel in tandem with the State Troopers. They're no longer just the friendly guys they once were, putting fires out in near-altruism; they bring the heat, too. Double-entendre intended.

I once gave an older magnetic 400 watt ballast to a friend in the bush, which I delivered by snowmobile out a remote trail. Don't know if it was the bumps on the long ride, the age of the ballast and/or defective workmanship, or some less-than-clean current from a generator, but on a subsequent trip out to his place, he showed me a fried set of wires at the ballast. Near cat-ass-trophy!!

Keep your circuits tight, and monitor how much wattage/amps you're pulling off of any one circuit/outlet/switch.

My older son once had a whole SHIT-LOAD of stereo and other equipment plugged into a surge protector strip, and I could smell hot plastic. I almost kicked his butt just for principle, but instead educated him, hoping to put the fear of GAWD into him..

Amps x Volts = watts. One of many 'most important' equations we'll ever learn. Check your breaker ratings, outlet ratings, etc., and read the draw on ANY equipment.

Hell, atypical draw from a failing device can increase the amount of juice it pulls, not to mention friction from things like a failing fan bearing creating heat, etc.

Don't inadvertently bring folks to your home/op who won't understand or be forgiving of the way you live. "It's a rule!!"
--------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: Conversely, watts divided by volts = amps. Again, important shit for anyone who doesn't want strangers taking an unintentional and unguided tour of their grow operation. ** And everything electrical can age poorly, just like we can, though for similar but different reasons. Circuit breakers, switches, and even outlets CAN wear out!! A 15-amp or 20-amp circuit breaker may come to a point that it trips under less draw.... if you're lucky.
 

DrDee

Member
Yo Larry...hope you rewarded your cuzz. I'd suggest a couple of willing virgins. The guy probably saved your life.

So, here's my close call. Way back during one of my earlier indoor grows, I went to check my plants but lights were off. On exploration, I found that my timer looked all melted like a Salvador Dali clock. Now, for all lights and heavy loads, I will only use an industrial strength 40 amp timer. Overkill perhaps, but safe.
Cheers,
JD
 

Bobby Boucher

Active member
Re-reading this thread jarred a memory loose of a failing yo-yo some 10+ years ago.

Walked into my nearly finished grow to find a latch on one of those stupid chinese rope yo-yos had failed somehow. Brand new, never saw a minute of undue stress. Huge single plant was cradling a 1k watt hps hood in its poor fried little arms. Looked just like the yummybud.

I have since learned as a contractor to refuse to install anything that I can't vigorously hang from or jump on.. and with as many people I see using those yo-yos, I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't one of the biggest fire culprits out there.

F'n.. chinese grow gear.. Every god damn time.
 

Cork144

Active member
Re-reading this thread jarred a memory loose of a failing yo-yo some 10+ years ago.

Walked into my nearly finished grow to find a latch on one of those stupid chinese rope yo-yos had failed somehow. Brand new, never saw a minute of undue stress. Huge single plant was cradling a 1k watt hps hood in its poor fried little arms. Looked just like the yummybud.

I have since learned as a contractor to refuse to install anything that I can't vigorously hang from or jump on.. and with as many people I see using those yo-yos, I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't one of the biggest fire culprits out there.

F'n.. chinese grow gear.. Every god damn time.


lol the yummybud, classic
 

Snook

Still Learning
Veteran
That was/is my biggest fear.. Glad it all worked out.. Did you have all of your 'electrical gear' running of of one outlet/line? I always wondered how greenhouse grows produce sinsemellia bud. Wouldn't moon-lite and starlight hermi them some?
How does one tell if a plant grown outdoors under the stars, as it has has for 'thousands of years' (high Bud:biggrin:), if any seeds produced were from a male plant or lady that has hermied?

BTW - I've never done it outdoors but do give you all that do allot of credit. :tiphat:
 
L

larry badiner

That's a scary situation! I'm glad it wasn't worse. You don't have to quit though, just make sure everything gets fixed and tested.

Regardless, glad you are ok.

scared the hell out of all of us, i have to put some money aside to get a family member to check out everything in my new setup

thank you for the well wishes!
 
L

larry badiner

That was/is my biggest fear.. Glad it all worked out.. Did you have all of your 'electrical gear' running of of one outlet/line? I always wondered how greenhouse grows produce sinsemellia bud. Wouldn't moon-lite and starlight hermi them some?

ya, when your grow catches on fire, you'll lose your shit. first thing i thought about was my brain, i didnt want to inhale all the burnt plastic

greenhouse is a general pain in the ass, you have to deal with fauna and odor control can be a problem. growing outdoors is just way too random for me

re: moonlight herming, i have my 3 existing plants (ornimental for now) and they just started blooming in august, i swear they bloom halfway into june in the west coast
 
L

larry badiner

Glad you got the fire out pronto & everybody is safe.

ya, its always good to have good family around when dealing with something you need alot of people for, i can go to a party in southern california and pick up a conractor, an electrician, and cheap labor but im too occupied with my current job

thank you for the well wishes!
 
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