[LSWM]

I want to get the opinion of some people knowledgeable on the subject of fire safety. I currently have all of my own circuits run with a sub panel and proper over current limiting, as well as using T-104's for flipping ballasts on and off.

There is currently no arc-fault protection, or GFCI. All of my electrical is ran high up off the floor. I have some #12 that is not in conduit run along the roof, as well as ballasts mounted to the walls and ceiling, or sitting on stands a few feet off the ground.

I obviously am looking to install Arc-Fault protection as well as GFCI. I am also looking to install armored conduit to protect the currently exposed wiring.

With these protections in place, how important is a fire proof box for my ballasts? Just a few days ago I read about Bobblehead's fire and it scared the shit out of me. Has me rethinking everything about the new room build.

The next question I'm looking to answer is about fire ratings. How important is it to build a room within the current structure with 20 minute fire ratings? My current home is a complete wood structure. There is NO DRYWALL ANYWHERE.

If all of the above precautions are taken into account, how important would it be to build an enclosed room within the home itself? What sort of fire rating does 2x4's and 6x6's have? Does lining the roof and ceiling with Orca create a serious issue should a fire break out? I also want to line the floor with Vinyl billboard tarp or EDPM pond liner.

I feel like if I install AFCI, GFCI, armored conduit, and a ballast box, there is little chance of a fire breaking out. I guess a bulb could explode, but this is incredibly rare, and I'm not sure it would start a fire unless there was some sort of kindling around...

Assuming I do build a room within a room, where would be the best place to install automatic fire extinguishers? Inside the room, or outside? The room I intend to build the new room inside of has A Frame ceilings so installing fire extinguishers above the new room would not be an issue.

Sorry for the haphazard post. I've got a lot of ideas floating around, and am working on a budget, so I would like to be as safe as possible, without cutting corners, but also not going overboard with expenses.

[bobblehead]

I wouldn't mount ballasts to the ceiling. What do you think will happen if a ballast catches fire? Better to have it on the wall with a spacer between the ballast and the wall or on a shelf. Get afci circuits. Automatic extinguishers are rated for a certain area, mount them high and center. Sprinkler heads are $5-10 a piece and can be hard plumbed into the water line. I won't use reflective film anymore, just white paint. Concrete floors. You can look up the fire rating of your materials. It will vary depending on thickness and type of material... There a thread around here about building a fire-safe room. I probably posted a link in my thread. Oh and get a smoke detector. They make smoke detectors that will send you a text message. All of my smoke detectors are interlinked and hardwired, so if one goes off they all go off. There's a lot that can be done, just take your time and do some research. Do you have a normal extinguisher on hand yet? That's a good first step.

[LSWM]

Originally Posted by bobblehead

Concrete floors.

The only concrete floors I have access to are in the garage. The garage door is close to the street, and the side door is exposed. Both of these present security issues with sound and moving girls in and out. The garage does have drywall though...

Originally Posted by bobblehead

Do you have a normal extinguisher on hand yet? That's a good first step.

Yes I have one ready to be used. It's old as fuck but still in working condition. I tested it!

[LSWM]

How important do you think building a fire safe room would be? Do you think taking the above precautions is enough to safely grow in the existing space?

[dansbuds]

the first step in building a fire proof room would be to use fire proof materials . like steels studs & double 5/8ths sheet rock on both side with as little penetrations as possible .
metal conduit for all your electrical , keep all your electrical in one location . ballasts, timers , everything , with fire supression in that area too .

[bobblehead]

Drywall is cheap. Like $8-9 for a 4x10 sheet. 2x4's are $1.50-2. Build a proper room. You don't want to go through what I went through. Pond liner is fine. .. just get the auto extinguisher.

[LSWM]

Originally Posted by bobblehead

Drywall is cheap. Like $8-9 for a 4x10 sheet. 2x4's are $1.50-2. Build a proper room. You don't want to go through what I went through. Pond liner is fine. .. just get the auto extinguisher.

Would you mount the ballasts inside the room or out? Is a fireproof ballast box necessary?

Thanks so much for your input bobble.

[bobblehead]

Idk, depends on the size of your grow. I'm containing most of my electronics and wiring in a lung room with an auto extinguisher, and I am putting sprinklers in the grow areas. If you can contain everything in 1 room then do it. Think about it, is it worth taking a chance? Maybe one of your circulatory fans will catch fire. You never know. Best to be certain you're gonna wake in the morning or pull up to your house instead of a pile of ashes. I'm extremely lucky imo.

[LSWM]

Originally Posted by bobblehead

Idk, depends on the size of your grow. I'm containing most of my electronics and wiring in a lung room with an auto extinguisher, and I am putting sprinklers in the grow areas. If you can contain everything in 1 room then do it. Think about it, is it worth taking a chance? Maybe one of your circulatory fans will catch fire. You never know. Best to be certain you're gonna wake in the morning or pull up to your house instead of a pile of ashes. I'm extremely lucky imo.

I'm thinking the ballasts in the lung room is going to be the way I go. Have two fireproof rooms flipping 4-6k inside a large lung room. All electrical, ballasts, in 1 place with a auto extinguisher covering that area.

Are there smoke detectors which cut power? Or maybe a simple high temp shutoff of some sort to cut power to the ballasts/fans in case of a fire? I'm not really liking the idea of mounting sprinklers in the grow rooms, but as a last line of defense it would be worth it I suppose.

I am very well aware of how lucky you were Bobble. The reasons you listed above are exactly why I am taking the fire safety to the next level.

[bobblehead]

The fire department will be happy to unload their hoses in your house if you don't have sprinklers.... either way you'll have water damage, but with sprinklers there's less fire damage. or get more autoextinguishers... but that gets pricey, and I'm in a basement with floor drains. No brainer.

I would wire my own high temp cutoff with dpdt relays. But Idk where you're comfort level is with wiring. It might be something you want to buy prefabbed.