Fire Hazard?

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by SuperPhreak, Jun 18, 2013.

  1. #1 SuperPhreak, Jun 18, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 18, 2013
    Hey guys I just posted an update to this thread http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-room-designsetup/1225133-my-new-grow-tentbox-opinions-wanted-asap.html and thought, well shit I know magnetic ballasts get hot, should I be concerned about my digital being mounted to wood?
     
    Here is a pic of where I have it set up, It's mounted to plywood; (also the ballast does not have feet or anything to create a gap between the wood and itself.)
     
    [​IMG]
     
    It is an Apollo Horticulture 400w Digital Ballast HPS/MH, and it's vent fan is on the top end.

     
  2. #2 stickey_fingerz, Jun 18, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 18, 2013
    heh, not sure how long it stays hot, really what matters is how hot it gets and and for how long its exposed to that heat
     
    if it gets to 250-300* fahrenheit, then you could encounter an issue but if the outside of the ballast is only around 120* you should be fine..  surface is fairly large and the density of the wood seems good, so its not like a piece of paper
     
  3. Okay looks like I'm going to let it run a few hours within sight so I can watch out. Then hit it with the good ol laser thermometer during it a few times.
     
  4. Just make spacers to put under the top and bottom edges and use longer screws.
     
  5. Yeah .........looks good, got issue put it on spacers
     
  6. #6 SuperPhreak, Jun 19, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 19, 2013
    1 hour in ballast temp = 105 F
    2 hour in ballast temp = 118 F
    3 hour in ballast temp = 113 F
     
  7. wood wont self ignight untill 800+ c so 105 f will be fine unless theres ever an elecrical problem you should be ok
     
  8. #8 SuperPhreak, Jun 19, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 19, 2013
     
     
    Pretty sure it varies. Wood is mostly cellulose, which has a low flash point. Rare examples exist such as:
     
    "A particularly well-documented incident described in the Handbook of this phenomenon is shown in Figure 1. The Handbook also describes that the incident involving the lowest documented temperature at which a fire was reported involved a hot-water pipe operating at 
    77ºC (170ºF)."
     

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