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Joined: Oct 2000
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Comments please...................... A friend and I was sitting watching the game, he jumped up and yells the wall is on fire!!!! I look over and see a outlet with a small flame sparking and smoking like hell. He throws baby power on the outlet and I turn the breaker off. (SOme reason it did not trip the breaker???) Well now I have no power on the first floor. I disconnected the outlet it's all chared up, still no power. I unpluged everything else on that circut and still no power. I changed the breaker still no power. It must be in the wall. The only that was plugged into that plug was a paper shredder and it was turned off. Will Insurance pay for the charges for it to be fix. I'm guessing they will have to tear into the wall. This suck this happend right before christmas. Is there anything else I can do to try and fix it myself. Suggestion: Hire a licensed electrician to fix the problems! [This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 12-29-2002).]
Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Baby Powder???
Walk to the yellow pages and open up to Electrician. Or tell us where you are and maybe one of the electricians on this board is in your area.
Scott
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Joined: Oct 2000
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if memory serves, a class C fire = powder, got to give credit where due....
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Granted sparky you are right. Most fire exinguishers are dry chemcial. I just don't know if baby powder is the right powder. Scott
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Baby powder is corn starch isn't it? I'd say that'd be quite flammable! Corn Starch Modified Ignition temp 200ÂșC NEC Code T3. Source: This link . [This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 12-28-2002).]
-Virgil Residential/Commercial Inspector 5 Star Inspections Member IAEI
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Regarding the baby powder...lots of variables at play here.
It could have been a small flame...and the dumping of the baby powder probably suffocated it before the stuff could get hot enough to burn.
Also, there is talc in most of these powders. I don't think talc burns. What is the percentage of talc vs. cornstarch in baby powder?
When I was a kid, I tried to set fire to a small bag of sawdust with a few matches out on the curb.
Since it was pretty densley packed, it only scorched and smoldered for a bit...but the stuff didn't erupt into flames - no oxygen could get through.
Of course...sawdust can be flammable if it's floating around in the air...or loosely scattered on the floor.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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I recall seeing a presentation, as a child, at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Some of the entertainment consisted of:
A $100 bill was set on fire yet not consumed...a balloon filled with Hydrogen was rigged up to explode...and then the fellow putting on the show held a handful of corn starch, put a match to it, and tossed it in the air. That's when I learned that corn starch is quite flammable.
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The cheap dry chemical extinguishers (class B & C only) have a white powder that is a form of baking SODA. This is a good example of why I like pipe; you can replace wires without tearing up the wall. Mike holt pointed out that, according to Ohm's law, a 25 Ohm ground will never draw 20 amps. Add some length to the wire, and it's quite possible to arc-weld with a wire, and not ever trip the breaker! Remember this, the next time someone says "it's only 110v, 20a!" As for the repair, the bad news is that this is one that is probably beyond the skills/tools of the typical homeowner. It's time to hire a pro. Unless, that is, you like this sort of entertainment.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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joe...at least somebody was home at the time it started.did he call the fire dept.if so he can get a copy of the report an turn it in to his insurance company.if not,call them anyway,can't hurt.
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Why would you have baby powder around while you were watching the game?
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