diy solar

diy solar

Poor guy lost his cabin to a fire in MPP charge controller

I've never been a lover of attached garages even with an ICE vehicle, XX gallons of highly combustible fuel, often located below one of the bedrooms, or the granny-annex!

Our cars live in a car port far enough from the house to be "safe", our LiFePO4 packs also live in the car port in their own steel and cement board house.

Lost a brother, his wife and their young boy to a petrol fuelled arson attack, apparently only 1/2 a litre or so :( Some people really, really hate used-car dealers.
 
Now you guys have me concerned…I do have my LifePO4 batteries in an attached garage. Should I setup some sort of fire suppression system?
 
Danke said:
Now you guys have me concerned…I do have my LifePO4 batteries in an attached garage. Should I setup some sort of fire suppression system?
Click to expand...
One 3.2V 280aH cell can conduct 2,500A in a dead short. My batteries are surounded with cement board and 1/4" ceramic fiber mats. My inverters/all HV electrical is mounted on cement board/in electrical conduit. I have two RF smoke detectors inside and an emergency shutdown button (for PV in/HV out) and 30 lb CO2 injection system for my power shed...and it's 50' from the house. I've shorted a cell and it was like welding class all over again, except I didn't have my hood and leathers on.
 
Danke said:
Now you guys have me concerned…I do have my LifePO4 batteries in an attached garage. Should I setup some sort of fire suppression system?
Click to expand...
I don’t think the batts care what you do…they are Gona do what they wish ..I’m sure smarter people than me will weigh in on this….
BUT, being generous person , if anyone with a Tesla is worried , or CANT afford to build a garage or for just any reason doesn’t want it parked near them I will be glad to ride out where you are and remove the problem …FOR FREE… NO CHARGE… problem solved ,,,just like that.

Hopefully you have , or know of , a model Y with at least the two motor , no more than 1 years old ,
any color is fine but I would like a red one If possible ..

Will consider a model S , too.

Thank you all , jim.
 
  • Home electrical fires account for an estimated 51,000 fires each year, nearly than 500 deaths, more than 1,400 injuries, and $1.3 billion in property damage.
  • Electrical distribution systems are the third leading cause of home structure fires.
  • Each year in the United States, arcing faults are responsible for starting more than 28,000 home fires, killing and injuring hundreds of people, and causing over $700 million in property damage.
 
On a related matter. I get that tile backer board is pretty fireproof but is it that much more fire proof than sheetrock? EG: Why do people put hardiboard on top of sheetrock? Belts and suspenders? Is sheetrock by itself not adequate?
 
OzSolar said:
On a related matter. I get that tile backer board is pretty fireproof but is it that much more fire proof than sheetrock? EG: Why do people put hardiboard on top of sheetrock? Belts and suspenders? Is sheetrock by itself not adequate?
Click to expand...

The only thing adequate are properly installed components that don't short and catch on fire.
 
OzSolar said:
On a related matter. I get that tile backer board is pretty fireproof but is it that much more fire proof than sheetrock? EG: Why do people put hardiboard on top of sheetrock? Belts and suspenders? Is sheetrock by itself not adequate?
Click to expand...
1/2 sheetrock typically has a 30 minute fire rating. Hardiboard is "over an hour" but typically not actually rated.
With the extra rigidity it is also much easier to build a box with vs sheetrock.
 
I have a reservation on a Tesla Model Y with an expected del very in January 2023 and if I get my garage cleaned out by then I have no problem charging a Tesla in a garage.
 
BobR said:
  • Home electrical fires account for an estimated 51,000 fires each year, nearly than 500 deaths, more than 1,400 injuries, and $1.3 billion in property damage.
  • Electrical distribution systems are the third leading cause of home structure fires.
  • Each year in the United States, arcing faults are responsible for starting more than 28,000 home fires, killing and injuring hundreds of people, and causing over $700 million in property damage.
Click to expand...
Even with quality components installed properly, your local Amazon warehouse might still burn down.

I'm personally uncomfortable with the "all in ones" that have become popular due to their "low cost" and "high input voltage ratings that greatly simplify installation by allowing 1000's of watts of panels to be hooked in series".

600 volts into a $1000.00 inverter/charger/Mppt @ 5kw.
 
Danke said:
Now you guys have me concerned…I do have my LifePO4 batteries in an attached garage. Should I setup some sort of fire suppression system?
Click to expand...

And I thought LFP was the safest, you can only screw it up if you do crazy or uninformed stuff with it. I have read a few times that somebody "felt safe with LFP under their bed", but now I'm also concerned :eek:
 
ugh... I hate these threads. sigh.

will GFP and AFCI actually prevent these things from happening?
 
chess-equality said:
And I thought LFP was the safest, you can only screw it up if you do crazy or uninformed stuff with it. I have read a few times that somebody "felt safe with LFP under their bed", but now I'm also concerned :eek:
Click to expand...
Well, if ya put danger in perspective ,and consider your chance of facing a threat, look how many people are carrying a pistol nowdays VS how many people have a small FIRE EXTIGUISHER strapped on or concealed.
I think LP4 batts are much safer than going to the local convenience store any more..?
jus sayin….J.
 
Checkthisout said:
Anyone have an example of a solar fire arrested with hardboard or sheetrock?
Click to expand...

I don't have examples of data, but sheetrock will definitely slow spread of fire. That would be the result of testing and field experience. It is used as fire barrier in home construction, and double-layer between condo/apartment units. 30 minutes per 1/2" layer.

"Solar fire" - may not do as much for a roof fire due to panels/wires, but a fire inside due to wires or batteries, it should hold back for a while.

Sheetrock (or plaster) is also used in fire resistant safes. It decomposes while absorbing energy, releasing the H2O which had been chemically bound in it.

Other aspects of construction include fire blocking, just 2x4 horizontal between studs to impede vertical spread of fire, and specialized caulking around penetrations for pipes and wires.

Those features may not stop the fire forever, but primary objective is to give plenty of time for escape.

In contrast, a typical mobile home is said to be fully engulfed with flames in 7 minutes. That may be old data, from fiber paneled mobile homes, not the newer ones with 1/2" sheetrock.

There are also standards for size of window openings to facilitate escape.
 
Last edited:
Hedges said:
I don't have examples of data, but sheetrock will definitely slow spread of fire. That would be the result of testing and field experience. It is used as fire barrier in home construction, and double-layer between condo/apartment units. 30 minutes per 1/2" layer.

"Solar fire" - may not do as much for a roof fire due to panels/wires, but a fire inside due to wires or batteries, it should hold back for a while.

Sheetrock (or plaster) is also used in fire resistant safes. It decomposes while absorbing energy, releasing the H2O which had been chemically bound in it.

Other aspects of construction include fire blocking, just 2x4 horizontal between studs to impede vertical spread of fire, and specialized caulking around penetrations for pipes and wires.

Those features may not stop the fire for ever, but primary objective is to give plenty of time for escape.

In contrast, a typical mobile home is said to be fully engulfed with flames in 7 minutes. That may be old data, from fiber paneled mobile homes, not the newer ones with 1/2" sheetrock.

There are also standards for size of window openings to facilitate escape.
Click to expand...

I know sheetrock works. I'm looking for examples of solar equipment specific fires where mounting the equipment and encasing the batteries on/in hardiboard or sheetrock arrested what could have been a bad fire

It appears the panels themselves are the cause of many fires as Amazon knows all too well.
 
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