Domestic Refrigerator Burns The House Down !

[chillerman2006]

Gents

What do we make of this ?

Lady opens the door to her fridge & is engulfed in Flames

There must have been a leak & ignition source, once the door was opened the inrush of air brought the air/refrigerant mix into its combustable range of 2%-10% & no more house !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx6_Pf8IXGE

Maybe its not such a good idea to use Hydrocarbons in A/C or Refrigeration (Especially Domestics)

For those non Fridgies, Hydrocarbons =

Iso Butane ( R600 / Care 10 )
Propane ( R290 / Care 40 )
Propylene/Propene (R1270 / Care 45 )
Propane/Ethane Blend (Care 50 )
Propane/Iso Butane Blend ( Care 30 )

R's chillerman

[chillerman2006]

And here's another

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvs4v1gk1ak

The owner does not realise refrigerant/hydrocarbon is now leaking & could be re-ignited with a bang

[chillerman2006]

Decided to remove this one as people did not make it

[Brian_UK]

Makes me chuckle, he stands there with a camera watching his fridge on fire. He then calls the wife over to hold the camera while he goes for an extinguisher. All the time there is a baby crying in the background.

No doubt the camera helps with the insurance claim but jeez fella, YOUR HOUSE HAS A FIRE IN IT, get the family out and then put the fire out.

[chillerman2006]

Makes me chuckle, he stands there with a camera watching his fridge on fire. He then calls the wife over to hold the camera while he goes for an extinguisher. All the time there is a baby crying in the background.

No doubt the camera helps with the insurance claim but jeez fella, YOUR HOUSE HAS A FIRE IN IT, get the family out and then put the fire out.

Hi Brian

some people have NO common sense, thought he was calling the baby ! at first

can you imagine how quick that would have gone up if it ruptured or the insulation went up

and as you say he just stands their videoing it

R's chillerman

[desA]

I wonder if gas sniffers need to be supplied as part of this kit?

[chillerman2006]

I wonder if gas sniffers need to be supplied as part of this kit?

Hi DesA

no doubt they should mate, but as made to just get past warranty stage these days

an added cost they (manufacturers) probaly wont consider

I see units with over 8kg in them (outdoors only) and they dont have them either

should be mandatory I think

R's chillerman

[spimps]

Commercial cabinets now using isobutane too,it's extremely efficient but there certainly can be a price to pay.
Connected a bunsen burner up a few times when I have been uneasy re gassing off into atmposphere as it is heavier than air and unless you can vent it outside it's always a concern.Not as green burning it off creating C02.

[chillerman2006]

Commercial cabinets now using isobutane too,it's extremely efficient but there certainly can be a price to pay.
Connected a bunsen burner up a few times when I have been uneasy re gassing off into atmposphere as it is heavier than air and unless you can vent it outside it's always a concern.Not as green burning it off creating C02.

Hi Spimps

May not be green mate, but good tip with bunsen burner

Better safe than sorry for sure

See attached, bottom left Not so sure about efficiency side

First it says generally 10-20% more efficient than hfc's but its half as efficient as R134a

And requires a compressor twice the displacement to achieve same capacity

Rather contradictory, maybe someone can clear this up for us ?

R's chillerman

[charlie patt]

years ago done a course on r600a at lec in bognor regis and the first video was they simulated a leak in a evap then created a spark where the light is and it blew the bloody door of. with all this hse etc etc apart from cost why fit it, the life span of the kit is less and highly dangerous the lec rep up there did tell me there ref bill was 60 percent cheaper when they swapped to it compared to r134a. call me synical but these products should only be used in a specialist enviroment. elstar done the same then there technical team tell us to go back to 134a when they block driers

[install monkey]

...........

[install monkey]

easy way to remedy this problem is fitting an ip68 ex bulkhead fitting-about 90quid but at least ur eyebrows are safe- unless its a beko and its gonna go up in flames anyway!-due to dodgy defrost timers!

[mikeref]

And here's another

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvs4v1gk1ak

The owner does not realise refrigerant/hydrocarbon is now leaking & could be re-ignited with a bang

Ah,C.M. That fire is in the icemaker section, near the drive motor and evaporator is located much lower. Thinking electrical fault caused that one. I wondered what he was he going to do? Make a cuppa before returning to warm his hands??

[chillerman2006]

I wondered what he was he going to do? Make a cuppa before returning to warm his hands??

Hi Mike

thanx for correction

''cuppa'' thats domestic engineers biggest job of the day annit ?

1st three are equally split
Cuppa/Chat/Toilet & Some work

R's chillerman