3D printer kills couple and their cats

[79wjd]

2 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

It's hard to enforce, but it's one of those common sense items (like a fire alarm) that you should have regardless of what the owner thinks. Especially given the fact that the couple were engineers and would have been aware of the device's utility.

 

30 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

That doesn't mean they follow the guidelines/law. A lot of homes don't even have smoke detectors because they don't want to deal with it going off in the middle of the night. 

 

[DrMikeNZ]

4 minutes ago, Litargirio said:

Damn.

 

Just how does a 3D printer produce that much CO? No, how does it produce any at all?

It depends on the material and method that they are printing with. Some plastics when heated don't melt properly and partially burn releasing carbon monoxide. This is common for low grade plastics not suitable for 3D printing. While it is possible for many 3D printing plastics to decompose and give extremely hazardous gases including carcinogens, this requires temperatures well above what is used for printing. With multiple faults it is possible for the heating elements to overheat the plastic, so putting the printer in well ventilated area is highly recommended.

 

With the accuracy of the article, it could have been anything though. More likely an all-in-one 3d-printer with a laser engraving/cutting attachment in use.

[NumLock21]

30 minutes ago, 0ld_Chicken said:

moved to general discussion.  @NumLock21 fix your post to meet tech news and reviews guidelines and it'll be moved it back

 

and thanks for reminding me to get a co detector 

I have one. That thing just beeps for no reason. And i have updated the op.

[Litargirio]

16 minutes ago, AddonCustoms said:

3D Printers and Lasers are separate, yet some call a laser cutter a 3d laser printer, no idea why as it is not.

Probably because 3D Laser Printer sounds fancier (and is probably easier to advertise) than just Laser Cutter.

[Litargirio]

3 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

I have one. That thing just beeps for no reason.

Low battery?

[NumLock21]

3 minutes ago, Litargirio said:

Low battery?

Changed it multiple times. And reset don't seem to work. 

[tankapotamus]

2 hours ago, DrMikeNZ said:

It depends on the material and method that they are printing with. Some plastics when heated don't melt properly and partially burn releasing carbon monoxide. This is common for low grade plastics not suitable for 3D printing. While it is possible for many 3D printing plastics to decompose and give extremely hazardous gases including carcinogens, this requires temperatures well above what is used for printing. With multiple faults it is possible for the heating elements to overheat the plastic, so putting the printer in well ventilated area is highly recommended.

 

With the accuracy of the article, it could have been anything though. More likely an all-in-one 3d-printer with a laser engraving/cutting attachment in use.

It doesn't take multiple faults. It is frighteningly easy, it only takes a grounded out thermistor. That's it! It happened to me twice this month! Poor wiring layout, PTFE sleeves that are WAY too soft, and a sharp enough edge.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

3 hours ago, NumLock21 said:

I have one. That thing just beeps for no reason.

Maybe you only think there's no reason.  Wouldn't be the first one

 

[DrMikeNZ]

56 minutes ago, tankapotamus said:

It doesn't take multiple faults. It is frighteningly easy, it only takes a grounded out thermistor. That's it! It happened to me twice this month! Poor wiring layout, PTFE sleeves that are WAY too soft, and a sharp enough edge.

Thank you for the reminder on that one. While a grounded thermistor can be programmed to shut the system down without too much effort, this is sadly lacking on many 3D printers.

[NumLock21]

1 hour ago, Captain Chaos said:

Maybe you only think there's no reason.  Wouldn't be the first one

 

Spoiler

 

 

Quote

 

Why does my CO alarm "chirp" approximately once every minute?

The CO alarm chirps to indicate a "low battery" condition, meaning the battery needs to be replaced. Battery powered CO alarms will chirp a minimum of 30 days before the battery completely loses power.

AC powered CO alarms with battery backup will chirp indefinitely (assuming AC power is present) if battery power is low (or battery is removed) until a fresh battery is installed. Approved replacement batteries are listed on the back of each CO alarm.

http://www.universalsecurity.com/faqs/for-120-volt-wired-in-carbon-monoxide-alarms/why-does-my-co-alarm-chirp-approximately-once-every-minute

 

 

 

Quote

 

Why is my carbon monoxide alarm beeping or chirping?

Nov 1, 2011

NOTE: Several things may be causing your alarm(s) to sound or to briefly chirp. It is important to understand the different audible signals from your alarm.

Condition: Continuous Four-Beep Alarm Pattern

NOTE: When the carbon monoxide (CO) alarm senses a dangerous level of carbon monoxide, the unit will emit a loud alarm pattern. The alarm pattern is four short beeps – followed by five seconds of silence – followed by four short beeps.*

Your alarm may have detected carbon monoxide. Make sure that you know how to respond to a CO emergency.

You may be experiencing a nuisance alarm. Follow the procedure for nuisance alarms.

http://www.kidde.com/home-safety/en/us/support/help-center/browse-articles/articles/why_is_my_carbon_monoxide_alarm_beeping_or_chirping_.aspx

 

How to temporarily silence your alarms: 

WARNING.  DO NOT USE THIS FEATURE IF A FIRE IS PRESENT. ONLY USE THIS FEATURE AFTER YOU HAVE CONFIRMED THERE IS NO FIRE DANGER PRESENT.

http://www.kidde.com/home-safety/en/us/support/help-center/browse-articles/articles/what_to_do_if_you_have_a_nuisance_or_false_alarm.aspx

 

 

[ARikozuM]

3 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

snipped nothing

Survival of the fittest at its finest...

[NumLock21]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

Survival of the fittest at its finest...

I still remember the nest smoke detector, had a major flaw where it will turn off when human waves their hands in front of it. In a actual fire, waving the hands in the air is a natural human response.

[ARikozuM]

1 minute ago, NumLock21 said:

I still remember the nest smoke detector, had a major flaw where it will turn off when human waves their hands in front of it. In a actual fire, waving the hands in the air is a natural human response.

I'm remembering a stupid flash video where a kid runs around arms in the air.

[RGProductions]

In WA, a CO detector is legally required for purchase of a house.

[NumLock21]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

I'm remembering a stupid flash video where a kid runs around arms in the air.

Nest has CO detectors. No chirps!

Those high pitch chirps is like hearing someone scraping their nails on a chalk board.

[ARikozuM]

1 minute ago, NumLock21 said:

Nest has CO detectors. No chirps!

Those high pitch chirps is like hearing someone scraping their nails on a chalk board.

I actually had a CO issue at the hospital recently when I used the cautery.

[NumLock21]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

I actually had a CO issue at the hospital recently when I used the cautery.

That detector must be really sensitive.

[handymanshandle]

5 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

That doesn't mean they follow the guidelines/law. A lot of homes don't even have smoke detectors because they don't want to deal with it going off in the middle of the night. 

They could have hardwired smoke detectors :^

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

That detector must be really sensitive.

Just standard. Cautery machines do that often enough that when ADT calls, I just say "using the cautery, thanks for calling". 

[79wjd]

25 minutes ago, wcreek said:

They could have hardwired smoke detectors :^

It's kind of stupid to have smoke detectors that don't work in a power failure (although, the likelihood of a fire and losing power -- either from the fire or something else isn't super high).

 

Also, this may not be the case, but the law should require smoke detectors with a battery backup. 

[handymanshandle]

13 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

It's kind of stupid to have smoke detectors that don't work in a power failure (although, the likelihood of a fire and losing power -- either from the fire or something else isn't super high).

 

Also, this may not be the case, but the law should require smoke detectors with a battery backup. 

I think a lot of modern hardwired smoke detectors still do probably have a battery back up, perhaps even one that keeps the battery from dying even. I'm not totally sure on that since the smoke detector that we have (and yes I meant that to be plural because the second one in our house isn't connected because the connector broke.)

[MoonlightSylv]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHY THE CATS

[Clanscorpia]

3 minutes ago, ShadowTechXTS said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHY THE CATS

Only you, only you

[0ld_Chicken]

After re-reading the article, it doesn't actually say anything about the 3d printer venting anything harmful.  Merely that it was present in the home at the time.  It probably has nothing to do with anything out of the ordinary.  There are a several things that can cause co buildup and it was probably something like a blocked flue and a broken co detector...  Poor 3d printers... taking all the heat

 

-Thread moved back to tech news and reviews-

[NoRomanBatmansAllowed]

6 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

That doesn't mean they follow the guidelines/law. A lot of homes don't even have smoke detectors because they don't want to deal with it going off in the middle of the night. 

But when the house is built, I'd wager that a CO detector was put in by the builders.