Soldering Iron - fire safety

#1

I came in this morning and just noticed a soldering iron had been left on overnight. I’ve switched it off.
Please be careful, we don’t want to burn the place down!

1 Like
#2

Is it possible to put a timer switch on, like those found in communal halls in apartment buildings? A dead-man’s handle sort of thing.

#3

Benches will have stop buttons on them soon hopefully

Or we could have a space shutdown feature on the shutter the woodshop already has the hardware in place and messy will do in the next few days

#4

Well, that’s not good.

I know I turned off the one I used yesterday but I was thinking about the whole soldering iron issues recently :

  • We are getting soldering irons magically disappearing and reappearing on the benches (legend say that the mechanic still have one of ours , a new hakko blue one)

  • We need proper ventilation installed.

  • We need a safety switch that turn off the Irons after , like 30 minutes? maybe with a led blinking in case is about to turn it off and a mushroom switch to reset the timer.

#5

This happened last night as well, I was about to leave and the soldering iron had been left on and it wasn’t clear anyeone was there.

#6

Having the iron hard wired into the bench via a run back timer would be the best solution…

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMTGBT4.html?ad_position=1o1&source=adwords&ad_id=45425533757&placement=&kw=&network=g&matchtype=&ad_type=pla&product_id=SMTGBT4&product_partition_id=174056220547&test=finalurl_v2&gclid=CNXWpcK1tdMCFUI8GwodMeEDxg

#7

Or, just wire into the existing sockets, and have clearly labelled ‘soldering iron only’ sockets, as hard-wiring the irons would need an ugly collection of spurs.

Unless this timing do-hicky would count as a fused spur and switch.

#8

http://www.connevans.co.uk/product/3073559/MX429833/30-minute-rundown-timer-socket

#9

+1 for this gaffa-taped to the plugs in question :wink:

#10

Socket version can and will be bypassed, plus it has no granularity.

The type I suggested would probably require a fuse spur also, but it cannot be defeated.

#11

Pall plans to put the whole bench on tool control it can be looked after by software

#12

Is the plan for it to turn off automatically after 15 minutes then?

#13

It should also be noted that a soldering iron is not hot enough to start a fire .

It’s not good leaving them on but it’s not a panic problem

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#14

really?

soldering iron is >300°C and ignition temp of paper is 233°C

#15

Until is closed in a room whit no one around is fine, if is a quality iron that doesn’t burn it’s own thermistor and start to overheat.

The real problem is another one, people will walk by thinking is off and get burnt , or put stuff on them , that can lead to a fire, we got wood particles everywhere in the space…

Is not a direct fire hazard, I agree, are the indirect consequences of leaving a piece of metal at 350 degree in the space without anyone know it.

Is like to say that guns are safe , people are stupid.

#16

Guilty… if it was the maplins one .

I used it early hours of this morning.

i remember turning the bench lights off.

but dont remember turning off the iron, but am usually good with this

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#17

It was the Maplin one last night.

Anyway’s aside from the fire question leaving irons on for long periods of time trashes the tips.

2 Likes
#18

Having spent several hours armed with that information and fuelled by addiction trying to light a cigarette at 3 am in the morning I would argue that it is not easy to light anything with a soldering iron
Please note that I failed

3 Likes
#19

I said it’s not good but it’s not the end of the world

1 Like