My projector is making fireballs

[nhnifong]

I have a weird technical problem with my projector. I normally turn it on and then clean it out with a canned air sprayer, because it is dusty. This time, when I blew air into it with the canned air duster, it would spit little fireballs out of the exhaust fan. I don't know why it would be hot enough to start a fire. It still works but I cut it off just in case. I want to ask my fellow nerds what I should do about it. I'm not sure whether it is the dust or the canned air formula that is igniting. The duster says it contains 1,1 Difluoroethane 75-37-6 which is supposedly not flammable, so maybe it's the dust.

What I'm wondering is, if the projector is getting hot enough to ignite dust, is it ok to run after I clean it thoroughly while off? Even if the thing self-immolates, I'll just put it out with my fire extinguisher and my house probably won't burn down :crosses fingers: but what I'm really worried about is if the high tempuratures will burn out the bulb. ($300) And why is it getting so hot in the first place?

[Clockwork13]

You projector is.... Making fireballs? That's something I've never heard of before .-.

I think you should take it in to the store you got it at and have them look at it.

[Starwhip]

Umm... I believe that is not normal. Try what Clockwork suggested and take it back to the store.

[BlackBicycle]

How about vacuuming the whole thing? Work it over with a small hard painting brush while you are at it. It's the dust that is igniting, had it a few times with various devices.

[ProjectXMark1]

How about vacuuming the whole thing? Work it over with a small hard painting brush while you are at it. It's the dust that is igniting, had it a few times with various devices.

Yeah, we have an rarely-used, rarely-cleaned heater at home, and when you turn it on it smells awful, it's stuff burning inside it (dust and its associated fauna).

[ZedNova]

How about vacuuming the whole thing? Work it over with a small hard painting brush while you are at it. It's the dust that is igniting, had it a few times with various devices.

This should do it, any sort of fine powder or dust is as flammable as gasoline fumes.

[EdNC99]

This has happened to me before, with a much more dramatic affect. Canned air is highly flammable. Projector bulbs get extremely hot. I had a fireball about 6 feet tall. Do not spray a projector with canned air while it is on or even cooling down. 

[GoSlash27]

The propellant in the duster can is flammable. Not unusual to get a fireball if you blow into a hot projector.

[nascarlaser1]

Even though its a problem, it sounds awesome!! You can get little paper Mario and make your own real life Mario obstacle course complete with fireball spitting flowers (cardboard cut outs in front of where the fire is coming out of)

[stibbons]

A four year necro is impressive work.

[Ten Key]

The propellant in those compressed air cans is as flammable today as it was four years ago.

[DAL59]

OP  left the forums 6 months ago.

[kerbiloid]

1 hour ago, DAL59 said:

OP  left the forums 6 months ago.

I hope, it's all right with his projector.

[p1t1o]

As someone who works in chemical safety, Im just wondering where he got the idea that

"1,1 Difluoroethane 75-37-6 which is supposedly not flammable"

I mean, he's got the CAS number there, meaning he must have looked it up...

Maybe he misunderstood the word "inflammable"....

I mean, its not the most flammable thing in the world, but this still gives me a pretty good case of the heeby-jeebies.

***

PS: If anyone was thinking of testing this, Fluorocarbons produce Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) when burned guys, do not mess around with it. HF is extremely dangerous even in small quantities.

(that might sound over-bearing but its all fun and games until your corneas turn white. Man, fluorine makes for the best chemistry conversations...)

 

 

Edited March 2, 2018 by p1t1o

[YNM]

Spoiler

Thanks for the necro @EdNC99 ! Otherwise good information.

 

Edited March 2, 2018 by YNM
Could we please get a display of the time of last edit of Original Post in addition to the time of the last reply ?

[Deddly]

There is no problem reawakening an old thread if you are adding something useful and the thread doesn't contain out-of-date information. 

Remember guys, necroing isn't automatically against the rules, but necroMOANING is. 

[LordFerret]

2 hours ago, DAL59 said:

OP  left the forums 6 months ago.

Poor fellow... waited 4 years for a valid answer... left before it got here.