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From: doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.legal
Subject: Re: Smoking in public?
Message-ID: <570@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-May-85 12:55:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: terak.570
Posted: Mon May 20 12:55:19 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 23-May-85 04:13:28 EDT
References: <473@nmtvax.UUCP> <917@trwatf.UUCP> <413@ho95b.UUCP> <603@mnetor.UUCP>
Organization: Terak Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
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Xref: watmath net.flame:10038 net.legal:1726

> This is because if the room isn't
> sealed well enough the fire will continue anyways, and if the room is
> really sealed well, the Halon plus a really greedy hot fire might
> reduce the oxygen content well below breathability before the fire goes
> out.

I sure wish the Halon folks were on the net.  The comments above are at
considerable variance to what I've been told about Halon.

Here's how I remember it...   There are two different kinds of Halon --
Halon 1211 is normally used in hand-held extinguishers, and should be
used only in a well-ventilated area.  Halon 1301 is normally used in
the total-flood systems that have been the topic of discussion.

Both forms of Halon produce toxic byproducts in the presence of fire.
That's why Halon 1211 shouldn't be used in an unventilated area.

Halon 1301 not only produces toxic byproducts, but combustible
byproducts as well.  It is imperative that a Halon 1301 total-flood
system be capable of completely squelching all fire instantly, before
the byproducts can form in any quantity.

The Halon folks are insistent that neither form of Halon "displaces
oxygen" or in any way hinders life, except when the toxic byproducts
form from exposure to fire.

At least, that's how I remember it... Now what's this doing in net.flame??
-- 
Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{ihnp4,seismo,decvax}!noao!terak!doug
               ^^^^^--- soon to be CalComp