Halon dumps: a data point

From: Mike Ford <mikeford_at_socal.rr.com>
Date: Fri Sep 15 04:21:01 2000

>A couple years ago we had a thread about Halon fire-suppressing systems
>used in computer rooms. Through the school of hard knocks,
>I just learned first hand how such systems operate.

I was in a 25x25' computer room, alarm sounded, we scuttled out, then
looking in the window it seemed like nothing happened. Stuck our noses in,
seemed ok, so we went back to work. We were checking some on board
diagnostics, and the lady I was working with was reading some status lights
for me to check in a manual and proceed on a test terminal. As soon as she
started reading off the numbers we knew something had happened as her voice
dropped an octave or two. Kind of the opposite of helium.

We didn't stay in the room, but noticed no ill effects, and returned a few
minutes later after the room was refreshed. My understanding is that the
only problem with halon is that it can displace the oxygen, not that it has
some direct toxic effect.

OTOH lets not repeat the last thread.
Received on Fri Sep 15 2000 - 04:21:01 BST