Martin Thermal Engineering just leased a new Tesla Model 3 and it’s no surprise that we love it. We also started the process of installing 18 solar panels on our home and depending on how well we can maintain a high outward flow of electrons to the grid during the day, and a moderate inward … Continue reading Eighteen Surprising Benefits of Owning an EV →

 For approximately twenty years, home-use propane cylinders have been equipped with valves that contain six very important safety features: 1. Gas service valve to manually open and close the flow path from cylinder to appliance. 2. Pressure relief valve which vents a small amount of gaseous propane if the internal cylinder pressure exceeds a safe … Continue reading Propane Valve Malfunction Examples →

 The California Mechanical Code (CMC) is one of thirteen parts of the California Building Standards Code that is adopted into law every three years by the California Legislature. The other 49 U.S. states adopt similar safety codes, which generally include the following titles (preceded by ): Building Code, Electrical Code, Fire Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing … Continue reading Code Violation Causes Explosion →

 As farfetched as it sounds, this author investigated a Recreational Vehicle (RV) fire where the cause was tire failure. Consider these facts: RV being operated on highway when right-front tire blew out. Driver pulled over to right side of highway. Witnesses photographed active fire at right-front corner of RV. Fire damage to RV included near-complete … Continue reading Tire Failure Causes RV Fire →

 NFPA 86 (Ovens and Furnaces) and NFPA 87 (Fluid Heaters) recognize that some industrial heating systems are installed where electricity is not available, and heaters must be operated without the benefit of a forced-draft, clean-air purge prior to startup. Nevertheless, natural draft furnaces can be started up safely by ensuring ventilation doors and exhaust ducts … Continue reading Purging Natural Draft Furnaces →

 Many people my age will remember the television show Mission Impossible from the late 1960s. At the very beginning of each episode, the lead character, Jim Phelps (played by actor Peter Graves) and his team of secret agents would receive a new mission from headquarters, and they would have 60 minutes (of TV time) to … Continue reading Self-Destruct Mode →

 During a recent explosion investigation, this author discovered a new failure mode that is not sufficiently addressed in NFPA’s trio of industrial heating equipment standards (NFPA 85, NFPA 86, and NFPA 87) that cover Boilers, Ovens, and Fluid Heaters, respectively. The failure mode occurs only in heating systems equipped with natural gas burners and flue … Continue reading Boiler Purge Causes Explosion →

 Some products/activities are inherently dangerous (e.g., cigarette smoking, skydiving) and yet some people enjoy them and pay good money to partake of them. In most cases, the more dangerous the activity, the fewer people choose to engage in it. One notable exception is the hot beverage – a potentially hazardous product that is enjoyed by … Continue reading A Product Safety Dilemma →

 Restaurants are relatively frequent victims of accidental fires. Each year, nearly 1 in 100 eating and drinking establishments experiences a fire loss and 57 percent of those fires are caused by cooking equipment (see http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/files/research/nfpa-reports/occupancies/oseating.pdf?la=en). However, the primary factor in determining fire extent and fire damage is often the status of the exhaust system – … Continue reading Restaurant Staff Stays Cool, Causes Fire →

 The author of this blog is pleased to announce that a new Mobile Investigation Workshop has been added to the Martin Thermal Engineering collection of tools. The workshop is equipped with many types of hand and power tools for disassembling products and extracting evidence from a fire scene, as well as instruments that are vital … Continue reading Mobile Investigation Workshop →