Mosquito fan trap warning

[lopburi3]

Yesterday had serious open flame fire from a floor UV light/fan to bottom black plastic mosquito trap as it burned.  Cause unknown but strongly suspect defective motor overheated enough to cause plastic to burn.  Very fast as a person was watching TV within a few feet and room was full of smoke/safe-t-cut tripped before he aware.  Could have been fatal at night.  Second unit sent to garbage.  Burned unit had nothing remaining.  These were not the cheapest units.  Units did work quite well but not worth the potential hazard in my current opinion.  Perhaps return to metal/zapper.

 

A positive result is wife now agreeable to install smoke detectors again.  Had tried them 35 years ago but too many false alarms in middle of night from outside open burning.  Here in Bangkok not much such burning these days.

[Crossy]

Wow! That was lucky and great that the Safe-T-Cut did it's job. Could have been really nasty.

 

We see far too many fires caused by seemingly innocuous devices such as fans. Evidently built down to a price, back home they would have thermal fuses.

 

Smokes are always a good idea.

 

Any major damage other than smoke?

 

[lopburi3]

Only real damage was to personal comfort zone - but at least now have wife OK for smoke detectors.  I had just passed the unit on way out to walk dog and when returned they were carrying out the plastic bits (which dripped all over floor and took a lot of elbow grease to remove).   It was near under stairs storage area so could have been serious if not seen.  Back to metal case items for me (not sure can still get extension cables in metal however).  Expect it was cheap plastic but no way to know here. 

[Crossy]

Have you found wireless smoke detectors here? Our single unit in the kitchen isn't really audible upstairs (although a kitchen conflagration won't block the exits).

 

Your incident has prompted a re-think.

[lopburi3]

Lazada does have a few local shipment in the 250 baht and above range but most offered are overseas shipment.  After several hours decided to order 10 units on Ebay at only $22.98 without batteries.  Ordered batteries from Ebay also.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/232229660205

 

 

[farmerjo]

Where did you get it?

Did it look like one of these.

I had trouble with the smaller one's fan motor starting and stopping.

[lopburi3]

No it was another makers version of the Black Hole type trap with UV light at top and fan blowing insects into screened area at bottom.  Not the type that uses high voltage grid to zap.

Edited December 10, 2017 by lopburi3

[Crossy]

Along with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and a fire-blanket in the kitchen (yes, I bought one here) can prevent a small fire becoming a big one whilst the brigade are stuck in traffic or lost.

[lopburi3]

Thanks for reminder - current order

https://www.ebay.com/itm/401455690347

[carlyai]

Yesterday had serious open flame fire from a floor UV light/fan to bottom black plastic mosquito trap as it burned.  Cause unknown but strongly suspect defective motor overheated enough to cause plastic to burn.  Very fast as a person was watching TV within a few feet and room was full of smoke/safe-t-cut tripped before he aware.  Could have been fatal at night.  Second unit sent to garbage.  Burned unit had nothing remaining.  These were not the cheapest units.  Units did work quite well but not worth the potential hazard in my current opinion.  Perhaps return to metal/zapper.
 
A positive result is wife now agreeable to install smoke detectors again.  Had tried them 35 years ago but too many false alarms in middle of night from outside open burning.  Here in Bangkok not much such burning these days.

Hi, lucky escape. I just checked mine, mostly plastic. Is it like this one?

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Hi, lucky escape. I just checked mine, mostly plastic. Is it like this one?

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk
 

Same type but probably different maker and to be effective fan needs to keep them in bottom so ran 24 hours - which expect fan took exception to (but that is just guess as nothing remaining to check after it burnt).

[dutchweller]

On 12/9/2017 at 4:43 PM, lopburi3 said:

Lazada does have a few local shipment in the 250 baht and above range but most offered are overseas shipment.  After several hours decided to order 10 units on Ebay at only $22.98 without batteries.  Ordered batteries from Ebay also.

 

 

Do you order on Ebay and have post to Thailand direct?

 

 

 

[twizzian]

I have a UV one similar to the Black hole which are available from Global or Homepro.

I don’t use it often, mainly because it’s useless..

 

[lopburi3]

4 minutes ago, dutchweller said:

 

Do you order on Ebay and have post to Thailand direct?

 

 

 

Yes.  Have not had any problem for packages of small value (1,500 baht or below).  Normally look for free postage.

[lopburi3]

Just now, twizzian said:

I have a UV one similar to the Black hole which are available from Global or Homepro.

I don’t use it often, mainly because it’s useless..

 

Is the fan working OK?  We get a lot with ours - but have to run full time of they just fly away when the fan is turned off.

[masuk]

On 09/12/2017 at 4:13 PM, Crossy said:

Have you found wireless smoke detectors here? Our single unit in the kitchen isn't really audible upstairs (although a kitchen conflagration won't block the exits).

 

Your incident has prompted a re-think.

Detectors are quite cheap, and a few around the house are best.  Stairwells and outside bedrooms most important.

[laislica]

 

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

I bought two of them a while ago, gave one away to my brother-in-law and seldom use the other during the time we visit Thailand.

 

Mosquitoes don't follow the blue light.

They seek carbon dioxide from the breath of mammals.

 

 

A large coke bottle cut up and inverted is one way to trap them.

You have a sugar solution and yeast in the bottom of the bottle, the CO2 seeps out through the inverted part and when the mozzies enter, they can't find their way out.

Messy, no good in draughty places.

In our house, every door and window is fitted with effective screens but they still get in - and come directly to me!

 

 

 

On the subject of house fires.....

In Spain this summer, my wife forgot a pan with oil heating on the induction stove.

The pan had a lid and she foolishly picked up the pan, removed the lid, it burst into flame.

Then she headed to the sink to put water in it.

Fortunately, I was able to get the lid back on and put the pan down to cool.

 

Now she knows: Never move a burning pan.

Never put water on an oil fire.

 

 

 

[nss70]

On 10/12/2017 at 4:17 PM, carlyai said:

Hi, lucky escape. I just checked mine, mostly plastic. Is it like this one?

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk
 

Had a black one on the same design, doubted its effectiveness and discarded it after detecting a slight burning smell from it.

Re pan fires, a damp towel/blanket is the best way to douse.

Edited December 12, 2017 by nss70

[lopburi3]

6 minutes ago, nss70 said:

Had a black one on the same design, doubted its effectiveness and discarded it after detecting a slight burning smell from it.

Re pan fires, a damp towel/blanket is the best way to douse.

Believe for pan fires the below fire blankets with pull straps are ideal as can keep on several walls across from stove and quickly have for use without any preperation. 

[Lacessit]

It would be nice to know the brand of the trap, if possible.

This is where Thailand's defamation laws are defective, and shonky manufacturers can continue to endanger their customers.

[twizzian]

9 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Is the fan working OK?  We get a lot with ours - but have to run full time of they just fly away when the fan is turned off.

 

Theres nothing wrong functionally with it.

Just doesn’t catch many bugs not even outside. 

Rubbish thing, I don’t recommend.