VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

Dave · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:15 pm Post subject: And then I saw the smoke!

Hi everyone,

What a weird way to end the week.

I just finished a narration project before lunch and was getting up to leave for a meeting with a new client when I smelled something burning...that awful electric insulation odor. I stepped outside the studio to see if it was coming in through the AC...nope.

The smell continued to get stronger in the studio so I knew something wasn't kosher. I still couldn't find the source so I called my wife to help me sniff it out (a woman's nose knows!). She quickly narrowed it down to the equipment grouped on the right side of the computer. The speaker appeared to be the most likely candiate but we weren't completely sure since the odor was so strong.

That's when we saw the smoke!

Although it didn't burst into flames...the speaker was definately in the process of having a melt-down. I quickly yanked the cables and carried it out of the house. Whew!

Thankfully, it decided to crap out seconds before I left the house. I can't help but feel it would have gone un-noticed until it may have been too late for my wife and mother-in-law (she's 93 and lives with us) to do anything but run for the door.

So here's the deal. The speaker that nearly burned us out of house and home is one of two Alesis M1 Active (powered) monitors purchased new 5 years ago.

Needless to say...I'll be contacting the manufacturer on this little incident.

Dave
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. If at first you don't succeed, then bomb disposal probably isn't for you.

SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:35 pm Post subject:

Well, thank goodness you found it in time. Scary thought of what might have been though.
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bobsouer · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject:

Dave,

The timing of that incident was providential, indeed. I'm glad you, your family and your studio are all OK.
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Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
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asnively · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:35 pm Post subject:

How terrifying. What a relief that it was caught in time.
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Deirdre · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:36 pm Post subject:

I am glad you were able to catch it in time to save everything else.

Man, what a scare!
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Hart · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject:

Everything's been said.. but I'm glad everyone is okay. Scary indeed.
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Brian Hart Productions

mcm · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:16 pm Post subject:

Sweating just thinking about it Dave.

So glad you're okay.

Tom Greenlee · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:25 pm Post subject:

Wow Dave....talk about fortunate timing. I'm very glad you all are ok and your studio too. What a disaster that could have been if you weren't there to catch it as it started. Whew
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"Communication without intelligence is noise; Intelligence without communication is irrelevant."

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Dave · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone...I'm still kinda awed by the whole sequence of events. I had never given a moments thought that something like this could happen. I always considered voiceover to be a rather "safe" form of employment.

Dave

P.S. I've determined the fire began in the (internal) power supply of the speaker/monitor. Makes me a little uneasy about continuing to use the remaining speaker...Hmmmm, what are the chances?
_________________
. If at first you don't succeed, then bomb disposal probably isn't for you.

tackerman · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:42 pm Post subject:

A great reminder for all of us to check our smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. Glad you avoided a disaster.

BTW, if you have an extinguisher... do you know where it is without having to think about it?

Bruce · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:43 pm Post subject:

If I were you, I'd replace that power supply with one of those Sony lithium batteries they've been using in the Dell and Mac laptop computers. You can get a used one reeeaaallll cheap.

B

(oh yes, Dell and Mac, and Toshiba, and Lenovo and a now about a dozen other brands too!)
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I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

VO-Guy · Guest

Dave,

Glad ya caught it. Thanks for telling us about it. I've got the same monitors so guess what's getting turned off everytime I leave the studio now.

Of course I could always use your story as a way to upgrade my monitors. "Look honey, I need to upgrade because these burst into flames". Bitchin

allensco · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:53 am Post subject:

Wow Dave....glad you caught it before any real damage was done.

Several years ago, I had a similar experience at the radio station I currently work part-time for. A magnetic cart eraser went bad sometime during the late night/early morning hours while I was on the air. When I noticed the video monitor showing the front door was hazy, I stepped out of the control room and the building was FULL of smoke and that putrid smell of something electrical burning. I called the fire dept and started hunting the source of the smoke. I suspected it was a ballast on one of the flourescent lights. When I finally found it, the eraser, a desktop model, had gotten so hot, it was RED, the rubber feet had melted and it was sliding off the desk. I quickly snatched the power cord from the wall and threw the unit out the front door just as the fire fighters were arriving. Close call that scared the crap out of me!

Dave · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 7:14 am Post subject:

Dave · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 7:54 am Post subject: