by Joe S (AK) » Sat Jul 16, 2022 3:21 pm
Russ,
Spark arresters (or spark arrestors) are something I never have considered as anything other than a government attempt to pretend to perpetuate "Safety for Your Own Good." In theory stopping accidental fires is, of course, a good thing. However, to be quite practical, how many fires are started every year from spark producing engines? Compare that to Un-"Controlled Burns", Arson, Pyromania and all the other fires caused by humans.
How about all those non spark arrested / designed cars, trucks, motor cycles, chain saws and ATVs as well as other diesel and gasoline engine powered pieces of equipment like a genset? How many actual fires do these "Fire Breathing Monsters" generate in a year from sparks? I think we'd all be hard pressed to find even one. Think back over the years and try to recall in your mind's eye if you have ever seen any spark coming from any of the engines you've used. I certainly haven't seen even one. A car or truck would be the only possibility that I can imagine and it would certainly be one of those "Cold day in .... " time frames. It just never happens with the engines we have and use - especially if they are tuned correctly.
Of all the causes of fires that I can recall there was one in Alaska caused by stupid people abandoning a burning fire, a couple from power lines and, of course, the famous USFS and DNR un"controlled burns" Yes, there are probably some from car wrecks and such --- but spark arrestors? Lightning yes, sparks, no.
The "New and Improved" gas cans sometimes have flame arrestors in them - to maybe offset the stupidity of leaving gas cans next to a hot lawnmower (with fuel spilled everywhere). Yeah - having an ignited fuel spill from a backfiring lawnmower could work itself back into an OPTIMALLY mixed air / fuel mix inside a just emptied can. But, with too high a % of fuel vapors inside the can and even that wouldn't burn.
No, even though the Forest Service says they are a real necessity I'm hard pressed to see the real, demonstrated need for them. Maybe I'm wrong but .............................................
Joe
Wiser Mining Through Many, Many Personal Mistakes (OOPS, "Personal Learning Situations")