I've Been Storing Powder and Primer's Wrong

[JFrank]

That makes as much sense as anything I've heard. I can see that they would want to get the fire crew enough time to respond.

Fire codes are based on egress and saving lives
The Order of importance is ~
life safety
health
property
Added; fire suppression systems are not necessarily designed to put out fires, they provide time for people to get out.

 

[jelenko]

I totally get the lumber sizes and 5/4 would mill to a 1 inch board. What I am saying is that the 1 inch number sounds like something that was dreamed up by a paper pusher that has never built a cabinet before. I don't see how the 1 inch could give explosive protection without a whole bunch of specs on using stronger fasteners than the norm. Back in the day we used to use fire rated plywood all the time and it is not mentioned, however I would not want to make a good looking cabinet with that crooked stuff. My components are siting on a shelf in a closet that only has one light and no electrical outlets, since my friends fire most all ammo of any number is in an ammo box and only guns and papers are in the safe. Lets hope none of us have to find out what works and why, my friend was years getting over his fire and the electrical COOP that installed a damaged transformer that caused it all would never admit any guilt. When they came and removed the transformer they never let him get close to it and it went from the pole to the bed of the winch truck, he had to climb the side of the truck to get a picture.

In the regs I read, the reason for the 1" was to provide time for the fire to burn through the wood to give the fire department time to put out the fire before the fire burned through the wood to the powder.
The boxes made from the 1" wood are supposed to be UN latched to allow pressure to escape in case the powder did ignite.

ETA: Just saw JFrank's post saying essentially the same.

 

[Doom]

@JFrank and @jelenko, you are correct in the above. The 1 hr rating is to provide time before the powder combusts. It allows for evacuation in the event of a fire. If a fire is still present after one hour who cares if it burns! It is not to prevent the initial combustion of the powder. Unlike gasoline, kerosene, alcohols, and other flammable liquids which volatilize and create a combustable atmosphere and can be very dangerous when the flash points are low (<200F) nitrocellulose does not volatiles and form vapors but must be directly ignited and or exposed to a high energy source for ignition such as fire or spark or high temperature above the ignition temperature (>200F). This protection is provided by the original container. Placing the container inside a flammable enclosure is of little to no additional protection. It does add a level of increased hazard.

As for the report on the Florida incident, it only speculated as to the cause of explosion. It is important to understand why this inspection was performed. The primary purpose is to determine whether any criminal laws were broken such as bomb making, internet to commit arson or insurance fraud, or any other assorted feloneys or lessor crimes. This includes Federal, state and local laws. Since there was no indication of any then the accident was ruled as such. Actually the chain of events and evidence does not indicate that a fire resulted in the explosion but rather that the accident event was an explosion which seems to contradict the open cabinet theory.

As for fire suppression systems, they are typically design to suppress, not prevent a fire from starting and to slow/limit the spread of the fire from one area to another. In certain cases a system may be designed to extinguish a fire once started. Certain specified areas like important file rooms or electrical equipment rooms are often protected with inserting atmosphere systems. Large oil storage tanks at refineries are often cited with foam systems that will suppress a fire between the oil and the tank roof.