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I assume that many of you use the raspberry pi (or another single board computer) as 24/7 server at home, so I'd like to ask a question which I've been discussing recently with a coworker:

Is it possible that some kind of hardware defect causes the raspberry pi/odroid/cubieboard/... to start burning?

Are there any known cases where the pi was the source of a fire?

And finally: Did you take any precautions in case of such a defect?

SlySven
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user236012
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2 Answers2

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As with all electronic appliances there is a small chance of overheating components and thus the risk of fire. My feeling would be that the likelyhood of the Pi starting a fire is similar to that of a Wifi router or something like that. Of course such feelings could be way off when it comes to small probabilities.

Precautions should therefore include at least a flame resistant housing, the absence of easily inflammable materials in the vicinity of the Pi, and of course an unblocked natural ventilation.

Personally I have not heard of a Pi being the source of a fire. But I guess anybodys google-fu is as good as mine, so I will not look into this matter right now. I doubt that the Raspberry Pi Foundation would accept any liability in case a 24/7 running Pi catches fire as this would not be a specified use case.

Ghanima
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Before I worried about the pi, I'd worry about defects in the AC/DC adapter. Don't leave your phone to charge unattended! ;)

As Ghanima says, it is impossible to say this is impossible for any consumer household electronic item, but this does not make it particularly likely for the pi. E.g, I believe if you somehow surge thousands or millions of volts (lightning strike) through the house and breakers don't deal with this, presumably the littlest wires and connections at end points will spark first.

However, at that point you probably have a variety of serious problems beyond the pi.

With regard to "taking precautions", since it's not completely impossible for any electric device powered 24/7 to spontaneously combust, I guess it is not completely crazy, but it is pretty crazy. Things like electric clocks have been commonplace longer than most of us have been alive, but I have never heard of anyone keeping them in an asbestos case for safety. You might as well just shut the house off at the box if you are that worried about electricity. Your next stop will be hoarding old newpapers and stray cats.

goldilocks
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    Do you find that stray cats are better insulators than old newspapers? And might a cat actually start the fire by playing with the RPi? – bobstro Oct 20 '15 at 14:19
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    I'd rather worry about cats starting a fire by playing with the AC/DC adapter... – user236012 Oct 20 '15 at 14:29
  • The AC/DC adapter would be my biggest concern, it could be an issue that an anonymous USB "Charger" manufactured somewhere in the, ahem, Far East, might not be up to supplying its rated output for extended periods of time.

    Also some battery technologies can be unsafe if charged in a confined space (Lead Acid, um, Car batteries - that release a nice hydrogen + oxygen mix when over-charged) - so that Solar Power/Windmill alternative might not be risk free either!

     – SlySven Nov 30 '15 at 05:43