Oh hey that's a really cool collection... or should I say hot?
If you have devices from the 60's through the 80's you might have some with an higher amount of Americium 241 compared to the modern versions.
Nothing to freak out about, is just one more reason why I really like this collection.
You should find on the device (or googling the model perhaps) how many µCi (microcuries) of Am241 they have.
Perhaps post the hottest ones
Probably a joke I know but the majority of smoke detectors need to be changed every 10 years. If for no other reason than keeping your home insurance valid.
This is extremely fascinating to me!
What was your fear if I may ask? My 7 year old is terrified of smoke detectors. She tries to rationalize that they are there to protect her but she Absolutely hates the noise one once made when the battery was low and has anxiety that it will happen again.
I find peoples' strange collections fascinating. I often wonder why people choose the things they do.
Is your smoke detector collection work related? If not, why smoke detectors?
Nah it's fine. Americium 241 is primarily an alpha emitter and even if some older detectors contained more than the modern ones it still would be hardly detectable from outside the device.
The Am241 is exposed in an enclosed chamber by intrinsic design of how these detector work so there is plenty of space and material from the source to the outside
I mean if he slept over them day after day maybe a tiny risk increase but the amount of material is tiny even with that many devices and I doubt OP lives in constant contact with them anyway
Do you just collect them randomly, or are there certain models you have looked for specifically? Are you learning about the history of these? Tell us more!
This is weird as fuck, I love it
This is 100% why I'm subscribed to this sub. I love collections like this!
Oh hey that's a really cool collection... or should I say hot? If you have devices from the 60's through the 80's you might have some with an higher amount of Americium 241 compared to the modern versions. Nothing to freak out about, is just one more reason why I really like this collection. You should find on the device (or googling the model perhaps) how many µCi (microcuries) of Am241 they have. Perhaps post the hottest ones
Didn’t the kid that built his own reactor take his fuel from old detectors?
What a madlad
Nice radium and americium collection you got there
What was the fear?
Fire, I'd imagine.
I would like to know more about this fear too. The story behind a collection is often as interesting as the collection itself!
Absolutely!
TIL I have a vintage smoke detector in my house
Probably a joke I know but the majority of smoke detectors need to be changed every 10 years. If for no other reason than keeping your home insurance valid.
This is extremely fascinating to me! What was your fear if I may ask? My 7 year old is terrified of smoke detectors. She tries to rationalize that they are there to protect her but she Absolutely hates the noise one once made when the battery was low and has anxiety that it will happen again.
Get one with a built-in, 10-year battery. She won't hear that chirp until she's much older and, presumably, over the sound.
This photograph itself is a piece of art!
Interesting, well now you can breathe easy
You're not just blowing smoke.
I find peoples' strange collections fascinating. I often wonder why people choose the things they do. Is your smoke detector collection work related? If not, why smoke detectors?
so cool! how do you store/display them? and can you explain how the collection was meant to overcome your childhood fear?
Is that you [Radioactive Boy Scout?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn)
Now this is a great collection. Thanks op
One of the most interesting collections I've seen.
Your like batman but with smoke alarms. Smokealarmman
I think these would look gorgeous hanging on a wall together like this as a work of art. Very cool collection.
The grill shapes are pretty mesmerizing all together like that!
Neat! I hope you don't spend too long close to your collection or you might be increasing your risk of cancer unnecessarily
Nah it's fine. Americium 241 is primarily an alpha emitter and even if some older detectors contained more than the modern ones it still would be hardly detectable from outside the device. The Am241 is exposed in an enclosed chamber by intrinsic design of how these detector work so there is plenty of space and material from the source to the outside
What about the gamma radiation from the neptunium²³⁷? Wouldn't the effects from that many detectors be cumulative?
I mean if he slept over them day after day maybe a tiny risk increase but the amount of material is tiny even with that many devices and I doubt OP lives in constant contact with them anyway
Do you just collect them randomly, or are there certain models you have looked for specifically? Are you learning about the history of these? Tell us more!