[93] Ionizing Smoke Detector Teardown

Inside a First Alert ionizing smoke detector.

[@ross9580]

Is the Americium a solid or an encapsulated powder? Any risk of a powerful compressed airblast accidentally dispersing it?

[@squirtlesquirtle94]

Was the Americium 241 button soldered onto the metal base? Or just held in place by contact? Thanks for the video!

[@fuhwurd]

The AM-241 is held into place, you just have to pull the tabs below it and it will easily come out

[@Cargamr356]

Do you mind taking apart the BRK 4120b With the LEDs

[@ThomasKYT]

ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?!?!?!?! WTF ARE YOU DOING TAKING OFF THE PROTECTIVE METAL PANEL AND *REMOVING* THE SENSOR!?!?!?!??! Americium 241 is radiation(wich I'm assuming you already knew but did this for science.

[@rufusjordan7733]

He will be fine, Americium 241 is an alpha emitter so it cannot cause much harm unless he eats it. It is blocked by paper so cannot fully penetrate the skin.

[@modbust]

@@rufusjordan7733 It is also only about 10-20 times background radiation. Completely safe to handle unless you eat it.

[@BecauseImHeartless]

As long as he washes his hands and does not consume the particles he will be fine

[@modbust]

@@BecauseImHeartless The button is covered in a layer of gold which stops any particulates(of americium 241) from entering the air. Completely safe to handle as long as you don’t sleep next to it.

[@jzzz-qd1nj]

put some gloves on, if it gets inside your body it aint getting out for some time

[@modbust]

It has a thin film of gold on top of it which makes it really hard to release dust. Also the actual americium is mixed with gold.

[@jzzz-qd1nj]

@@modbust sure, but speaking from personal expeirence of handling radioactive materials (much more dangerous than a smoke detector) the film could get damaged easily and the dust will be everywhere.

[@modbust]

@@jzzz-qd1nj the dust is in an alloy with the gold and it is pretty hard to hurt the film unless you intentionally do it. Putting your finger on it or it rubbing against other metal won’t do it.

[@yaboiscott6103]

When are you gonna do the video to show how much radiation it gives off