Now for me being a firefighter and not catching this sooner is pretty bad in itself.
I've been working on my '46 Chevy Panel now for quite awhile in my garage with no problems. Been doing engine work, body work and alot of priming and painting. Well the other day I had to put some air in one of my tires, so I fired up the compressor in the corner of the shop(7 hp 60 gal) and filled the tire no problem. When I was done I was walking toward the compressor to shut it off and it kicked on to refill th tank. To my shock, there was a very big, pretty blue arc when the motor kicked on. I shut it off and restarted it several times and it arced each time. Now how many times has that motor kicked on while I've been doing primer and paint work in the same room. With the shop full of vapors. To many times to count. Yea I should have looked closer at it to see if the motor was intrinsically safe when I bought it but I didn't even think about it.(intrinsically safe is electric equipment safe for use in explosive vapor areas)
The compressor is being moved to another storage building behind my garage on my next day off. Just have to run a little pipe and wire thats all.
Folks be safe.

David

Thats why they are always in a little shed against the wall out back. Don't feel bad, just lucky.
Dave

un less it is a explosion proof motor it will do it every time thats why the exhaust fan in a spray booth is explosion proof
it takes a high concentration of vapors to flash but its not that hard to blow your self up
just think what would happen if you had a gas line fail with the doors shut and the compressor kicked on

im glad your ok

do yourself another favor and build a complete cage with a roof around your compressor for security

sr66

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also very bad for the compressor. you figure if the compressors intake is sucking in all that paint overspray and sanding dust , it's gotta shorten the life of the compressor?