If you read about the new bulbs being a fire hazard and seen the picture of the one that burnt and thought it was untrue or just the cheap ones think again. I was sitting here last night and the lamp I use started flickering like a fluorescent bulb does sometimes and I didn't think anything about it at first but it was getting annoying. I started to get up to see if it had maybe worked loose for some reason and it started glowing kind of an orange red color and smoking at the base. The cord isn't easy to reach because it's behind the file cabinet which the lamp is hanging over and hubby, who came in to see what was happening, was afraid to turn it off or get near it because we thought it might explode from the way it looked. It was also beginning to smell rather bad, like burning plastic which didn't thrill us either. Anyway it finally just went out so we unplugged the lamp, it's a wall lamp, and he took the bulb out. It was scorched at the base where the glass goes into it and had a lump in the glass. I'm just glad we were home to get it out of there. The lamp is fine and we have a regular bulb in it now. We never did but now I know for sure we won't leave any of the lights with those bulbs in them on and leave home. For the record this wasn't one of the cheap bulbs they were talking about in the email I received about 6 months or so ago.
I never did like those light bulbs. . . A house that is empty a few doors down from me, and still has the electric hooked up, has those kind of bulbs in the outside lighting. . . Hope they don't set the joint on fire! :eek:
What's really the pitts is that the bulb wasn't that old. Where my mom lives they just went around and replaced everyone's light bulbs with those kind of bulbs and I know some of them leave lights on 24/7 in their apts. plus the lights in the halls and entry ways. I don't dare say anything to mom about it though 'cause she is a worrier anyway, but she doesn't leave lights on at night or when she's gone. I don't know if I should call the complex manager or not to let them know what happened and to stay on the alert.
Quote from: me on January 27, 2011, 07:36:14 PM
What's really the pitts is that the bulb wasn't that old. Where my mom lives they just went around and replaced everyone's light bulbs with those kind of bulbs and I know some of them leave lights on 24/7 in their apts. plus the lights in the halls and entry ways. I don't dare say anything to mom about it though 'cause she is a worrier anyway, but she doesn't leave lights on at night or when she's gone. I don't know if I should call the complex manager or not to let them know what happened and to stay on the alert.
I'd let them know just in case. . .
Quote from: Palehorse on January 27, 2011, 07:41:49 PM
I'd let them know just in case. . .
Ya, I think I might just give Marie a call tomorrow and let her know what happened. The reason the complex started furnishing the bulbs and changing them for people is because they didn't want the older people messing with them because of the breakage factor but they might have created a whole other problem.
Quote from: me on January 27, 2011, 09:21:13 PM
Ya, I think I might just give Marie a call tomorrow and let her know what happened. The reason the complex started furnishing the bulbs and changing them for people is because they didn't want the older people messing with them because of the breakage factor but they might have created a whole other problem.
I bet the energy savings was the real reason . . . :wink:
;D ;D
Quote from: Palehorse on January 27, 2011, 09:24:51 PM
I bet the energy savings was the real reason . . . :wink:
The tenants pay their own light bills. :smile:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cflbulb.asp (http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cflbulb.asp)
Quote from: Olias on January 28, 2011, 09:23:57 AM
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cflbulb.asp (http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cflbulb.asp)
Well duh! :biggrin: As many ballasts as I have been around when they burned out, one would think I'd have made the connection. . . :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Thank you Olias... :smile:
That's what was in the email I received and ignored. Like I said our bulb didn't look like the one in the pic but it did get hot enough to do this.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y286/deerladie/picsoflightbulb.jpg) If that's the way they burn out it isn't good. The bulb was only about 6 months old and there is nothing wrong with the lamp that might have caused it to do that.
It might help if you read the article instead of just looking at the picture ....
"CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) don't burn out the way incandescent light bulbs do. Instead, as they near the ends of their lives, they grow dimmer. While some CFL bulbs merely stop emitting light when they finally quit working, others kick the bucket with a dramatic "pop"! sound and then vent a distinct odor. A few even release a bit of smoke at their termination. Sometimes the bases of the bulbs turn black. This seemingly cataclysmic reaction has to do with the breakdown of the bulb's ballast, which is contained in the part of the bulb that is screwed into the socket. As the bulb ages and degrades, so does its ballast. Yet as scary as odors, smoke, and even blackening of the base of the bulb might be, these lamps are fireproof and are meant to fail safely at the end of their lives.
John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager at Underwriters Laboratories (UL), said about how CFLs expire: "People expect to see the bright flash and to hear the popping like a traditional incandescent bulb, but the burn out of a CFL is different. The light dims over time and might produce a more dramatic pop, emit a distinct odor, and maybe even release some smoke."
National Geographic's Green Guide says of CFLs: "Bulbs burn out when the ballast overheats and an electronic component, the Voltage Dependent Resistor (VDR), opens up like a fuse in your home's fuse box, shutting off the circuit and generating heat and possibly a small amount of smoke. This might sound dangerous, but the VDR is a cut-off switch that prevents any hazards. The melted plastic you're seeing where the glass coil connects to the ballast is simply a sign that the heat is escaping as intended in the design of the bulb."
That is a pic of the bulb that burned out on us and it was in a lamp. The amount of smoke was not small and it smelled really bad and burned our throats and noses. The bulb was only about 6 months old and there is nothing wrong with the lamp it was in. We have enclosed ceiling lights in a couple of our rooms and I am wondering what might have happened if the bulb had been in one of them and the heat couldn't have escaped. IMO these bulbs are not safe by any stretch of the imagination.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 12:50:35 PM
That is a pic of the bulb that burned out on us and it was in a lamp. The amount of smoke was not small and it smelled really bad and burned our throats and noses. The bulb was only about 6 months old and there is nothing wrong with the lamp it was in. We have enclosed ceiling lights in a couple of our rooms and I am wondering what might have happened if the bulb had been in one of them and the heat couldn't have escaped. IMO these bulbs are not safe by any stretch of the imagination.
They are if you take time to
READ the package.
CFLs ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR:
Closets
Electronic Timers or Photocells
Dimmers - unless designed for dimmers
Recessed or enclosed fixtures - unless designed for recessed or enclosed fixturesSub-Freezing temperatures - with demanding usage
Spot-light usage - for long distance or directed beams of light
Quote from: Olias on January 28, 2011, 01:12:49 PM
They are if you take time to READ the package.
CFLs ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR:
Closets
Electronic Timers or Photocells
Dimmers - unless designed for dimmers
Recessed or enclosed fixtures - unless designed for recessed or enclosed fixtures
Sub-Freezing temperatures - with demanding usage
Spot-light usage - for long distance or directed beams of light
This bulb was in a lamp with a lamp shade not an enclosed fixture.
No where on the
box does it mention recessed or enclosed fixtures.
And another thought on this is that if a person with
asthma were to be exposed to this it could be a very bad thing. I hope you witness the same thing and then you
will understand my concern about these bulbs.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 02:01:31 PM
This bulb was in a lamp with a lamp shade not an enclosed fixture.
You wrote ....
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 12:50:35 PM
We have enclosed ceiling lights in a couple of our rooms and I am wondering what might have happened if the bulb had been in one of them and the heat couldn't have escaped. IMO these bulbs are not safe by any stretch of the imagination.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 02:01:31 PM
No where on the
box does it mention recessed or enclosed fixtures.
Your ignorance is no excuse.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 02:01:31 PM
And another thought on this is that if a person with
asthma were to be exposed to this it could be a very bad thing.
Yeah, yeah ... and if a regular incandescent bulb exploded (it has happened to me) you could cut your feet to pieces going to the bathroom in the dark.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 02:01:31 PM
I hope you witness the same thing and then you
will understand my concern about these bulbs.
I understand that you probably shouldn't have access to sharp objects.
For somebody who claims to read, I'm surprised you haven't read about the proper use of light bulbs.
Like I said, I hope you experience what we did when using the light bulb in a proper manner, which we were, and then you will understand.
Ever been around a standard fluorescent fixture when it's ballast goes out or the bulbs burn out?
They stink to high heaven and I mean BAD! I've had them go out in facilities I worked in and some of them were so bad the fire department was called. But never was there ever a fire. Smoke and stink? Yep.
I had never thought about the fact those bulbs are fluorescent and requiring a ballast until Olias posted about it. Makes sense though once I realized it.
I might give tem a try myself, but for the stench they create when they go out. I don't want to go through that in my home! :eek:
Take a hard look at LED bulbs. You can get them at Home Depot now. They might seem expensive but consider that the life expectancy is 20 years under normal conditions and they use even less electricity then CFLs.
Quote from: Olias on January 28, 2011, 03:49:17 PM
Take a hard look at LED bulbs. You can get them at Home Depot now. They might seem expensive but consider that the life expectancy is 20 years under normal conditions and they use even less electricity then CFLs.
Now THAT sounds like a winner to me. I have been waiting for that! :yes: :yes: :yes:
Quote from: Palehorse on January 28, 2011, 03:23:17 PM
Ever been around a standard fluorescent fixture when it's ballast goes out or the bulbs burn out?
They stink to high heaven and I mean BAD! I've had them go out in facilities I worked in and some of them were so bad the fire department was called. But never was there ever a fire. Smoke and stink? Yep.
I had never thought about the fact those bulbs are fluorescent and requiring a ballast until Olias posted about it. Makes sense though once I realized it.
I might give tem a try myself, but for the stench they create when they go out. I don't want to go through that in my home! :eek:
This was not like a smell you get when a ballast goes out and I have smelled them too.
That is probably what it was but IMO these still aren't safe bulbs.
Might have to check out those LED bulbs and possibly invest in some for the most used
lights in the house anyway.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 04:20:59 PM
This was not like a smell you get when a ballast goes out and I have smelled them too.
That is probably what it was but IMO these still aren't safe bulbs.
Might have to check out those LED bulbs and possibly invest in some for the most used
lights in the house anyway.
I would set it back on the back burner and quit worrying about it. Anything made by man on a assembly line can possibly fail. With your case maybe 1 in a million. What I can't understand why you circuit breaker didn't shut off. If it's got a UL label on it I would trust it. I might not leave it on while I'm not in the house.
One other thing, I probably would take it back where I bought it and make a complaint and get them to make a complaint to the manufacturer. I would imagine the store and corporation would like to know about this danger.
Quote from: The Troll on January 28, 2011, 05:00:30 PM
I would set it back on the back burner and quit worrying about it. Anything made by man on a assembly line can possibly fail. With your case maybe 1 in a million. What I can't understand why you circuit breaker didn't shut off. If it's got a UL label on it I would trust it. I might not leave it on while I'm not in the house.
One other thing, I probably would take it back where I bought it and make a complaint and get them to make a complaint to the manufacturer. I would imagine the store and corporation would like to know about this danger.
It has a 5yr warranty on it but the sales receipt is long gone so there's no way to prove how old it is even though anyone with half a brain would know
it's less than 5yrs old but you know how those manufacturers are. It say's on the box to return it to them not the store where purchased so
the only thing a trip to the store would produce is wasted gas because it wouldn't change a thing
at the store.
Those LED bulbs sure seem attractive.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 05:23:58 PM
Those LED bulbs sure seem attractive.
But still it's your responsibility to buy the right bulb for the application.
Quote from: Olias on January 28, 2011, 05:33:43 PM
But still it's your responsibility to buy the right bulb for the application.
Well duh, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 05:23:58 PM
It has a 5yr warranty on it but the sales receipt is long gone so there's no way to prove how old it is even though anyone with half a brain would know
it's less than 5yrs old but you know how those manufacturers are. It say's on the box to return it to them not the store where purchased so
the only thing a trip to the store would produce is wasted gas because it wouldn't change a thing
at the store.
Those LED bulbs sure seem attractive.
Well, sent it back what you got to loose, except a little postage. I wouldn't bet on it, but sometimes good things happen when you do what they tell you to do. I know what you paid for it, I would send the damn thing back.
Quote from: The Troll on January 28, 2011, 07:04:36 PM
Well, sent it back what you got to loose, except a little postage. I wouldn't bet on it, but sometimes good things happen when you do what they tell you to do. I know what you paid for it, I would send the damn thing back.
You've got a good point Troll. I think I might try going to the site first and seeing if I can get an email addy and maybe email them a pic of the bulb and tell them what happened and see what happens first.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 07:09:23 PM
You've got a good point Troll. I think I might try going to the site first and seeing if I can get an email addy and maybe email them a pic of the bulb and tell them what happened and see what happens first.
Look on the base of the bulb. There should be a unique identifier number on it. They'll use it to track its date of manufacture and to whom it was probably sold in order to determine its age.
My guess is if you send it back and tell them what happened they'll probably send you a free one or a coupon for a free one. . .Maybe even more. . . :yes:
Quote from: Palehorse on January 28, 2011, 07:20:36 PM
Look on the base of the bulb. There should be a unique identifier number on it. They'll use it to track its date of manufacture and to whom it was probably sold in order to determine its age.
My guess is if you send it back and tell them what happened they'll probably send you a free one or a coupon for a free one. . .Maybe even more. . . :yes:
I'll take the pic so it can all be seen and attach as many as it takes. :smile:
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 06:59:20 PM
Well duh, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
I guess you ain't a rocket scientist then. You were the one who worried about putting CFLs in enclosed ceiling fixtures when they clearly warn you that you have to use special bulbs for that.
Quote from: Olias on January 29, 2011, 09:35:43 AM
I guess you ain't a rocket scientist then. You were the one who worried about putting CFLs in enclosed ceiling fixtures when they clearly warn you that you have to use special bulbs for that.
The ones I have
do not say anything about
not using them in enclosed ceiling fixtures. It only say's not to use them outside which I didn't. Pay attention dude.
The bulb was in a lamp.
Quote from: me on January 29, 2011, 10:12:53 AM
The ones I have do not say anything about not using them in enclosed ceiling fixtures. It only say's not to use them outside which I didn't. Pay attention dude. The bulb was in a lamp.
Your problem is that some of us do pay attention, but you can't seem to remember your last few posts.
Quote from: me on January 28, 2011, 12:50:35 PM
We have enclosed ceiling lights in a couple of our rooms and I am wondering what might have happened if the bulb had been in one of them and the heat couldn't have escaped.
I wonder what would happen if I put bottled water in the gas tank of my car. Hmmmm? It doesn't say anything on the bottle about not doing that. :rolleyes:
Quote from: Olias on January 29, 2011, 10:25:41 AM
Your problem is that some of us do pay attention, but you can't seem to remember your last few posts.
The box did not say anything about not putting them in enclosed fixtures!!!!!!!!! That was not one of the cautions or warnings!!!!!!!!!!! [/size]
:icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
The bottled water doesn't list any warnings either.
:icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
Quote from: Olias on January 30, 2011, 11:17:54 AM
:icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
The bottled water doesn't list any warnings either.
:icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
Tweek, tweek, TWEEK! :biggrin: :wink:
Quote from: Olias on January 30, 2011, 11:17:54 AM
:icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
The bottled water doesn't list any warnings either.
:icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
And so????? There were cautions on the box as to way's the bulbs shouldn't be used but recessed lighting wasn't one of them. :razz: