| Author |
Is this really normal?
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| I have replaced all the bulbs in my basement with Sylvania CF spirals. I
was down there tonight when one suddenly dimmed. Then it flickered a little
at the base and suddenly it is smoking. I quickly took it out. It is
melted thru where the spiral meets the plastic. A quick search of sylvanias
site found nothing. A quick google found a site explaining how this is
normal as the bulbs burn out. It said it is not dangerous. Of course
anytime I see something hot enough to smoke in my house and melt plastic, I
get nervous. Is this really OK and safe.
Thanks
Barry
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| Damon Hill 2006-11-30, 8:25 pm |
| "Barry" <barryminusspam@velocity.net> wrote in
news:l-CdncdxQrNx9PLYnZ2dnUVZ_uqdnZ2d@adelphia.com:
> I have replaced all the bulbs in my basement with Sylvania
> CF spirals. I was down there tonight when one suddenly
> dimmed. Then it flickered a little at the base and
> suddenly it is smoking. I quickly took it out. It is
> melted thru where the spiral meets the plastic. A quick
> search of sylvanias site found nothing. A quick google
> found a site explaining how this is normal as the bulbs
> burn out. It said it is not dangerous. Of course anytime
> I see something hot enough to smoke in my house and melt
> plastic, I get nervous. Is this really OK and safe.
I've never seen a CF fail on its own like that. The glass
spiral may be cracked or broken, or the little inverter power
supply in the base may have failed.
Do you have the URL for the site claiming this is "normal"?
--Damon
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| I looked it up again
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...us&ct=clnk&cd=1
Thanks
Barry
"Damon Hill" <damon16ONE@comcast.not> wrote in message
news:Xns988BA4F3776E1damonhalcyoncom@216.196.97.136...
> "Barry" <barryminusspam@velocity.net> wrote in
> news:l-CdncdxQrNx9PLYnZ2dnUVZ_uqdnZ2d@adelphia.com:
>
>
> I've never seen a CF fail on its own like that. The glass
> spiral may be cracked or broken, or the little inverter power
> supply in the base may have failed.
>
> Do you have the URL for the site claiming this is "normal"?
>
> --Damon
>
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| Damon Hill 2006-11-30, 8:25 pm |
| "Barry" <barryminusspam@velocity.net> wrote in
news:Vs2dnRu3aIti6PLYnZ2dnUVZ_v2dnZ2d@adelphia.com:
> http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...greenguide.com/
> doc.mhtml%3Fi%3Dask%26s%3Dcfl+compact+flourescent+fire+hazard&hl=en&gl=
> us&ct=clnk&cd=1
Well, that's interesting. It roughly confirms my observation that
CF lamps don't last as long in an enclosed housing with little or
no ventilation--although I'm using several that way throughout my
house. I find them to be slightly more reliable than incandescents.
So far as I can tell, CF lamps aren't a fire hazard any more than
any other electrical appliance. The sole occasion I saw one in a
hazardous condition was the biggest CF I'd ever found, which my
cat knocked down and broke while it was on. The inverter did
generate a bit of smoke and noise, until I turned off the power.
So much for a $20 lamp...
--Damon
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| >I have replaced all the bulbs in my basement with Sylvania CF spirals. I
>was down there tonight when one suddenly dimmed. Then it flickered a
>little at the base and suddenly it is smoking. I quickly took it out. It
>is melted thru where the spiral meets the plastic. A quick search of
>sylvanias site found nothing. A quick google found a site explaining how
>this is normal as the bulbs burn out. It said it is not dangerous. Of
>course anytime I see something hot enough to smoke in my house and melt
>plastic, I get nervous. Is this really OK and safe.
No, it is not normal to melt the plastic. Definately overheating.
I had one fail that was in an enclosed globe - definately caused by trapped
heat, but it didn't melt or smoke.
Had two get broken - my fault, couldn't blame the cat!
Other than that, have had very good results with them.
CM
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"CM" <cm@cm.not.really> wrote in message
news:lDtdh.7246$tM1.6166@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>
> No, it is not normal to melt the plastic. Definately overheating.
>
> I had one fail that was in an enclosed globe - definately caused by
> trapped heat, but it didn't melt or smoke.
>
> Had two get broken - my fault, couldn't blame the cat!
>
> Other than that, have had very good results with them.
>
> CM
>
Thanks for the reply. This worries me. Mine was not enclosed, it was in
the simple open type basement fixture. I'm going to consider replacing them
all. Perhaps newer more recent ones won't have this problem. Mine do have
the UL mark on them however.
Thanks
Barry
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| homeboy465 2006-12-08, 5:25 pm |
|
"CM" <cm@cm.not.really> wrote in message
news:lDtdh.7246$tM1.6166@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>
> No, it is not normal to melt the plastic. Definately overheating.
>
> I had one fail that was in an enclosed globe - definately caused by
> trapped heat, but it didn't melt or smoke.
>
> Had two get broken - my fault, couldn't blame the cat!
>
> Other than that, have had very good results with them.
>
> CM
>
definatly not normal sounds like it couls be caused by a fault in the
manafurcaturing process. The flickering is normal but not tat amount of heat
reporting this to the comaply would be a good idea cause they like to keep
tabs so they can prevent it happening in future but it is likly to be
somethig that happens in about 1 in 10000 cases or something.
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| Harbin Osteen 2006-12-10, 3:25 am |
| You might send the bulb to the manufacture for analysis, and I would
not be surprised if they sent you some replacement bulbs for your effort.
--
SeeYaa Harbin Osteen KG6URO
When American Citizens with dual citizenship pledges allegiance
to the flag, to which flag do they pledge allegiance too?
-
"homeboy465" <homeboy465@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:hPkeh.50073$Pk.22327@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "CM" <cm@cm.not.really> wrote in message news:lDtdh.7246$tM1.6166@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> definatly not normal sounds like it couls be caused by a fault in the manafurcaturing process. The flickering is normal but not
> tat amount of heat reporting this to the comaply would be a good idea cause they like to keep tabs so they can prevent it
> happening in future but it is likly to be somethig that happens in about 1 in 10000 cases or something.
>
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| >>>I have replaced all the bulbs in my basement with Sylvania CF spirals.
>
> Thanks for the reply. This worries me. Mine was not enclosed, it was in
> the simple open type basement fixture. I'm going to consider replacing
> them all. Perhaps newer more recent ones won't have this problem. Mine
> do have the UL mark on them however.
It may be a fluke, just one defective unit that shorted out or something,
maybe a bit of loose wire or solder. Good idea to keep flammables away from
any electronic devices that *might* fail that way!
CM
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| The headline reads is this really normal?
Yes for california. But than normal is relative and this is california
Rick
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