View Full Version : CFL Bulb Catches Fire!
montanadave
11-13-11, 09:10
I had a spooky moment yesterday when the bulb in my nightstand began to flicker and then produced an acrid smoke as the base of the unit began to char and burn. Not good and I'm damn glad I was at home and in the room when it happened.
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/7687/img2157d.jpg
The bulb was manufactured by Commercial Electric (SKU # 353-816) and is Model EDXO-23. It is a 23W 120V 60Hz bulb and also bears the marking V # 42836 under the specifications listed above. I can't recall for certain but I think I bought the bulbs at either Home Depot or Lowes.
I've been less than impressed with CFL bulbs as the light sucks and, in my experience, they do not last anywhere near as long as advertised. I don't care for them and, after purchasing some to try out, have gone back to using incandescent bulbs.
But when the little ****ers start to burst into flames and threaten to burn my house to the ground, I'm pretty pissed.
Anybody else have similar experiences with these CFL bulbs? And who do you report this kind of incident to?
Belmont31R
11-13-11, 09:19
You better be stocking up on incandecent because they are going to be illegal here in a couple months. We have boxes of the GE Reveal 60's all over the house...:rolleyes:
Never had a CFL catch fire but we have tried them. The larger watt ones take forever to heat up and I don't like the light any of them give off.
ForTehNguyen
11-13-11, 11:05
100W will be illegal at the end of the year, then come 2013 and 2014 60W will become under attack
montanadave
11-13-11, 11:16
If I understand correctly, there are high-efficiency halogen bulbs that meet the mandated energy efficiency standards. I'll keep using incandescents and halogens as long as I can because it'll be a cold day in hell before I put another one of these Chicom mercury-filled exploding mother****ers in my house!
I am wondering why LED tech bulbs haven't caught on in the mass production market for constant lighting. They are cheap, last forever, and it seems that if you stick a bunch of them in a round glass bulb, it would be well worth the 5 dollars per bulb that you might need to pay if a company like GE produced them by the millions.
Belmont31R
11-13-11, 11:34
I am wondering why LED tech bulbs haven't caught on in the mass production market for constant lighting. They are cheap, last forever, and it seems that if you stick a bunch of them in a round glass bulb, it would be well worth the 5 dollars per bulb that you might need to pay if a company like GE produced them by the millions.
LED's would be nice but I haven't seen any that want me make to put out the initial expense. The ones I saw last were pretty expensive, and I can buy 10 years worth of decent 60W's for what it would take to make the switch.
Im sure prices will and already are coming down but until then....those GE reveal's put off good light and are cheap.
My whole house is filled with CFL. But the 60w equivalent (13-14w). Never had one burn. I have ones that give off a nice color light -- very similar to incandescent bulb in light color. As well as some whiter "sunlight" like bulbs.
Most of mine are still going years after I got them. The ones on the front porch finally started to go 4 years after I got them (they are ones in a glass bulb that look more like standard bulbs). They go on every night and off every morning, rain or shine, -20 deg or 99 deg outside. (The average lifetimes stated when you read about them are for 4hr a day so these ones are on 7-12 hours a day depending on time of year)
The ones in the bathrooms have not faired as well, probably due to the very high humidity when the wife showers and the room fills with water vapor. (I leave the bathroom door open some to let it escape -- she keeps it closed). They lasted about 3 years each.
The ones around the house in the normal ceiling fixtures and in the normal lamps are all going strong, most after 5 years of use without one going out.
Some of mine are basically "instant on" and are almost full brightness when you turn them on. Others take about 60 seconds to get full brightness.
I bought most of mine a while ago and they seem to be pretty good quality. Most are N:Vision from Home Depot. Unfortunately made in China but a decent bulb in my experience. If I can find CFL not made in China I would buy them.
I know some of the brands are really not reliable (in talking with my family members who have tried other sorts).
I have only a few incandescents left in the house. In my office (because it was a storage space when I first installed the bulbs and I couldn't get to the fixture due to the boxes and since we cleaned it out I have not gotten the ladder out -- it is on my list todo) and in the garage because it was filled with boxes until recently and the fixtures are like 15 feet or higher up.
Using about 25% of the electricity of an incandescent, and less heat output (though they do output heat) makes them a winner in my book, and you should not be paying more than a buck or two for a CFL. Once the LED lights get down to under $5 or so I may get some. Unfortunately, they use almost as much electricity as a CFL for the same nominal output. The cheapest I have seen for LED were 40w equivalents at Costco for $10 a piece.
My sister bought some ceiling floods/spots (whatever -- in flush ceiling fixtures in her kitchen) that were LED and are really nice. Bright, good light coverage, etc. But they were like $40 or $50 each IIRC.
Moose-Knuckle
11-13-11, 17:41
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=89091
In the above thread I linked a site about the hazards of CFL bulbs. The .gov is selling the American people on how great these bulbs are and they are going to save us so much money and the planet all at the same time.
When in reality they are toxic, hazardous, and under law we HAVE to buy them and the only people making them is our enemy. :suicide2:
How much is it going to cost you when the Haz Mat team gets there to clean up the "contamination site"?
My whole house is filled with CFL. But the 60w equivalent (13-14w). Never had one burn. I have ones that give off a nice color light -- very similar to incandescent bulb in light color. As well as some whiter "sunlight" like bulbs.
Most of mine are still going years after I got them. The ones on the front porch finally started to go 4 years after I got them (they are ones in a glass bulb that look more like standard bulbs). They go on every night and off every morning, rain or shine, -20 deg or 99 deg outside. (The average lifetimes stated when you read about them are for 4hr a day so these ones are on 7-12 hours a day depending on time of year)
The ones in the bathrooms have not faired as well, probably due to the very high humidity when the wife showers and the room fills with water vapor. (I leave the bathroom door open some to let it escape -- she keeps it closed). They lasted about 3 years each.
The ones around the house in the normal ceiling fixtures and in the normal lamps are all going strong, most after 5 years of use without one going out.
Some of mine are basically "instant on" and are almost full brightness when you turn them on. Others take about 60 seconds to get full brightness.
I bought most of mine a while ago and they seem to be pretty good quality. Most are N:Vision from Home Depot. Unfortunately made in China but a decent bulb in my experience. If I can find CFL not made in China I would buy them.
I know some of the brands are really not reliable (in talking with my family members who have tried other sorts).
I have only a few incandescents left in the house. In my office (because it was a storage space when I first installed the bulbs and I couldn't get to the fixture due to the boxes and since we cleaned it out I have not gotten the ladder out -- it is on my list todo) and in the garage because it was filled with boxes until recently and the fixtures are like 15 feet or higher up.
Using about 25% of the electricity of an incandescent, and less heat output (though they do output heat) makes them a winner in my book, and you should not be paying more than a buck or two for a CFL. Once the LED lights get down to under $5 or so I may get some. Unfortunately, they use almost as much electricity as a CFL for the same nominal output. The cheapest I have seen for LED were 40w equivalents at Costco for $10 a piece.
My sister bought some ceiling floods/spots (whatever -- in flush ceiling fixtures in her kitchen) that were LED and are really nice. Bright, good light coverage, etc. But they were like $40 or $50 each IIRC.
This has been my exact experience as well. I have lived in my house for almost 5 years. When I moved in I replaced all the incandescent bulbs with CFL. I had problems in one room where I used some bulbs that were taking forever to warm up. Replaced them with others and they all come on instantly now. Now counting that, I think I have replaced maybe 3 bulbs in the house.
Hell I leave my outside lights on nearly 24/7 and they have been there for about 4 years now.
How much is it going to cost you when the Haz Mat team gets there to clean up the "contamination site"?
The dangers of CFL bulbs is highly overstated. Unless you are rubbing your face in the remains of a broken bulb they are no more dangerous than any of the other hundreds of dangerous things in your house. Hell I would rather clean up a broken CFL than bleach or drain cleaner that spilled.
I won't buy another CFL bulb after every single one I've used dies after just a few months. I'm testing a couple LEDs now, but the expense and the long life is keeping me from replacing all of them at once. The couple that I have now are not quite as bright as the incadescent bulbs. I should have documented the type of LED bulb I bought, as I want to try something else next.
devildogljb
11-13-11, 20:31
You better be stocking up on incandecent because they are going to be illegal here in a couple months. We have boxes of the GE Reveal 60's all over the house...:rolleyes:
Never had a CFL catch fire but we have tried them. The larger watt ones take forever to heat up and I don't like the light any of them give off.
Illegal ? did i miss something i have them in my apartment when i moved in.
Moose-Knuckle
11-13-11, 20:51
Illegal ? did i miss something i have them in my apartment when i moved in.
HR 6 The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=IssueItems.Detail&IssueItem_ID=f10ca3dd-fabd-4900-aa9d-c19de47df2da&Month=12&Year=2007
Our benevolent .gov is saving us from energy vampires known as incandecent light bulbs and saving the planet from our use of them.
The efficiency standards will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014. Gradually all incandecent light bulbs will be phased out (i.e. BANNED).
montanadave
11-14-11, 11:16
I called the customer service number on the failed bulb, was provided an email address, and notified the company (now TCP, Inc.) of the problem. Here is the response I received this AM:
You have experienced a non-passive failure. 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 may fail 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 and have some melting. 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 or melting of the base of the bulb might be, these lamps are fireproof and are meant to fail safely at the end of their lives.
If you would like, we can send a replacement. Please advise the SKU or TCP number that is on the bulb.
TCP Customer Service
customerservice@tcpi.com
800-771-9335
So it's normal for these bulbs to "pop", smoke, emit noxious odors, char, and burn when they "near the end of their lives"? That's just great.
As for the replacement bulb, thanks but no thanks.
Belmont31R
11-14-11, 17:55
What the ****....its normal for them to melt and turn black?
BRB gotta go get a few more boxes of incandescents....:eek:
lethal dose
11-14-11, 18:59
That response is mierda de caballo. Blackening, smoking, stinking, and melting is typically not great when it comes to electronics.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=89091
In the above thread I linked a site about the hazards of CFL bulbs. The .gov is selling the American people on how great these bulbs are and they are going to save us so much money and the planet all at the same time.
When in reality they are toxic, hazardous, and under law we HAVE to buy them and the only people making them is our enemy. :suicide2:
i have a three way in my room and had to replace the CFL bulb a few weeks ago. i think i spent 20 min trying to find a bulb that was at least made by the good koreans.....and to no avail! it looks like chairman mao's QC standards are slippin....
Belmont31R
11-14-11, 21:14
i have a three way in my room and had to replace the CFL bulb a few weeks ago. i think i spent 20 min trying to find a bulb that was at least made by the good koreans.....and to no avail! it looks like chairman mao's QC standards are slippin....
Careful with those sex swings....:eek::D
Careful with those sex swings....:eek::D
im gonna have to bust out the tapcons next time!
Were there flames? If not, it did not catch fire.
It appears that the lady was correct. Here is the wikipedia article on fluorescent lamps and it states a failure mode is to have a piece burn out when the lamp degrades past a certain point. Though it appears you may also have had a low end one with cheap ballast resisters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp
Ballast electronics
This may occur in compact fluorescent lamps with integral electrical ballasts or in linear lamps. Ballast electronics failure is a somewhat random process that follows the standard failure profile for any electronic device. There is an initial small peak of early failures, followed by a drop and steady increase over lamp life. Life of electronics is heavily dependent on operating temperature—it typically halves for each 10 °C temperature rise. The quoted average life of a lamp is usually at 25 °C ambient (this may vary by country). The average life of the electronics at this temperature is normally greater than this, so at this temperature, not many lamps will fail due to failure of the electronics. In some fittings, the ambient temperature could be well above this, in which case failure of the electronics may become the predominant failure mechanism. Similarly, running a compact fluorescent lamp base-up will result in hotter electronics, which can cause shorter average life (particularly with higher power rated ones). Electronic ballasts should be designed to shut down the tube when the emission mix runs out as described above. In the case of integral electronic ballasts, since they never have to work again, this is sometimes done by having them deliberately burn out some component to permanently cease operation.
In most CFLs the filaments are connected in series, with a small capacitor between them. The discharge, once lit, is in parallel to the capacitor and presents a lower-resistance path, effectively shorting the capacitor out. One of the most common failure modes of cheap lamps is caused by underrating this capacitor (using lower-voltage, lower-cost part), which is very stressed during operation, leading to its premature failure.[21]
montanadave
11-15-11, 08:06
I have filed a report with the Consumer Products Safety Commission detailing the incident with the same photograph posted in this thread and included the company's email response.
That's about all I can do although I may also forward the report filed with the CPSC to my congressmen.
My bulb that failed may well have been a "low-end" bulb purchased at a big box home improvement store but, realistically, as incandescent bulbs are phased out, how many folks are going to look for the cheapest prices on replacement bulbs? As the demand surges, doesn't it stand to reason that manufacturers of low-cost, low-quality merchandise are going to flood the market to meet that demand?
I know regulatory agencies are universally reviled in this neck of the cyper-woods, but someone needs to tighten up the standards and QC on these products or there are going to be some unfortunate and totally preventable consequences.
A report over what? Despite what you seem to have convinced yourself of, there was no danger.
I have filed a report with the Consumer Products Safety Commission detailing the incident with the same photograph posted in this thread and included the company's email response.
That's about all I can do although I may also forward the report filed with the CPSC to my congressmen.
My bulb that failed may well have been a "low-end" bulb purchased at a big box home improvement store but, realistically, as incandescent bulbs are phased out, how many folks are going to look for the cheapest prices on replacement bulbs? As the demand surges, doesn't it stand to reason that manufacturers of low-cost, low-quality merchandise are going to flood the market to meet that demand?
I know regulatory agencies are universally reviled in this neck of the cyper-woods, but someone needs to tighten up the standards and QC on these products or there are going to be some unfortunate and totally preventable consequences.
montanadave
11-15-11, 08:58
A report over what? Despite what you seem to have convinced yourself of, there was no danger.
No danger? The bulb base melted and charred black in the 15-20 seconds it took me to unplug the lamp. And it filled the bedroom with an acrid smoke and noxious fumes that required me to open the windows, turn on an exhaust fan, and exit the room.
If you're comfortable having electrical appliances in your home that do that kind of shit, I suggest you check the batteries in your smoke detectors and pick up some extra fire insurance.
Moose-Knuckle
11-15-11, 16:35
"They" told us lead in the paint was okay and then artificial sweeteners were safe. :rolleyes:
Now "they" want us to believe that these made in China laced with mercury CFL bulbs are not only okay but "they" are requiring all of us to use them under law.
:jester:
CFLs are not "laced" with mercury. They have very small amounts of mercury in them. Mercury that is not released in an intact bulb.
And the reduced electricity usage means less mercury going into the environment since less mercury is released through the energy making process for the amount used compared to a standard bulb.
http://www.environmentcolorado.org/eehq/cfl/mercury
A CFL has about 4-5mg of mercury. Even if you were to somehow magically ingest this full amount it would hardly be cause for you to doublecheck your will and get your affairs in order.
People really need to get their facts strait.
A: The Government HAS NOT banned Incandescent light bulbs. They have set rules on how efficient lights need to be. Old style incandescent do not meet these guidelines. Some types of incandescent do. As do CFLs and LEDs.
B: The amount of mercury in a CFL is miniscule and even if the bulb burst it will not all be released. A small amount will vaporize and that small amount even if you were exposed directly to the full amount would be less than a can of tuna.
C: The overall mercury used in a CFL and then again to power said CFL for 5 years is less than would be released to power a traditional incandescent bulb for those same 5 years. (On the order of half in a worst case scenario)
D: The smell and discoloration from a failed CFL is not dangerous. Annoying? Sure. But in no way dangerous. Ever had a traditional bulb pop and then have to clean it up? I sure have and I would rather have a smell in my house for 30 minutes than be cleaning up glass.
Frankly I find all of this as ridiculous as the Anti Vaccination loons. It is yet another issue that has become political for no reason whatsoever and since it has become political, otherwise intelligent and normal people are acting irrational about it.
Moose-Knuckle
11-15-11, 19:08
Frankly I find all the .gov, going green, farts kill the ozone layer kool-aid drinkers ridiculous.
Your being lied to and manipulated.
I do not agree with big government regulating everything from the parts my Kalashnikov varients have in them to the wattage and light bulb type I choose to illuminate my home with. . .
"Control is always automatic."
Frankly I find all the .gov, going green, farts kill the ozone layer kool-aid drinkers ridiculous.
sure
Your being lied to and manipulated.
in what regard? The facts about mercury and CFL are scientific facts.
I do not agree with big government regulating everything from the parts my Kalashnikov varients have in them to the wattage and light bulb type I choose to illuminate my home with. . .
I agree with you. The anti-gov control message is different than the scientific facts around CFL. I chose long ago to use CFL instead of incandescent lights because it saves me money on my electric bill. Not because of any green concerns or government regulations or anything. I had CFL 10 years ago when they were not so "C" (compact)
A CFL has about 4-5mg of mercury.
and there are some newer ones that have that down by 1/2 or more even. 4mg is now the average (previously was higher)
and there are some newer ones that have that down by 1/2 or more even. 4mg is now the average (previously was higher)
True. But if I gave the stats on the newer one someone would ten claim that I was lying because most of the bulbs on the market are older and have more. So I error on that side. And even going worst case scenario CFLs are still fine. So the newer ones are even less of a "problem"
True. But if I gave the stats on the newer one someone would ten claim that I was lying because most of the bulbs on the market are older and have more. So I error on that side. And even going worst case scenario CFLs are still fine. So the newer ones are even less of a "problem"
Yeah, sorry. I was not trying to correct you, but to provide additional info!
Your number is right on the mark for the average according to what I was able to find out.
When these LED based lights get below $10 for a 60w equivalent, I will have to try them
http://www.gizmag.com/worlds-first-100-watt-equivalent-led-replacement-bulb/18659/
for now, CFL for me
Moose-Knuckle
11-16-11, 03:36
"On Jan. 1, 2012, key provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007-a sweeping, 300-plus-page energy bill passed by the 110th Congress-will effectively ban the 100- watt incandescent bulb."
- Popular Mechanics, The Light Bulb Wars, by John Herrman September 2011
Even members of the Senate question the loonacy of the EISA.
"Why should a select few legislators in 2007 be able to tell hundreds of millions of Americans what light bulbs are best for them?"
- Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.
Senator Enzi introduced the Better use of Light Bulbs Act (BULB) in late 2010, had the bill passed it would have repealed the EISA.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.2417:
How CFLs work:
A CFL is illuminated when an electric current is driven through a tube filled with argon and mercury vapor. This creates invisible UV light, which excites a phosphor coating that reacts by emiting visible light.
When dispossing of CFL bulbs there is a new set of guide lines for this. If one so chooses not to follow said guide lines their is penalty of a fine. So instead of just tossing that bulb into the garbage bin like you have done a hundred times with incandescent bulbs you must take your CFL bulbs to a recycling center that specializes in that particular product. Home Depot (and I'm sure more will follow suit) have collections places in their stores for customers.
As incandescent bulbs go the way of surplus AP ammo I will look towards LED alternatives. Currently they are much more expensive compared to CFLs butttttt. . .are at least as efficient as CFLs, are mercury free, have no warmup delay, are easier to tune for color, and they can function with existing dimmers. CFLs require specific bulbs and entirely new lighting fixtures for dimming functionality. Also LED bulb life spans are measured in decades.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.