Any fire hazard from compact fluorescent bulbs?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Any fire hazard from compact fluorescent bulbs?

Posted: 1/8/2006 3:23:20 PM EDT

Reason I ask is tonight sitting in my basement at my computer (ala Dale Gribble) I heard what sounded like electrical arching near the washing machine. I look over to see the fluorescent bulb is out, and the base is glowing/flickering red hot! In just seconds smoke was pouring out of it and the base of bulb continued to flicker as though it were burning internally.

I quickly unscrewed the thing from the socket and warned the wife that the smoke alarm was about to go off. I am almost certain it would have been a fire if I had been upstairs or in the garage.

Anyone else heard of any problems with these kinds of bulbs? This bulb was just on a regular circuit with no dimmer or anything.

GE model HELICAL 27W FLE27HLX/8/SW

Just one of my wife's attempts to save the planet.

Posted: 1/8/2006 3:27:47 PM EDT

[#1]

It was probably the ballast going Tango Uniform rather than the bulb.

Posted: 1/8/2006 3:28:00 PM EDT

[#2]

Interesting. I have been using a bunch of them for about 9 months. I like them alright. I use a pair of 23w (75w compairable) for my bedroom. The only complaint is that they take a minute to reach full light output but they don't flicker. Just turn right on. I use them elsewhere also. I'd like to see what others think.

-Foxxz

Posted: 1/8/2006 3:42:15 PM EDT

[#3]

Not long ago there was a safety warning put out about those things catching on fire. It got me wondering, so I checked one I hade that had went out. MELTED CHARRED BASE! I didn't know how I had missed it! Not long after, another one (different brand too)was getting wierd on me so I checked it and it was the same.

I replaces ALL of mine with the regular Ozone-killas. Forget the planet!

Tex78

Posted: 1/8/2006 5:19:56 PM EDT

[#4]

We just installed over 400 of 'em in inmate cells where I hang out during the day. If there's a way to f*#k 'em up ... they'll find it. I'll let you know. We've used hundreds in the past, though, and have had no problems. Stay safe

Posted: 1/8/2006 5:25:41 PM EDT

[#5]

Have many thousand bulb/hours of use and have not had any problems.

However, low line voltage or use on a dimmer circuit can cause overheat and fire conditions.

Posted: 1/8/2006 6:27:57 PM EDT

[#6]

"Safe" is a relative term.

Some building codes won't allow you to use incandescent fixtures in the closets any more - People tend to accidentally leave them on, and there's a significant chance they could come in contact with clothing, cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, etc. The assumption is that fluorescents are safer.

Posted: 1/8/2006 6:33:01 PM EDT

[#7]

iirc some have been recalled for being fire hazards.

Posted: 1/8/2006 6:35:56 PM EDT

[#8]

I've had one go up.

Posted: 1/8/2006 6:37:36 PM EDT

[#9]

I read that if you put a compact fluorescent bulb in kitty litter it will burn.

Posted: 1/9/2006 7:28:24 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I read that if you put a compact fluorescent bulb in kitty litter it will burn.

I tried it but it took lighter fluid and 87 compact fluorescent bulbs to ignite.

-Foxxz

Posted: 1/9/2006 7:33:12 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
"Safe" is a relative term.

Some building codes won't allow you to use incandescent fixtures in the closets any more - People tend to accidentally leave them on, and there's a significant chance they could come in contact with clothing, cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, etc. The assumption is that fluorescents are safer.

I think you've got it wrong, it was those high temp quartz-halogen lamps, I had one of those fixtures in my house but I had to chage it out becuase the lamps don't last very long because of too many on/off cycles, the lamps were expensive to replace. They generate lots of heat. The compact flouscent lamps today are cool to the touch even after house of being on.

Posted: 1/9/2006 9:37:41 AM EDT

[#12]

I've been running them for 5 years, never had a problem. I prefer the ones sold at Home Depot for indoor use, they don't have that painful white fluorescent look that the ones sold at Lowes (GE ?) do.
I've left them on for weeks straight, if out of town, w/o problems.

I also have some GE/Lowes ones out side that are equal to a 150w blub. They are the pure white and are bright as fuck. No problems with them either.

Posted: 1/9/2006 9:46:17 AM EDT

[#13]

They are used all over Korea...more common than incandescent lamps...

Posted: 1/9/2006 10:03:15 AM EDT

[#14]

My niece had this problem too, they caught it at the smoking
stage also. I have a few in my house but I'm starting to rethink
these.

Trying a picture:

tinypic.com/k01yl2.jpg

<img src="http://tinypic.com/k01yl2.jpg" alt="Image hosting by TinyPic">

Posted: 1/9/2006 2:19:40 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
bright as fuck.

Exactly....how bright is that anyway?

Posted: 1/9/2006 2:24:19 PM EDT

[#16]

I started using them (not sure about the model) They do get pretty hot. I started useing them b/c I got tired of replacing the normal ones every week. And in my worklights because every time you bump a regular one they blow out.

Posted: 1/9/2006 2:24:54 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Quoted:
bright as fuck.

Exactly....how bright is that anyway?

Pretty F'n Bright

Posted: 1/13/2006 4:10:57 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
My niece had this problem too, they caught it at the smoking
stage also. I have a few in my house but I'm starting to rethink
these.

Trying a picture:

tinypic.com/k01yl2.jpg

<img src="http://tinypic.com/k01yl2.jpg" alt="Image hosting by TinyPic">

That looks REAL familiar!

No more 4me till they get this shtuff worked out.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Any fire hazard from compact fluorescent bulbs?

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