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Dr. Dark Current

Thu Aug 05 2010, 10:22AM

Registered Member #152 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384

At least over here it seems that the usual failure mode of CFLs is filament breakage, which prevents the self-oscillating inverter from starting up and frying itself. The second most common seems to be the electrolytic filter cap drying out, mainly if the lamps are burned base up and the cap gets hot.

We also use CFLs in our house and never had any pop or explode, maybe its just luck

I don't like incandescents much because the light is too warm for me, I prefer the 6500k "daylight" color temp. And of course they eat too much electricity, but it should be everyone's choice to buy what they want, all those bulb bans are just stupid.

Hon1nbo

Thu Aug 05 2010, 01:37PM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: North Texas
Posts: 1040

Klugesmith wrote ...

Just wait for C***ese factory production and Wal-Mart to finish taking over the LED illumination market.

How many LED traffic signal lights do you see with chunks unlit?

I honestly don't see that many at all, but also realize the abuse those systems go through with lots of both electrical (lightning, power surges, constant switching, etc)) and physical (truck with an oversize load, storms, vandals, even my car antenna has hit a few!) stress. Also those bulbs are designed to use a wide array of LEDs, modern house LED bulbs are designed to use just a few High Power LEDs

-Jimmy

Renesis

Thu Aug 05 2010, 03:17PM

Registered Member #2028 Joined: Mon Mar 16 2009, 08:13PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 319

Klugesmith wrote ...

How many LED traffic signal lights do you see with chunks unlit?

Anyone else think those are WAAY too bright?

Killa-X

Thu Aug 05 2010, 04:28PM

Registered Member #1643 Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039

Dr. Kilovolt wrote ...
I don't like incandescents much because the light is too warm for me, I prefer the 6500k "daylight" color temp. And of course they eat too much electricity, but it should be everyone's choice to buy what they want, all those bulb bans are just stupid.

I feel the same way, kinda. I use to have the normal color lighting, what one may call yellow'ish. But I like school lighting, where everything is brightly lit, so I went with the Day-Light CFLs. This way everything is nice and bright, They bring out their colors instead of mixing with that yellow'ish glow. I do a lot of work in my room obviously, so it helps a LOT to have the day-light CFLs.

Online is the only place I ever heard of a CFL exploding. Here, Almost all restaurants have them, and I've never heard any of the restaurants complain of one exploding.
As long as it's self contained, i hope. If the bulb it self actually 'explodes' especially at a restaurant, not a good site to see. Rather be scared to death from a bang than have a bulb 2ft from me blast shards of glass into me.

Conundrum

Thu Aug 05 2010, 06:31PM

Registered Member #96 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4061

hm..
I've just recently replaced all my bulbs with CFLs, this would really ruin my entire day...
only time i have ever had an exploding bulb was an old style incandescent, turned it on and the bulb exited from the housing with extreme prejudice, landing in the shade.
Looks like somehow it became twisted in the housing and the wires got too close. KA-BOOM!

Still, exploding capacitors are not funny, sounds like someone skimped on the ratings or even used counterfeit noname relabelled (probably rated at 250V not 400) junk instead of the "official" expensive ones.

radiotech

Thu Aug 05 2010, 07:14PM

Registered Member #2463 Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546

First thing: look for the UL or whatever your country requires on a bulb assembly (self ballasted ) to sell it legally.

They really dont care if it emits smoke and odor, What they test for and certify, is it does not drip flaming liquid of shoot sparks of molten metal that could land on something setting it alight.

The electrical safety divisions are aware of these incidents and are watching the reports that do filter in.

However, a good youtube entry mentioning loudly the bulb name
and store name, if done well, will shake the tree.

Our inspectors have told us that they get complaints about damage caused by these lamps; mostly because people love to put then in fixtures and in places (outdoors) warned about on the lamp.

CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. NOT FOR USE WHERE EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER.

Lighting fixtures and portable lamps have the type and wattage of bulb marked on them . A25 is not a ccfl.

Killa-X

Thu Aug 05 2010, 09:20PM

Registered Member #1643 Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039

Are the self ballasted ones suppose to then protect against catastrophic failure? Or are there reports of these exploding too?

Ink is fading :D
There's print all around them stating phone numbers, power, and so forth. They say GE on them.
Funny, Only had them for 2 years and the one post of the lamp has a tiny black mark, and the whole 'top' of the shell is turning a yellow creamy white.

Adam Munich

Thu Aug 05 2010, 11:03PM

Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242

Only time I've had a lightbulb explode is when I spat on a lamp...

Killa-X

Fri Aug 06 2010, 01:32AM

Registered Member #1643 Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/money/consumer/dont_waste_your_money/cfl-light-bulb-risks

Comparing to this news site, The chances of a CFL exploding is very rare, and the usual cause of it is because the bulb has been miss handled, such as being dropped on the floor during shipping to the store.

Otherwise, most things are caught by the fuse, and they do say not to use it in places like bathrooms, where you are going to be turning it on/off many times a day.

Other wise, chances are pretty rare, and that's probably why I never heard of this until now, and almost every place I go to has them :)

Nik

Fri Aug 06 2010, 03:29AM

Registered Member #53 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:31AM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 638

I have had about a dozen CLF lights burn out on me and none of them were in a nice "just went out" way. Several got so hot that the white plastic turned brown/yellow, 2 of them blew holes through the side of the plastic housing and the rest had loud noises and sparks.

But they are so good for the environment.

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