My CFL lightbulb grew dim and started to emit smoke

[JEDI]

But apparently it's not a fire hazard?
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cflbulb.asp

"..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."

The lightbulbs are fireproof and are meant to fail safely at the end of their lives.


jesus.. it was freaking scary as I walk downstairs and started to smell smoke.
then seeing my main lamp dim with smoke coming out of it.

I immediately unplugged the lamp.


out of the years of using CFLs and them burning out on me, this is the 1st that has ever died like this.

 

[mmntech]

You let out the magic smoke. That's why it won't work.

Good time as any to upgrade to LED bulbs.

 

[CZroe]

Enjoy the Mercury poisoning.

 

[OverVolt]

But apparently it's not a fire hazard?
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cflbulb.asp

"..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."

The lightbulbs are fireproof and are meant to fail safely at the end of their lives.


jesus.. it was freaking scary as I walk downstairs and started to smell smoke.
then seeing my main lamp dim with smoke coming out of it.

I immediately unplugged the lamp.


out of the years of using CFLs and them burning out on me, this is the 1st that has ever died like this.

I've already had it happen to me with one that was mounted upsidedown. It was arcing, sparking, smelled terrible, and you could see the plastic fizzling at the border between the glass and the plastic.

Terrible is an understatement it smells like a mixture of burning hair, burning plastic, burning poop, mixed with fresh gasoline, a hint of old motor oil, and bromine.

Then I come on here and say I don't like CFL's and everyone disagrees. Whatever. Each their own. Enjoy your shit bulbs. Literally.

 

[Ken g6]

I had one where the glass near the base actually bubbled out as it was dying. So they can get pretty hot.

 

[SparkyJJO]

But Big Government nanny state insists that we use these. You know, save the environment and all. As if the more toxic materials used in these things are more environmentally friendly, somehow :|

Thankfully the halogen-based bulbs aren't a banned bulb as they are technically a bit more efficient than a traditional incandescent bulb, but they work in any incandescent fixture, dimmer, etc, and the manufacturers are now making them to fit pretty much every bulb type, and they aren't that much more to buy either :thumbsup:

Hey, I'm all for lower electrical bills, but CFLs do kinda suck, and LED can still be a bit expensive and have a few growing pains to go through yet.

 

[tortillasoup]

But Big Government nanny state insists that we use these. You know, save the environment and all. As if the more toxic materials used in these things are more environmentally friendly, somehow :|

Thankfully the halogen-based bulbs aren't a banned bulb as they are technically a bit more efficient than a traditional incandescent bulb, but they work in any incandescent fixture, dimmer, etc, and the manufacturers are now making them to fit pretty much every bulb type, and they aren't that much more to buy either :thumbsup:

Hey, I'm all for lower electrical bills, but CFLs do kinda suck, and LED can still be a bit expensive and have a few growing pains to go through yet.

I don't know what planet you're on but those Halogena Incandescent replacements are pretty close to LED in cost and are more expensive than the CFL. LEDs can fail in the same way as the CFL, that's just the way electronics are.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Got a pack of 4 for a couple bucks <shrug>

 

[Elixer]

But apparently it's not a fire hazard?
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cflbulb.asp

"..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."

The lightbulbs are fireproof and are meant to fail safely at the end of their lives.


jesus.. it was freaking scary as I walk downstairs and started to smell smoke.
then seeing my main lamp dim with smoke coming out of it.

I immediately unplugged the lamp.


out of the years of using CFLs and them burning out on me, this is the 1st that has ever died like this.

Join the club!
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2395416

The bulb I had had burn/scorched marks on, it, plastic was melted, and had flames coming from it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I think the environment thing is taking into assumption that the electricity comes from dirty sources like coal or natural gas or other fossil fuel, and not hydro electric. So the energy and materials required to make it is still less than the energy and pollution while using it. At least that's my guess.

Though it would be interesting to see if this is really the case, or if they're just making blatant claims.

It's kind of like solar panels, making them is pretty dirty, but that's a one time process, the panel will then generate green energy for 25ish years, vs burning a fuel and polluting continuously for 25 years to get the same energy.

 

[Jaskalas]

Enjoy the Mercury poisoning.

I had a CFL act all funny on me once... I moved to unscrew it and it broke in my hand. Gave my finger a good cut with broken pieces everywhere. Yes... I did enjoy the mercury.

 

[Imp]

Getting rid of those pieces of shit from now on. Already switched over my main room. Haven't had any CFLs blow up yet, touch balls... I mean wood.

 

[OverVolt]

I think the environment thing is taking into assumption that the electricity comes from dirty sources like coal or natural gas or other fossil fuel, and not hydro electric. So the energy and materials required to make it is still less than the energy and pollution while using it. At least that's my guess.

Though it would be interesting to see if this is really the case, or if they're just making blatant claims.

It's kind of like solar panels, making them is pretty dirty, but that's a one time process, the panel will then generate green energy for 25ish years, vs burning a fuel and polluting continuously for 25 years to get the same energy.

Dude the coal plants smoke stack isn't in my living room thats the difference. Its probably going to be like leaded gasoline and leaded paint where it'll take awhile but once 20 years of broken CFLs are in your carpet it'll be a problem. Then it'll probably be another 10 years for them to figure out it was mercury that was making them stupid.

 

[skull]

Dude the coal plants smoke stack isn't in my living room thats the difference. Its probably going to be like leaded gasoline and leaded paint where it'll take awhile but once 20 years of broken CFLs are in your carpet it'll be a problem. Then it'll probably be another 10 years for them to figure out it was mercury that was making them stupid.

The mercury is a gas, air the place out when they break. They are also known to release the mercury when they die.

I agree it'll be the next safety hazard like lead paint and asbestos.

 

[amdhunter]

I'm in absolute awe with my CREE 60w bulbs. I also bought some Phillips that I will install tonight. It's funny how I am sort of semi-addicted to finding a good brand/price combo.

 

[JEDI]

so I replaced the burned out smoking one with a cfl made by GE.
it has a little vent and supposedly 'instant on'

 

[master_shake_]

never had an incandescent light bulb smoke before.

but think of the wasted electricity.

won't someone please think of the wasted electricity.

 

[John Connor]

Those nany states and the EPA cock suckers can suck a dick. Now why don't they want to build a Gen III nuke plant? Energy has to come from somewhere. Maybe their mouths?

Solar needs sun and wind turbines needs wind, how do you offset that? COAL! Natural gas is pretty clean and we are the number one producer of NG too!

But who cares about China or India.

 

[slag]

My home is noticeably colder in the winter now that I've replaced all my incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs. I have offset that by replacing all my LCD tvs with plasma tvs that put out a ton of heat.

Win/Win.

 

[Gunbuster]

I for one am welcoming our new Chinese race to the bottom LED bulbs, just in time to replace the race to the bottom CFL's.

Looking forward to fun new failure modes as they cost down designs into oblivion or use fake or missing components

 

[Red Squirrel]

Dude the coal plants smoke stack isn't in my living room thats the difference. Its probably going to be like leaded gasoline and leaded paint where it'll take awhile but once 20 years of broken CFLs are in your carpet it'll be a problem. Then it'll probably be another 10 years for them to figure out it was mercury that was making them stupid.

That's a terrible attitude that a lot of people seem to have when it comes to the environment. People don't want stuff in their own back yard but don't care how terrible the alternatives are if they're polluting somewhere else. Using coal plants as an example, those spew out tons of mercury into the oceans and water ways. But people freak out about better alternatives like wind turbines and nuclear plants because they can actually see them.

I've actually seen people talk like that arguing against wind turbines. "They look ugly, I don't care about oil spills they don't happen where I live". Talk about being selfish.

As for the mercury, that's nothing new. All the T12, T8 etc tubes have mercury in them too. You'd think that by now they could have found a way to make them work without mercury. I think we will start to see a move towards LED though. Definitely more environmentally friendly and if manufacturing costs go down it will be a no brainer.

 

[Imp]

The mercury is a gas, air the place out when they break. They are also known to release the mercury when they die.

I agree it'll be the next safety hazard like lead paint and asbestos.

I read this (again) recently:
http://www2.epa.gov/cfl/cleaning-broken-cfl

Apparently, some of the mercury is embedded in the glass? What a piece of shit.

Related note: I down too hard on a mercury thermometer as a kid and it broke in my mouth.

 

[OverVolt]

That's a terrible attitude that a lot of people seem to have when it comes to the environment. People don't want stuff in their own back yard but don't care how terrible the alternatives are if they're polluting somewhere else. Using coal plants as an example, those spew out tons of mercury into the oceans and water ways. But people freak out about better alternatives like wind turbines and nuclear plants because they can actually see them.

I've actually seen people talk like that arguing against wind turbines. "They look ugly, I don't care about oil spills they don't happen where I live". Talk about being selfish.

As for the mercury, that's nothing new. All the T12, T8 etc tubes have mercury in them too. You'd think that by now they could have found a way to make them work without mercury. I think we will start to see a move towards LED though. Definitely more environmentally friendly and if manufacturing costs go down it will be a no brainer.

I know... which is why I think the benefits of CFL's are dubious at best. The problem was never with incandescent bulbs, it was with the power generation.

I read this (again) recently:
http://www2.epa.gov/cfl/cleaning-broken-cfl

Apparently, some of the mercury is embedded in the glass? What a piece of shit.

Related note: I down too hard on a mercury thermometer as a kid and it broke in my mouth.

Oh kids used to swallow quicksilver all the time. Elemental mercury is very hard to absorb. The organic mercury compounds, like in tuna, are the worst.

My physics teacher had like a 15lb vat of mercury for a number of years that he said they'd probably label it a biohazard these days. He was like lets throw some steel ball bearings in there and watch'em float then i'll fish them out with my hands.

Okay maybe he was a bit crazy and mercury poisoned... whatever

In terms of CFL's you're going to have tiny bits of mercury powder get embedded into carpeting and such. It'll be constantly getting kicked up and it would be chronic exposure... IMO. Especially if you broke like 10 bulbs in 5 years over the same carpet or something. I always wondered how many of them get crushed in peoples kitchen trashbags and such.

 

[Imp]

As for the mercury, that's nothing new. All the T12, T8 etc tubes have mercury in them too. You'd think that by now they could have found a way to make them work without mercury. I think we will start to see a move towards LED though. Definitely more environmentally friendly and if manufacturing costs go down it will be a no brainer.

They're still using lead in PVC insulation for power cords, so I'm not surprised.

It's also, apparently, used in certain glazes for ceramics. Ya, the shit you eat off and drink out of a few times a day.

In terms of CFL's you're going to have tiny bits of mercury powder get embedded into carpeting and such. It'll be constantly getting kicked up and it would be chronic exposure... IMO. Especially if you broke like 10 bulbs in 5 years over the same carpet or something. I always wondered how many of them get crushed in peoples kitchen trashbags and such.

Glad you brought that up... I read somewhere that someone tried to "responsibly" dispose of used CFLs using a disposal bin at a store. The procedure, allegedly, was to put the bulb in a bag and to toss it into the bin. Good to know that 2 mils (?) of plastic will cushion the glass from breaking and keeps the mercury in there to make the disposal "responsible"...

 

[darkewaffle]

Huh, I had one do that a while ago and figured it had gone bad. Didn't know it was intentional. Neat, though yeah it was pretty damn hot.