Bulb caught fire!

TheGrog · 01/15/2012, 02:22 PM

Anyone ever see this happen before? We were just lucky to be home when it happened. No water in fixture, but lots of smoke!

Ideas on to how it happened?

Mark Bianco · 01/15/2012, 02:34 PM

Do you think it could have something with your tag line? "When in doubt.....add more beer...then try duct tape" Just kidding From my expeirence this is generally caused from salt creep How are the fans in your fixture? Fans are not only for cooling but they also help to remove humidity from the fixture. are they clean and working correctly? Check that it may be your problem. But then again I a not sure if I would trust that fixture unless you could tear it apart and double chek everything else in the fixture. You may want to be on the safe side and buy a new fixture...

TheGrog · 01/15/2012, 02:39 PM

No beer or duct tape used......today.
Yes, the fans are working fine and I clean them regularly.
New fixture is not an option right now (it is a 2x 250w HQI MH with 4x65w PC Actinics). I am not running the actinic set in question until I can tear it apart and check it all out. An upgrade to LED's is in the works, but still several months away.

rtparty · 01/15/2012, 02:54 PM

Where is the 4th pin for the bulb? I only see three on the bulb.

Mark Bianco · 01/15/2012, 02:55 PM

Sounds like a good plan! Just courious have you decided what led's you will be going with?

TheGrog · 01/15/2012, 03:13 PM

the 4th pin broke off when removing the bulb.
No I have not decided on which LED's I am going with.

rtparty · 01/15/2012, 03:14 PM

How old are the bulbs? There are lemons in every batch and there could be a number of things that happened to make the bulb catch fire like that.

TheGrog · 01/15/2012, 03:39 PM

Bulbs less than 3 months old.
In over 10 years in the hobby, I have never seen a bulb do this!

Dendence · 01/15/2012, 05:12 PM

I work in maintenance for many years, work in a building with thousands of CF biax lamps. Come across this often. Seems like poorly manufactured bulbs when the ends are loose from the glass. Don't think it has to do with your fixture. Scary though when they start smoking.

mobie · 01/15/2012, 06:38 PM

Made in China

jjwarfly · 01/15/2012, 07:52 PM

I had issues with my bulbs sticking into the housing and would find corrosion on the pins. I used something called Deoxit. Its a non conductive electrical grease that we use for work. You can get it in small 1 ounce toothpaste looking packs.

James404 · 01/15/2012, 09:42 PM

I stay away from coralife products, they are almost always cheap pieces of crap. This doesn't surprise me.

alton · 01/16/2012, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobie

Made in China

x2

01/15/2012, 02:22 PM	#1
TheGrog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 753	Bulb caught fire! Anyone ever see this happen before? We were just lucky to be home when it happened. No water in fixture, but lots of smoke! Ideas on to how it happened? __________________ When in doubt.....add more beer...then try duct tape Current Tank Info: 120G Reef with Ecotech Radion LEDs, 2xMP40

01/15/2012, 02:39 PM	#3
TheGrog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 753	No beer or duct tape used......today. Yes, the fans are working fine and I clean them regularly. New fixture is not an option right now (it is a 2x 250w HQI MH with 4x65w PC Actinics). I am not running the actinic set in question until I can tear it apart and check it all out. An upgrade to LED's is in the works, but still several months away. __________________ When in doubt.....add more beer...then try duct tape Current Tank Info: 120G Reef with Ecotech Radion LEDs, 2xMP40

01/15/2012, 02:54 PM	#4
rtparty Raise The Reef! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 7,404	Where is the 4th pin for the bulb? I only see three on the bulb. __________________ Ryan Click on my user name and check out my homepage! Current Tank Info: 50g Cadlights/Giesemann Spectra (250w Radium, 2 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Actinic)/2 x Vortech MP10wQD/Skimz SN123/Eheim Compact 3000+

01/15/2012, 03:13 PM	#6
TheGrog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 753	the 4th pin broke off when removing the bulb. No I have not decided on which LED's I am going with. __________________ When in doubt.....add more beer...then try duct tape Current Tank Info: 120G Reef with Ecotech Radion LEDs, 2xMP40

01/15/2012, 03:14 PM	#7
rtparty Raise The Reef! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 7,404	How old are the bulbs? There are lemons in every batch and there could be a number of things that happened to make the bulb catch fire like that. __________________ Ryan Click on my user name and check out my homepage! Current Tank Info: 50g Cadlights/Giesemann Spectra (250w Radium, 2 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Actinic)/2 x Vortech MP10wQD/Skimz SN123/Eheim Compact 3000+

01/15/2012, 02:34 PM	#2
Mark Bianco In Memoriam Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Infinity and Beyond Posts: 2,445	Do you think it could have something with your tag line? "When in doubt.....add more beer...then try duct tape" Just kidding From my expeirence this is generally caused from salt creep How are the fans in your fixture? Fans are not only for cooling but they also help to remove humidity from the fixture. are they clean and working correctly? Check that it may be your problem. But then again I a not sure if I would trust that fixture unless you could tear it apart and double chek everything else in the fixture. You may want to be on the safe side and buy a new fixture...

01/15/2012, 02:55 PM	#5
Mark Bianco In Memoriam Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Infinity and Beyond Posts: 2,445	Sounds like a good plan! Just courious have you decided what led's you will be going with?

01/15/2012, 03:39 PM	#8
TheGrog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 753	Bulbs less than 3 months old. In over 10 years in the hobby, I have never seen a bulb do this! __________________ When in doubt.....add more beer...then try duct tape Current Tank Info: 120G Reef with Ecotech Radion LEDs, 2xMP40

01/15/2012, 05:12 PM	#9
Dendence Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 242	I work in maintenance for many years, work in a building with thousands of CF biax lamps. Come across this often. Seems like poorly manufactured bulbs when the ends are loose from the glass. Don't think it has to do with your fixture. Scary though when they start smoking.

01/15/2012, 06:38 PM	#10
mobie Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: ma Posts: 11	Made in China

01/15/2012, 07:52 PM	#11
jjwarfly Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Orlando Posts: 97	I had issues with my bulbs sticking into the housing and would find corrosion on the pins. I used something called Deoxit. Its a non conductive electrical grease that we use for work. You can get it in small 1 ounce toothpaste looking packs.

01/15/2012, 09:42 PM	#12
James404 I <3 Acros Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,523	I stay away from coralife products, they are almost always cheap pieces of crap. This doesn't surprise me. __________________ 80g Deep Blue Rimless - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2651295 225g Reef Savvy SPS Dominant - Retired http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1945361