Low Energy Light Bulb

[Corpulent Tosser]

These things

Anyone had a problem with them launching themselves across a room ?

Sitting in my apartment last night there was a big bang and all the lights, tv etc went out.
I managed to find a flashlight and reset the trips to get the lights back on and found glass and the remains of one of these bulbs on the lounge floor.
It had launched itself 5 metres from the candelabra and hit the wall (it is a rented apartment and all houses here in Baku seem to have big candelabra things)

I am sure if it had hit me it would have hurt a bit, to say the least.

Are these bulbs inherently dangerous or could it have been a power surge or similar.

It concerns me as there are still about twelve of these things still in the light fitting.

CT

[Allanv]

I dont use them but be careful cleaning it up they contain mercury IIRC

[Corpulent Tosser]

I swept it up as best I could, the maid will be in tomorrow and she usually washes the floors.

I was glad I had slippers on when the lights went out or I could have had glass/mercury embedded in my feet.

I was really surprised at the noise it made, fortunately being at home I could clear up my own mess as well

[Steve H]

Surely there could have been another way to show off about living in an apartment and having a maid!!!!!!

[Simpo Two]

A neighbour has mains halogen lights in his kitchen. One night in the middle of the night he goes downstairs (in bare feet) to get a drink, switches on the light and - bang - one of the lamps explodes above him and also trips the circuit breaker. He is now in the dark, with bare feet, surrounded by bits of broken glass...

[kambites]

If it was just a bayonette fitting bulb, and the base (as opposed to the glass) came away from the fitting, I can't see how the type of bulb can have had an effect at all. The contacts are sprung against the bottom of the bulb, so if one of the legs of the bayonette snapped, I suppose it would fire itself away from the fitting a bit?

[Corpulent Tosser]

Steve H said:

Surely there could have been another way to show off about living in an apartment and having a maid!!!!!!

If you had seen either you would think different, don't ask for pics.

[Corpulent Tosser]

kambites said:

If it was just a bayonette fitting bulb, and the base (as opposed to the glass) came away from the fitting, I can't see how the type of bulb can have had an effect at all. The contacts are sprung against the bottom of the bulb, so if one of the legs of the bayonette snapped, I suppose it would fire itself away from the fitting a bit?

The bayonet part is in pieces, it seems the bulb has been blown out of it, could be a manufacturing fault, but they have been in for as long as I have been there - two years.

[Parrot of Doom]

Chances are the base had overheated leading to a catastrophic failure of one or more components on the PCB.

Unlike incandescent bulbs, they're very sensitive to heat and should only be used in specially designed holders.