CF Bulb 'fire'

I moved this to here as a potential warning...

I had an interesting event occur tonight. A CF bulb flaked out and started smoking. The place where the curly bulb portion connects to base was black. This is not the first time. Are they issued?

I moved this to here as a potential warning...

I had an interesting event occur tonight. A CF bulb flaked out and started smoking. The place where the curly bulb portion connects to base was black. This is not the first time. Are they issued?

I had that happen to me...twice. It won't happen again because I will never buy another one.

I want to be green and use less energy. These bulbs accomplish this but they contain mercury and other heavy metals and should not be thrown away in the regular garbage. The heavy metals will work their way into the water supply. Where do you dispose of these bulbs?

Find recycling centers for different products in your area.

http://earth911.com/recycling/

As is stated in the quoted article, this small amount of smoking and blackness is not in any way a fire hazard. It is part of the failure mechanism of the bulb. They are DESIGNED to do that. CFLs are MUCH safer than traditional bulbs as they use less electricity, operate more efficiently and therefore generate SIGNIFICANTLY less heat.

An incandescent bulb can easily get hot enough to ignite anything but the most fire resistant items just by doing what it is supposed to be doing. CFLs do not. This is a MUCH larger risk than anything associated with a CFL. Incandescent bulbs are one of the 5 top causes of home fires in the US annually.

CFLs do contain very small amounts of mercury vapor (1-3mg) in the tube (as do all fluorescent lights). These amounts only pose a health threat when aggregated in a place like a landfill, which is why some states (not KY) have made it illegal to dispose of them in public landfills. Since we use coal power, you actually save more in mercury emissions through reduced electricity use (and coal burning) than you contribute from throwing the bulb in the garbage. The net mercury output of using all CFLs in your house is lower than that of using incandescent bulbs due to this offset from burning coal.

However, the big win is by using CFLs and properly disposing of them. Home Depot has a recycling box at the entrance to all of their stores where you can deposit your spent CFL bulbs, and I think Lowes does as well, but since these bulbs typically last 15 times what an incandescent bulb will last, you shouldn't have a large number of them to dispose of.

CFLs are more efficient, safer and significantly cheaper than incandescent bulbs over their life span. Not using them because when they burn out they sometimes produce a small puff of smoke is (excuse the harshness) stupid and selfish. You are putting your own irrational fears ahead of the greater needs of your fellow inhabitants of our planet.

Stop being selfish. Do the right thing.

Besides, when the CFLs you buy now do give out in 4 or 5 years you'll likely be replacing them with the even more efficient and safer LED bulbs now coming out. Ain't technology great?

As is stated in the quoted article, this small amount of smoking and blackness is not in any way a fire hazard. It is part of the failure mechanism of the bulb. They are DESIGNED to do that. CFLs are MUCH safer than traditional bulbs as they use less electricity, operate more efficiently and therefore generate SIGNIFICANTLY less heat.

You can present all the facts and logic you want and it still doesn't matter. I'm old, this technology is new and therefore I am obliged to hate them. You'll get to be a curmudgeon someday yourself...it's actually a beautiful thing. Besides, the owner of my local hardware store says they suck...so therefore they suck.

As is stated in the quoted article, this small amount of smoking and blackness is not in any way a fire hazard. It is part of the failure mechanism of the bulb. They are DESIGNED to do that. CFLs are MUCH safer than traditional bulbs as they use less electricity, operate more efficiently and therefore generate SIGNIFICANTLY less heat.

You can present all the facts and logic you want and it still doesn't matter. I'm old, this technology is new and therefore I am obliged to hate them. You'll get to be a curmudgeon someday yourself...it's actually a beautiful thing. Besides, the owner of my local hardware store says they suck...so therefore they suck.

God I love your logic!

You can present all the facts and logic you want and it still doesn't matter. I'm old, this technology is new and therefore I am obliged to hate them. You'll get to be a curmudgeon someday yourself...it's actually a beautiful thing. Besides, the owner of my local hardware store says they suck...so therefore they suck.

Simmer down, now, or we're not going to change out your drool bucket for you anymore.

Im just not into the quality of light those CFL's give off. I have seen some of the new LED screw in type bulbs that I do like. They are just bit to high priced for it to be practical for me yet.

[Robin Garr]

Im just not into the quality of light those CFL's give off. I have seen some of the new LED screw in type bulbs that I do like. They are just bit to high priced for it to be practical for me yet.

You know what I love about CFL's? That longevity really pays off for bulbs in hard-to-get-at locations.

Im just not into the quality of light those CFL's give off. I have seen some of the new LED screw in type bulbs that I do like. They are just bit to high priced for it to be practical for me yet.

You know what I love about CFL's? That longevity really pays off for bulbs in hard-to-get-at locations.

All kidding aside...I do use them in those "hard to get to" storage spaces. I'm with John though, I just don't like the light they give off and I also don't like walking into a room, flipping on a light and 10 seconds later the light comes on.

You can present all the facts and logic you want and it still doesn't matter. I'm old, this technology is new and therefore I am obliged to hate them. You'll get to be a curmudgeon someday yourself...it's actually a beautiful thing. Besides, the owner of my local hardware store says they suck...so therefore they suck.

Simmer down, now, or we're not going to change out your drool bucket for you anymore.

OK...Stevie'll simmah down (now).

Kinda freaky. Same thing happened to us last night around 6:00 pm. The cover is blackended; smelled; bulb is black. Almost afraid to leave the house for the NEIL YOUNG concert, but removed the bulb and left the socket empty.

All kidding aside...I do use them in those "hard to get to" storage spaces. I'm with John though, I just don't like the light they give off and I also don't like walking into a room, flipping on a light and 10 seconds later the light comes on.

You can buy "instant on" CFLs to eliminate that pesky wait time while the light comes on. It's definitely kind of annoying.

CFL bulbs continue to improve-light quality is much better in newer ones--and much quicker to full light. We've converted over and hardly notice anymore.