melting plastic boxes

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fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Have never seen or heard of this problem before. We put in some closet lights that are a 12inch light with 3 60w bulbs in them. These lights are mounted to plastic nail on outlet boxes not the round nail on boxes for lights. We come back the next day and the lights and boxes are hanging out of the ceiling because the boxes are melted and distorted enough to come off the nails. The 6/32 screws also loosened because of the heat. Anyone had this problem with these cheap plastic boxes? Could the light be causing this much heat?
 
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satcom

Senior Member
Have never seen or heard of this problem before. We put in some closet lights that are a 12inch light with 3 60w bulbs in them. These lights are mounted to plastic nail on outlet boxes not the round nail on boxes for lights. We come back the next day and the lights and boxes are hanging out of the ceiling because the boxes are melted and distorted enough to come off the nails. The 6/32 screws also loosened because of the heat. Anyone had this problem with these cheap plastic boxes?

Did you make sure the fixture insulation was in place? We don't usually use that type of fixture in a closet, to comply with code
 
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K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Have never seen or heard of this problem before. We put in some closet lights that are a 12inch light with 3 60w bulbs in them. These lights are mounted to plastic nail on outlet boxes not the round nail on boxes for lights. We come back the next day and the lights and boxes are hanging out of the ceiling because the boxes are melted and distorted enough to come off the nails. The 6/32 screws also loosened because of the heat. Anyone had this problem with these cheap plastic boxes? Could the light be causing this much heat?

What's a plastic nail?

If the 'plastic nail' is what the lights are mounted to, what are the 6-32 screws for?

Can you post some pics and also let us know the brand and model number of the lights? Regardless of the closet issue, this sounds like a rather serious problem.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
This is the box im refering to. http://www.amazon.com/Lamson-B120AR-UPC-Carlon-Single-Nail/dp/B00004WKWN

The 6-32 screw is what holds the device in the box or in this case the bracket for the light. I will get back to you on the light model and brand but I know it was purchased at a big box store and its one of those lights where you get 2 for $10.

Those are wall boxes and are probably not listed for use in ceilings.

I will try to look up the UL listing, but I'll bet they will have to be replaced with ceiling boxes like the BH525A.
 

rodneee

Senior Member
Have never seen or heard of this problem before. We put in some closet lights that are a 12inch light with 3 60w bulbs in them. These lights are mounted to plastic nail on outlet boxes not the round nail on boxes for lights. We come back the next day and the lights and boxes are hanging out of the ceiling because the boxes are melted and distorted enough to come off the nails. The 6/32 screws also loosened because of the heat. Anyone had this problem with these cheap plastic boxes? Could the light be causing this much heat?

assuming your men did not remove the insulation thinking it was part of the packaging, i would guess the fixture may have been rated for 3 25 watt bulbs and mislabled with a sticker saying 3 60 watt bulbs...
 

Strife

Senior Member
I'm waiting for the picture, but something got stuck in my eye:
3-60W fixture in a CLOSET????

Have never seen or heard of this problem before. We put in some closet lights that are a 12inch light with 3 60w bulbs in them. These lights are mounted to plastic nail on outlet boxes not the round nail on boxes for lights. We come back the next day and the lights and boxes are hanging out of the ceiling because the boxes are melted and distorted enough to come off the nails. The 6/32 screws also loosened because of the heat. Anyone had this problem with these cheap plastic boxes? Could the light be causing this much heat?
 

fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Closet is 6x16 walk in closet and lights were supplied by owner. These boxes were already installed some time ago but it worries me that these lights get this hot to melt any plastic box. I agree they are the wrong box for the installation but im not going to put the lights back up untill I can make sure there is no other issue
 

fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
assuming your men did not remove the insulation thinking it was part of the packaging, i would guess the fixture may have been rated for 3 25 watt bulbs and mislabled with a sticker saying 3 60 watt bulbs...

Insulation was not removed from light and I dont think wattage is the issue. It says 60w on outside of box also
 

satcom

Senior Member
Those are wall boxes and are probably not listed for use in ceilings.

I will try to look up the UL listing, but I'll bet they will have to be replaced with ceiling boxes like the BH525A.


They have plastic ceiling boxes that are rated for the tempeture, 3 60W lamps can produce a good amount of heat, but the glass insulation usually prevents over heating
This will be interesting to learn what caused the melt down
Could the box be a switch box and not a ceiling box?
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
They have plastic ceiling boxes that are rated for the tempeture, 3 60W lamps can produce a good amount of heat, but the glass insulation usually prevents over heating
This will be interesting to learn what caused the melt down
Could the box be a switch box and not a ceiling box?

As you have suspected, the boxes are wall boxes meant for switches and receptacles, not luminaires. The manufacuter's web site says they are not fire rated.

However....I am suspect that the fixtures may not be manufactured to the UL specs they are sold under. 3 60's is hot, but I have yet to see a fixture designed for 3 60's that would melt a Carlon box of any kind, ceiling or not. The price mentioned for the fixture makes me think they were made in China to sub standard specs and sold for a pittance to the unsuspecting. Combine that with mounting to a box not designed for the application and 'Huston, we've got problems'.
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
I've seen this happen before, but it was because the homeowner put 3-100 watt bulbs in a fixture that was rated for 60 watts. Changed out a lot of bulbs that day after the homeowner saw how close he was to having a fire.
 
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