CFL & Fire

[kwired]

I agree with the switch being left on, but CFL inrush would be a fairly low current for a fairly short duration.

I don't quite understand how the switch, CFL lamp, and socket can be "consumed" or "destroyed", with no evidence of fire inside the boxes.

My best guess would be the CFL ballast shorted. I would assume the CFL would have some type of internal overcurrent protection, but that may have failed in a shorted mode - possibly from the heat of being left on in a hot attic. Then, apparently the current was high enough to start a fire by heating at the points of highest resistance - the switch contacts, and either the lamp ballast itself, or maybe the lamp-socket connection.

Yet, the current was low enough not to trip the branch breaker, or the branch breaker is also bad. IMO, the investigator should have tested the branch breaker also.

My experience with state fire investigators and apparent electrical fires is they know how to look at structural damage and determine a location where the fire started. If there is electrical components in that area - it is pretty much assumed the electrical components contributed to the fire starting - which is probably accurate most of the time. What actually failed in those electrical components is never investigated thoroughly enough to determine exactly what happened, for one thing the person doing the investigating does not have enough electrical background to know what to look for.

Last house fire I worked on renovations for, started in the vicinity of a fire place that had been burning that night.
I think they probably accurately determined the fire was not directly related to the fireplace and all burn patterns indicated it started in a receptacle box near the fireplace. They never confirmed why it started there though, and some evidence was already moved before I was first there so I couldn't get a good look at the remains of that receptacle either, but my best guess was a "glowing connection" at the receptacle terminals was the likely cause.

 

[wptski]

Years ago I had a three way CFL on a timer in my living room. I was out that night and when I came home the light should have been ON but wasn't. The part above the socket had a hole blown in it. It's right next to a couch but nothing was burned. I don't even remember what I did with the bulb, what brand it, etc.

 

[gadfly56]

Where do you see this reduction in claimed Life?

Right on the package. I probably have an old one around somewhere I can send a photo.

 

[ggunn]

I don't know what the lifetime should be, but I have a box of failed CFL's. A couple of them got pretty hot when they failed.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Where do you see this reduction in claimed Life?

in the trashcan when they burn out and i throw them away.