Exploding lightbulbs

[George Stolz]

I'm too lazy to take a spin on Google or Wikipedia, but aren't lamps filled with some sort of gas? I thought the original lamps had a vacuum, but I thought modern lamps have an inert gas of some sort in them.

 

[jrannis]

I will concede it must happen as more then a few have said so.

But I still really want to know how.




OK, lots of pressure from what?

The bulb is empty, there is no gas to expand when heated.

Kinda have to assume the lamp failed due to a vacuum leak. Lots of instant heat, limited area, boom!

 

[catchtwentytwo]

Is there any chance that a drop of water is hitting the "hot" bulb(s)?

 

[480sparky]

I'm too lazy to take a spin on Google or Wikipedia, but aren't lamps filled with some sort of gas? I thought the original lamps had a vacuum, but I thought modern lamps have an inert gas of some sort in them.

Yes, usually argon or nitrogen.

 

[hillbilly]

I'm too lazy to take a spin on Google or Wikipedia, but aren't lamps filled with some sort of gas? I thought the original lamps had a vacuum, but I thought modern lamps have an inert gas of some sort in them.

Light Bulb Structure

Light bulbs have a very simple structure. At the base, they have two metal contacts, which connect to the ends of an electrical circuit. The metal contacts are attached to two stiff wires, which are attached to a thin metal filament. The filament sits in the middle of the bulb, held up by a glass mount. The wires and the filament are housed in a glass bulb, which is filled with an inert gas, such as argon.
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steve

 

[George Stolz]

Thanks, guys.

See kids, being lazy is almost as big a payoff as nagging.

 

[tallgirl]

As long as we are on the subject of light bulbs, I've noticed thare are two types of incandescent halagens on the market. One is thin glass maybe like a normal bulb. The other is significantly heavier glass. Anyone know why the difference?

carl

Halogen bulbs.

 

[tallgirl]

Thanks guys. First, it is not a multi wire branch circuit. The voltage was pretty stable around 118vac. And finally, I opened all connections on the circuit and ohmed it out and it all seemed okay. Unfortunately, it sounds like rewiring from scratch is the best solution. As you guys know, you can only check connections that you can see.
I appreciate the suggestions.
James

Go to your house, take out one of your own personal bulbs that you know is okay, tell the customer it is a "special test bulb" and install it next to a new one of theirs.

I'm betting bad batch of bulbs. I'm also placing a side bet on it really being a three wire circuit that someone snuck in on you.

 

[coulter]

Halogen bulbs.

Did you read the post? I ask cause your answer doesn't fit the question.

carl

 

[jclogston]

Thanks again for the input. Basically, as far as I can see, the circuit leaves the panel, and hits the kitchen. It feeds two receptacles, the dishwasher (fed from receptacle), and the two recessed cans in question. The owner said that the dishwasher was missing, but the space was there when she bought the house seven years ago, and she has fried two since. Last owner said they didn't need one, kind of wierd. Anyway, the owner has several dogs, runs a shelter type thing and is very persistant that they are literally shattering glass onto the floor. Like I said, I opened from the meter/disco, panel, to any access I could get to, including opening the receptacles and pulling out the cans, found nothing within sight/feel. As for ohming, I didn't meg it, just a Fluke. I also tightened the busses and connections to anything. Another thing, as stated before, it only happens in the kithen. I feel like telling her my new interest is plumbing........

James

 

[mxeng10]

Sounds like a Neutral Problem. Have the Power company check the connections on their end first, it is no cost the customer, have them check the meter lugs, and neutral and if necessary the P.O.A. and connec @ the xfmr. If ok be there while they are and check the neut heading into the panel.

 

[nakulak]

post some pics of the cans, and tell her to carefully reconstruct one of the shattered bulbs and post a pic of it. find out what time of day the bulbs are blowing out, and the weather conditions at that time of day. what exactly is above the lights (bathroom, plumbing pipes, leaky roof ?) what is below and around the lights (sink, laundry tub, range, dog who urinates while doing back flips). there is an answer to this thing, just need the right information to solve it.
-

 

[JohnJ0906]

If she's fried 2 dishwashers on the same circuit, then there is a serious problem somewhere. I'm still going with an open/loose neutral somewhere.

 

[TOOL_5150]

nakulak, that put a very strange and descriptive picture in my head! That will have me chuckling all day now.

~Matt

 

[76nemo]

Out of the box,.......

Out of the box,.......

New here, and don't like posting all that much. I'll add this, if we can share new ideas with others, than we can all benefit
I bought a new tester a couple of weeks back, and wanted to share with everyone how much it's appreciated. I have never done loop impedance testing before now. Now my megger doesn't see as much light of day. Online testing is quicker and alot easier than megging. People, for those of you who haven't seen this, check out the Ideal 61-165. If you guys/gals get one of these, you won't be pulling out JB's, cans, etc.. I can honestly say, this is the best thing I have added to my tool arsenal in a LONG time:grin:
If you had this tester, I hope you would of had this figured out in 20 minutes. There is a seperate test cord assembly for lighting circuits.
Once I had this in my hands, I wondered why in the h*ll I hadn't bought it before now. If you do audits/inspections, etc., it is a MUST you have one. You can find a link alot quicker than I can type out all of it's benefits! I eyeballed it for a long time and thought, ahh, I got a couple of meggers, I don't need to spend anymore $ to feed my addiction. BOY, WAS I WRONG. Thanks Ideal!!!!!!!!

 

[brian john]

A nice tool I am sure but no replacement for a megger. Very similar to the older SureTest.

 

[76nemo]

A nice tool I am sure but no replacement for a megger. Very similar to the older SureTest.

No, no Brian, you have that right. I am speaking of time and efficiency in this manner. This guys problem is a PERFECT example of what this new tester was designed for.
I have the Fluke 1520 and 1507,... I absolutely love them. Yet,.... if he would of had this tester on hand, he would of most likely walked out with the problem solved real quick, and it would of never been posted here.. It takes a LOT to get me bragging about something like this. If you get the chance, please give them a try. I PROMISE you that you won't regret it unless you have another loop impedance tester I have not used.

 

[76nemo]

Some are so reluctant,....

Some are so reluctant,....

and I don't blame you. Let me ask you this,..."How many times has a loose connection been the root of your problem?" Wouldn't it be a lot easier to check all connections hot and under load? Until recently, I always said, "Take all of my tools, but leave me my meggers." Not anymore. I love my meggers, I love the low-ohms feature, but when it comes to quick go, no-go testing, hand me the 61-165. I have had a couple of people who were selling complex's, had weird vdrop, and of course, faulty wiring. I brought the 61-165 over,....and problem solved. Sure we could of all accomplished this with different homemade loads/tools, but here it is in all one package. I am truly impressed
TRULY IMPRESSED!!!!

 

[plate]

I am truly impressed

I tend to be a cheap skate and would accomplish the same thing with a load and my existing meter (as you referred to earlier).

I am interested what in particular you found most uselful about that tool (Ideal)?

 

[brian john]

I tend to be a cheap skate and would accomplish the same thing with a load and my existing meter (as you referred to earlier).

I am interested what in particular you found most useful about that tool (Ideal)?

I tend to be the opposite and buy the best when I need a new piece of test equipment. And I often buy equipment I can live without, just to check it out.

Big buck items I may rent in the short term.

But I am interested in the second portion of the post the "MOST USEFUL"