Reply to: Hexploding lightbulbs.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Nope.

It was a cheap & nasty Tesco 100W tungsten filament light bulb.

With added explosive, judging by the results.

thats got to break some 'elf and safety rule somewhere, sue them and get paid millions in compensation

[SantaClaus]

Pleae tell me it was an energy saving lightbulb. I hate those things!

[Churchill]

It is rather satisfying to know that when the revolution comes, and they're stringing up politicians from lamp-posts, there will be numerous members of the baying crowd who will have been tipped over the edge by these light bulbs.

It's funny how the most, apparently, insignificant things can start a bloody revolution.

There'll never be a revolution in the UK - we're too busy eating Government supplied cake...

[EternalOptimist]

no taxation without illumination

[threaded]

It is rather satisfying to know that when the revolution comes, and they're stringing up politicians from lamp-posts, there will be numerous members of the baying crowd who will have been tipped over the edge by these light bulbs.

It's funny how the most, apparently, insignificant things can start a bloody revolution.

[DaveB]

It's not their fault. Part L of the current Building Regulations requires new builds (including expensions) to have a certain number of "dedicated low energy light fittings" in which the owner or occupier is unable to install old-fashioned incandescent lamps. The easiest way to do that is to install the BC3 3-pin bayonet fittings: this fitting is proprietary and the owners (Eaton) don't allow anyone else to make bulbs that fit it, thus providing them with the chance to set the prices in the way that they see fit.

.

There has to be a plan B in there somewhere to supply BC3 to standard BC adaptors?

[Tarquin Farquhar]

Slightly off topic but…

A Southampton housing association (privatised money making charity fed by tax payers money and subsidised by council tax). Fitted their new houses and flats with energy saving light-bulbs that had a bayonet fitting plus an extra pin. The result is that the residents must by light-bulbs from the housing association’s own maintenance company at a cost of £8.00 per bulb.

It's not their fault. Part L of the current Building Regulations requires new builds (including expensions) to have a certain number of "dedicated low energy light fittings" in which the owner or occupier is unable to install old-fashioned incandescent lamps. The easiest way to do that is to install the BC3 3-pin bayonet fittings: this fitting is proprietary and the owners (Eaton) don't allow anyone else to make bulbs that fit it, thus providing them with the chance to set the prices in the way that they see fit.

Government regulation. Company gravy train. We pay.
Great Britain = Treasure Island.

PS If you have some of these sockets, please do your bit by paying 12-15 times the price of normal energy-saving bulbs to the monopoly supplier Eaton Corporation. Do not os any account read this blog and attempt a simple conversion of the socket yourself.

[DaveB]

wrap the fuses in tinfoil, this prevents them from blowing and can save a lot of inconvenience. Keep a fire extinguisher handy though

yeh - relly

It works!

Back in my land owning days I had an old Ferguson TE20 tractor ( circa 1955 ) I used for hauling bales and other assorted rural activities. The electrics were flakey and it used to cut out at random intervals, blowing the same fuse each time.

Cigarette foil wrapped around the dead fuse fixed it up nicely and if it did short again the paper would catch fire and burn through the foil preventing any permanent damage

[MPwannadecentincome]

wrap the fuses in tinfoil, this prevents them from blowing and can save a lot of inconvenience. Keep a fire extinguisher handy though

yeh - relly

[Spacecadet]

Was dining out with some friends a few weeks ago and the light on the wall next to out table suddenly got a lot brighter.
I shat myself thinking it was about to explode, then one of the waiters came over with the food.

At this point i realised that I shouldn't have broadcast my alarm to the rest of the table

I did think about posting the amusing tale on here but thought it was a bit wilmslow-esque

[zeitghost]

Bulbs that "sing" are on the verge of failing.

[TimberWolf]

I had a wire explode once. It fed an electric heater at a place I once rented. It separated in two and scorched the carpet. Examination of the wire revealed (now charred remains of) electrical tape wrapped the point the wire had separated, which suggested it was the result of a previous 'repair'.

I've not had any spectacular light bulb blowings as far as I recall. Although the way the fail can sometimes be amusing, e.g. get brighter or buzz.

[EternalOptimist]

interesting, I did not know light bulbs have fuses.

Even then, when any of my bulbs blow it always hits the fuse in the 'box - a real pain that.

wrap the fuses in tinfoil, this prevents them from blowing and can save a lot of inconvenience. Keep a fire extinguisher handy though

[Spacecadet]

interesting, I did not know light bulbs have fuses.

Even then, when any of my bulbs blow it always hits the fuse in the 'box - a real pain that.

I thought the filament itself WAS the fuse

[MPwannadecentincome]

The most obvious thing is that it didn't have an internal fuse.

When a tungsten filament blows, an arc forms across the filament.

This can then form directly across the filament supports and can easily take 100s of amps.

Most lightbulbs have an internal fuse that blows when this happens.

The Tesco "atom bomb" specials plainly lack this feature.

All the glass fell out of the bayonet cap with bits all over the floor.

I was ever so impressed once I stopped swearing.

interesting, I did not know light bulbs have fuses.

Even then, when any of my bulbs blow it always hits the fuse in the 'box - a real pain that.