My basement ceiling has around 20 recessed “flood lights.” A few years ago I switched them all over to CFL. Pretty expensive, but I figured they would last much longer.
The other day, one started to flicker. Then, I heard a loud noise and one of our cats jumped and screamed. Apparently a piece of the glass just shot out and shattered on the floor. Looked at the bulb and there is a big hole in it.
I have the package and receipt. It was one of those things that says it has a “7 year warranty”- based on 3 hrs per day. I may use it a little more than that, but not much. It lasted 1 year and 9 mos. The cost of a replacement 2-pack is about 5 bucks now. I didn’t have to buy any because I had some extras.
Should I be concerned about what happened?
Should I attempt to make a “warranty” claim? Or is that a lot of hassle for a potential couple bucks?
Back when they first came out and were much more expensive (closer to 10 dollars) I replaced one or two under warranty. Honestly, I don’t think a CFL has ever lasted as long as it’s supposed to. I replaced it, not so much because of it burning out early, but because there were scorch marks on the base (where the glass meets the plastic) and I wanted to call their attention to it. As I recall, I just emailed them and they sent me a coupon for a few dollars off a new one.
You might just start by sending them an email to let them know what happened, let them know that you can send them a picture of the bulb and reciept if they need it and they’ll probably just send you coupon.
It’ll probably just be a coupon for $5 off any [Brand] product, so you might be able to put it toward an LED bulb, since, depending on the situation, it’s starting to be time to switch over to those.
warranty terms on low cost items usually require you to pay the shipping cost to return the item which would be more than the cost of a new replacement.
after you run out of spares then as you need to replace then switch to LED.
I’ve had a standard CFL bulb “explode” once. Ceiling lamp above my little office area, electric fan on the floor, and a can of Dust-Off. I had just dusted out a keyboard and figure that the fan blew the very cold air up toward the lamp, which cracked then shattered the next time I turned it on.
CFLs can have problems with heat buildup. Unlike an incandescent bulb the heat is concentrated in the base of the bulb. It can be a problem in certain fixtures.
The refund is not what I would worry about. With postage it’s a breakeven event and a loss if time is considered.
I’ve already had 3 of these things burn out in what I consider a disturbing manner. They didn’t catch fire externally but there was smoke and noise as they went down. Snopes says this is normal:
John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager at Underwriters Laboratories (UL), said about how CFLs expire: “People expect to see the bright flash and to hear the popping like a traditional incandescent bulb, but the burn out of a CFL is different. The light dims over time and might produce a more dramatic pop, emit a distinct odor, and maybe even release some smoke.”
National Geographic’s Green Guide says of CFLs: “Bulbs burn out when the ballast overheats and an electronic component, the Voltage Dependent Resistor (VDR), opens up like a fuse in your home’s fuse box, shutting off the circuit and generating heat and possibly a small amount of smoke. This might sound dangerous, but the VDR is a cut-off switch that prevents any hazards. The melted plastic you’re seeing where the glass coil connects to the ballast is simply a sign that the heat is escaping as intended in the design of the bulb.”
Still doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies. All the fixtures I have them in are enclosed or the bulbs are pointed down so dust/lint can’t get in. They make electrical buzzing sounds and smoke in a dramatic way even if it’s the way they’re suppose to safely die.
I’m switching to LED as my lights go. I never had any luck with CFLs in my house. Most of the time they last the same as incandescents at best, and often not as long. I like the light quality of LEDs much better as well. To my eye, the 60 watt equivalents seem a little brighter than 60 watt incandescents, and they are far cooler.
Well, don’t tell the bulb company the cat part because they will know what really happened.
Cats are fast. Real fast. What really happened is the bulb started to flicker (as you described) and that really ticked off the cat. The cat had a real beef to settle with that bulb. So it jumped up (as you described), and with a swift samurai flick of its claws chopped a hole in that bulb. You also mentioned that you heard the cat’s kaia.
Bulb manufacturers don’t replace bulbs that have been cat-destroyed.