Anyone have a light bulb blow up?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of light bulbs exploding, particularly focusing on incandescent and halogen bulbs. Participants share personal experiences, hypotheses about causes, and technical insights regarding bulb failures, including thermal stress and electrical issues.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that a short circuit inside the bulb or housing could lead to explosions, particularly in incandescent bulbs.
  • Others propose that overheating due to inadequate cooling in fixtures may contribute to bulb failures, especially with incandescent bulbs.
  • There are mentions of thermal shock as a potential cause, such as water or shaving cream contacting a hot bulb.
  • Some participants discuss the possibility of contamination on halogen bulbs leading to explosions due to thermal expansion differences.
  • One participant describes a scenario where a bulb exploded due to a filament burnout, while others note that this typically results in a flash rather than an explosion.
  • There is speculation about the behavior of the filament as it evaporates and whether it could create an arc that leads to bulb failure.
  • Some participants express concerns about the quality of cheaper light bulbs, suggesting they may have shorter lifespans and higher failure rates.
  • Discussion includes the differences in failure modes between incandescent and LED bulbs, with some noting that LED bulbs typically run cooler and are less likely to explode.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the exact causes of light bulb explosions, with multiple competing views and hypotheses presented throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include varying definitions of failure modes, assumptions about bulb types, and the influence of installation conditions on bulb performance.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in electrical engineering, lighting technology, or those experiencing issues with light bulb failures may find this discussion relevant.

  • #31
Greg Bernhardt said:
Was shaving just now and one of my mirror wall light bulbs blew up. Luckily it's encased in the light fixture with an opening at the top so it was contained a bit, but some glass blew up through the top and rained on me. The glass was very hot, so I'm guess it wasn't LED.

Were you using an electric shaver? Sometimes the right frequency can create resonance and break glass. It happened to me once when using an ultrasonic cleaner - quite spectacular!
 

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