CFL troubles

the jesus · 01-10-08, 09:20

So today I am doing some cleaning in my grow area and taking cuttings and what not so I turned off my CFLs and pulled one out to make room for my little HPS. This is what I found. The bulb is loose from the mini ballast and there is brown all around the base. You can see in the pic the angle it is sitting at from getting loose.

I'm not risking it, off to buy new bulbs today, everyone keep any eye on your CFLs...

Hippie3 · 01-10-08, 09:23

how are you mounting/hanging those ?

the jesus · 01-10-08, 09:26

They're hanging upside down.

Hippie3 · 01-10-08, 09:33

i'd guess the heat is doing much of that damage then.
cfls should be up or horizontal

procell · 01-10-08, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by the jesus

I'm not risking it, off to buy new bulbs today, everyone keep any eye on your CFLs...

That was what I had mentioned before, most of these bulbs are meant to burn base down ONLY. Especially in a reflector situation the heat will collect around the plastic base and as you found out, melt it. ALso watch your T-8 connections as well . . . there was a little arcing after replacing a bulb and it went up quick.

the jesus · 01-10-08, 20:12

Yeah my grow area is so small that my plants are up against the walls, not really any way to get them horizontal. Oh well I got six months of constant use out of them, not bad for ten bucks.

growDaddy · 07-23-08, 13:03

I have seen that the cfls from China tend to come loose where the glass connects to the ballast. I put a shot of goop and it seems to hold it together and it has kept working on the 2 that have come apart on me.

Foster · 07-24-08, 18:02

Oh man that t-8 pic is scary. I run cfls horizontally with small alum hoods. They dont last nearly as long as the uprights in household lamps. But like you said well worth the price.

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01-10-08, 09:20	#1 (permalink)
the jesus mayor of boozeville Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,521	CFL troubles So today I am doing some cleaning in my grow area and taking cuttings and what not so I turned off my CFLs and pulled one out to make room for my little HPS. This is what I found. The bulb is loose from the mini ballast and there is brown all around the base. You can see in the pic the angle it is sitting at from getting loose. I'm not risking it, off to buy new bulbs today, everyone keep any eye on your CFLs... Attached Thumbnails __________________ No left turn unstoned newbie? - click here

01-10-08, 09:23	#2 (permalink)
Hippie3 Admin Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 35,341	how are you mounting/hanging those ? __________________ GROW SUPPLIES: www.Mycrotopia.com ------------Simply The Best------------ Namaste Temet Nosce

01-10-08, 09:26	#3 (permalink)
the jesus mayor of boozeville Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,521	They're hanging upside down. __________________ No left turn unstoned newbie? - click here

01-10-08, 09:33	#4 (permalink)
Hippie3 Admin Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 35,341	i'd guess the heat is doing much of that damage then. cfls should be up or horizontal __________________ GROW SUPPLIES: www.Mycrotopia.com ------------Simply The Best------------ Namaste Temet Nosce

01-10-08, 20:12	#6 (permalink)
the jesus mayor of boozeville Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,521	Yeah my grow area is so small that my plants are up against the walls, not really any way to get them horizontal. Oh well I got six months of constant use out of them, not bad for ten bucks. __________________ No left turn unstoned newbie? - click here

07-23-08, 13:03	#7 (permalink)
growDaddy What a long strange trip Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 107	I have seen that the cfls from China tend to come loose where the glass connects to the ballast. I put a shot of goop and it seems to hold it together and it has kept working on the 2 that have come apart on me. __________________ Proud member of THC (Texas Homegrown Community)

07-24-08, 18:02	#8 (permalink)
Foster jimisinit Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,082	Oh man that t-8 pic is scary. I run cfls horizontally with small alum hoods. They dont last nearly as long as the uprights in household lamps. But like you said well worth the price. __________________ peace

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