Self-destructing fluorescent

[Mr Gear]

Hi,

Please see pic... Never seen a fluorescent tube do this before, any idea what happened (apart from the obvious "it got hot"!!) ?

The fittings (2 in total) have been under the kitchen cupboards for at least the last 6-7 years I've been living here, never had a problem with them until now.

Only found this when it didn't switch on last night - we've noticed no smell or smoke. Bit worrying as we'd often leave these on when we were out.

They'll need replacing, and I'm aware that in a kitchen I'll need to get a professional in (protected area / part p ?), but also wanted to just enquire about the existing cabling I've looked at for the first time...

Currently, they each have some 1 or 1.5mm twin & earth exiting the wall and running into a length of mini trunking along the bottom of the cupboards in which they join onto a flex with a standard figure 8 plug on the end, which obviously connects into the light. Both are switched from a normal switch near the door and are on the lighting circuit.

Is that practise ok? Or should there be something like a fused flex outlet involved somewhere for each light (whether that would have made a difference to this outcome?)

Due to lack of space and therefore the aesthetics/visibility of such an outlet I can see why an easier / neater option would have been taken originally.... but is that ok?

Thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

The wiring is completely normal as you describe it.

The wiring is protected by the fuse in the consumer unit so an additional FCU is not necessary.

Kitchens are no longer a "special" location so you can do the electrical work in there, even when it was a special location you would have been allowed to carry out maintenance/replacement.

The lamp probably failed because the lamp, or the starter, are old and tired. The lamp has failed to strike properly and heated at one end - the blackening at the ends are a giveaway.

Just buy a couple of complete new fittings. They are only a tenner or so.
You could install another pair of florries, or go modern and fit LED lights - they'll last much longer!

 

[winston1]

Hi,

Please see pic... Never seen a fluorescent tube do this before, any idea what happened (apart from the obvious "it got hot"!!) ?

The fittings (2 in total) have been under the kitchen cupboards for at least the last 6-7 years I've been living here, never had a problem with them until now.

Only found this when it didn't switch on last night - we've noticed no smell or smoke. Bit worrying as we'd often leave these on when we were out.

They'll need replacing, and I'm aware that in a kitchen I'll need to get a professional in (protected area / part p ?), but also wanted to just enquire about the existing cabling I've looked at for the first time...

Currently, they each have some 1 or 1.5mm twin & earth exiting the wall and running into a length of mini trunking along the bottom of the cupboards in which they join onto a flex with a standard figure 8 plug on the end, which obviously connects into the light. Both are switched from a normal switch near the door and are on the lighting circuit.

Is that practise ok? Or should there be something like a fused flex outlet involved somewhere for each light (whether that would have made a difference to this outcome?)

Due to lack of space and therefore the aesthetics/visibility of such an outlet I can see why an easier / neater option would have been taken originally.... but is that ok?

Thanks

You don't used fused connection units on the lighting circuit. I would use a small junction box under the cabinet to go from T&E to 2 core flex.

 

[RF Lighting]

Just get some replacement tubes. 8W T5's always burn out like that.

 

[Mr Gear]

Just get some replacement tubes. 8W T5's always burn out like that.

Really?
Blimey, I don't like that, not if its going to destroy the fitting every time!

Thanks for the replies, good to hear that I can tackle the replacements myself, didn't know that, and that the way they are connected is also ok (though a small junction box may be a good alternative).

Perhaps time for LEDs - if I can find some 'warm' enough, match the rest of the kitchen lighting..... took me ages to find some decently priced GU10's that ticked all the right boxes (usually too 'cold', wrong colour or design for the fittings, or just too expensive!)

 

[flameport]

not if its going to destroy the fitting every time!

That damage may not have happened all this time - tubes like that get hot at the ends even when working normally.

 

[RF Lighting]

Stick with the original fittings. They're not going to get any worse.

 

[Mr Gear]

Stick with the original fittings. They're not going to get any worse.

Not a chance that can happen.... My wife has seen it!

 

[333rocky333]

Stick with the original fittings. They're not going to get any worse.

you surprise me saying that RF,
As you say proberly wont get worse, but look a bit rough

A couple of years ago I see similar on a 5ft dustproof fitting where the lamp had got so hot at the end ( possibly due to failed starter) it had melted the plastic cover, this in turn dripped and set fire to a carboard box full of chickens and gutted the walk in freezer
This i assume was in about minus 10 degrees

 

[Steve]

Stick with the original fittings. They're not going to get any worse.

you surprise me saying that RF,
As you say proberly wont get worse, but look a bit rough

A couple of years ago I see similar on a 5ft dustproof fitting where the lamp had got so hot at the end ( possibly due to failed starter) it had melted the plastic cover, this in turn dripped and set fire to a carboard box full of chickens and gutted the walk in freezer
This i assume was in about minus 10 degrees

1. Hope you fitted a sensor or door switch.
2. Fridges operate at 1-5 degrees. Freezers at minus 18-22. Hope you told them their temperatures were wrong.

 

[ekmdgrf]

1. Hope you fitted a sensor or door switch.
2. Fridges operate at 1-5 degrees. Freezers at minus 18-22. Hope you told them their temperatures were wrong.

I've seen quite a few freezers that operate around -80C.

 

[Steve]

1. Hope you fitted a sensor or door switch.
2. Fridges operate at 1-5 degrees. Freezers at minus 18-22. Hope you told them their temperatures were wrong.

I've seen quite a few freezers that operate around -80C.

Not ones that contain chickens, you haven't.

 

[Adam_151]

Depends how quickly you want to freeze the chicken

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is that a euphemism?