Faulty Bulb - Burnt carpet

makapo

Halogen bulbs sound dangerous. This is a post from a different forum

Halogen lamps do not have a vacuum inside. Indeed, in order to work in the way they are intended, the have to contain a halogen gas (or to be more precise, a mixture consisting largely of chemically inert gases and a small proportion of a halogen gas).

This is done to achieve a regenerative effect: in a bulb that uses a filament, Tungsten evaporates from the filament. In an incandescent bulb, this Tungsten is deposited on the glass walls of the bulb itself, causing a gradual darkening of the bulb and a reduction in the light output.

In a halogen bulb, the halogen gas reacts with the Tungsten deposits to form Tungsten halide. In turn, the intense heat generated by the filament causes the Tungsten halide to break down again, releasing Tungsten back to the filament.

This regenerative cycle prevents blackening and maintains a more or less equal light output over the lifetime of the bulb.

However, this process requires an intense heat of about 250 degrees centigrade. To achieve that, the bulbs are small and made of a thick, heat and pressure resistant glass. In addition, the gases inside the bulb are put under higher than normal pressure, which reduces the level of evaporation of the Tungsten filament.

However, contamination of the bulb, such as dirt on its surface, can cause stress in the glass because the intense heat will cause chemical reactions to take place between the bulb glass and salts or alkali in the dirt. These reactions weaken the glass.

This is why the advise is given never to touch halogen bulbs with your bare hands and to make sure they remain free of dirt.

In addition, there is always the risk of slight inconsistencies in the manufacturing process causing instabilities or subtle cracks in the glass for example because of a minor misalignment in the manufacturing process.

As a result, there is always a small risk of a halogen bulb exploding.

Also, if the bulb is placed in an unprotected circuit (for example in a short-circuit caused by a failure in the power supply), it can draw a current that is too high and cause heat to be generated beyond the design limits, causing the bulb to explode. That is why they should be protected by a fuse placed in series with the bulb.

Some manufacturers produce halogen lamps with the halogen bulb inside another glass container as a precaution.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/ot-off-topic-forums/36184-exploding-light-bulb.html

geezah

I've never been a big fan of halogen bulbs myself as they use a lot of energy, but as we have only just moved in to this house, replacing light fittings is something of a future job (now maybe sooner rather than later)

I have always replaced my own car light bulbs, so i'm fully aware that any dirt or debris (including a fingerprint) on a bulb glass can cause a burn or heat spot so I always handle halogen bulbs with an eye glasses cleaning cloth which is clean, grease/oil free and static free.

The fact that this bulb exploded and left part of itself in the light fitting tells me there was a defect within the bulb.
If this was a supplier part at work, i'd be asking for an 8D report, so I cant see why as a customer I shouldn't ask for the same.

Componsation for the the repaire/replacement of the damage is another discussion, getting the supplier to accept liability is my main concern.

Becles

geezah wrote: »

No I dont sleep on the floor, but the light holder (3 adjustable lamps) could have been positioned differently and caused harm.

But it wasn't positioned differently and it didn't cause any harm. Don't mention the "what if's" when you complain as it just detracts and from the actual problem.

If you get compensation, it will only be based on what actually happened, so just state the facts and explain clearly what happened, what the damage is and what you would like them to do to remedy the situation.

eyeinthesky

Hi, I had a light bulb explode on me a while ago, but it was a regular incandescent bulb, a golf ball bulb with small edison screw cap. The glass part just shot out, leaving the cap still screwed in, and although no damage or injury occurred, it gave us a shock. I must say that I have never had this happen before in all my 56 years, maybe production standards are slipping?

dacouch

If you have Accidental Damage Cover on your home insurance you might be able to cover (Without Accidental Damage Cover its unlikely to be covered). You will however have to pay your excess and your premium will increase, however if your Insurers do succeed in recovering the money (It could take a long time) you will receive your excess back and all or most of any increase in premium back

Debt_Free_Chick

In order to stand a chance of a claim against Morrisons or the manufacturer, you will need to prove that the bulb was defect and that the incident was not due to poor handling or fitting on your part. For example, you could have inadvertently damaged it transporting it from the store to home

pinkshoes

geezah wrote: »

The fact that this bulb exploded and left part of itself in the light fitting tells me there was a defect within the bulb.

Or... there was a "blip" in the power that caused the bulb to blow out.

(I say this as my mate had the same happen a couple of months ago due to their dodgy power supply, although they have tiled floors, so it was just a matter of sweeping the broken bits up!).

Are you 100% certain that it was the bulb that was faulty?

Tozer

Lets remember that the burden of proof is reversed so it is on Morrisons to prove that the item is not defective.

OP - have a look at Sale of Goods Act and the Consumer Protection Act. CPA will only cover liability for a limited amount as (fortunately) there was no injury. I seem to recall it being about £350 but it may have changed.

Heliflyguy

We have ceiling lights and cupboard lights with halogen bulbs and did have a little ikea desk lamp with a halogen bulb, they all have in common a clear glass cover to protect the bulbs and fingers.
If your bulb exploded and came out then I am guessing the light/bulb had no protective cover?

cleo1299

Becles wrote: »

But it wasn't positioned differently and it didn't cause any harm. Don't mention the "what if's" when you complain as it just detracts and from the actual problem.

If you get compensation, it will only be based on what actually happened, so just state the facts and explain clearly what happened, what the damage is and what you would like them to do to remedy the situation.

The "what if's" ought to be considered, though, in relation to the safety of the product. Maybe the whole batch should be recalled. Manufacturer or Trading Standards would be the people to contact about that. If the batch was recalled, the OP's case for the cost of repair of the carpet would be just about watertight.

OP, who was the manufacturer?