Fluorescent light bulb blew

[jared1]

Today a fluorescent bulb in my room "blew" which caused the circuit breaker to trip while the bulb did not physically shatter. Afterwards, when I try to turn the bulb on, it no longer works. Since I am aware that fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, is it still a hazard even though the bulb did not physically shatter(it only made a loud bang). What do you people think caused this problem?

 

[jtr1962]

It sounds like an electrolytic capacitor blew up. As long as the glass tube isn't physically broken, you don't have to worry about mercury.

 

[Norm]

Moved to Fixed Lighting - Norm

 

[Steve K]

any chance that you could open the base of the light and see what the electronics looks like?

I did this for a CFL that died recently, and it was interesting to see that a transistor overheated and desoldered itself from the circuit board. The photos from the autopsy are here.

A small hacksaw was all I needed to cut open the plastic base. Not hard, but you will want to handle the light carefully so as not to break the glass tube.

regards,
Steve K.

 

[purduephotog]

any chance that you could open the base of the light and see what the electronics looks like?

I did this for a CFL that died recently, and it was interesting to see that a transistor overheated and desoldered itself from the circuit board. The photos from the autopsy are here.

A small hacksaw was all I needed to cut open the plastic base. Not hard, but you will want to handle the light carefully so as not to break the glass tube.

regards,
Steve K.

I disagree- just take the thing to Home Depot, in a plastic bag, and stuff it in their recycle bin. If you know when you bought it and where, you can try and get it replaced- but it's really just not worth the hassle- or the exposure.

 

[Ken_McE]

What do you people think caused this problem?

The ballast blew. If the ballast is separate from the bulb then just put in a new one. If not, replace the whole thing.

 

[Mark620]

if you like the fixture replace the ballast and bulb...
(yes, the ballast took the bulb with it...usually)
otherwise trash the whole thing.

 

[ferratilis]

There is not much to blow in a florescent bulb. It is just a glass tube filled with gas.
Most likely it it the ballast that blew.
The big florescent lights have the ballast separate, and the small squiggly ones have the ballast attached to the base.

 

[jrmcferren]

I'd wager a capacitor as well. I doubt that it was the electrolytic though, probably a ceramic cap on the pcb like another one that I had pop. There is probably a cap across the line and that may have failed. If that electrolytic popped you would have had steam coming out of the ballast.