A light bulb just exploded in my office. Why do bulbs explode here but not in the USA?

[DudleySquat]

4 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Wow! Just wow.

 

And I thought there was some artistic licence involved!

 

Did the bulb come from IKEA too??

 

I bought the Philips bulbs from Lazada. 

 

 

[DudleySquat]

I have had bulbs burn out when I turn them on. I have never had a bulb explode.  It was loud and I immediately closed my eyes for protection.  I felt projectiles hit me.  I was at ground zero. I had glass all around me and I was not wearing shoes.  My first priority was to protect my feet.  It's good that I have a real vacuum. 

 

 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, DudleySquat said:

I bought the Philips bulbs from Lazada. 

 

Bummer, I thought you might be able to get a replacement lamp out of IKEA.

 

Do you still have the bulb packaging? Philips may be interested (or may not but an email to their customer service dept. costs nothing).

[DudleySquat]

Just now, Crossy said:

 

Bummer, I thought you might be able to get a replacement lamp out of IKEA.

 

Do you still have the bulb packaging? Philips may be interested (or may not but an email to their customer service dept. costs nothing).

Yes, I still have six bulbs.  Ikea did nothing wrong.  This was the bulb 100 percent. 

 

People all makeup reasons.  It's too hot.  Nonsense. 

 

I had AC on and I hadn't used the lamp since the night before. 

[DudleySquat]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Bummer, I thought you might be able to get a replacement lamp out of IKEA.

The lamp is still usable.  I will from now on turn on the lamp but turn my head first. 

 

My son has an older version of this lamp in his bedroom.  I use it for my office.  

 

I don't like LED or Fluorescent lights. They make me super tired. 

 

I want natural light.  

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, DudleySquat said:

Don't forget "Lions and Tigers and Bears" too. 

 

This was not a small explosion.  That black plastic is hard.  The white plastic was thin, but this bulb exploded and look at the hole it made.

Just wondering - are you one of those people who are accident-prone? I once knew a guy who was so mechanically inept, it ended in tears quite a few times.

 

One occasion I remember was getting into an elevator on the seventh floor. He was holding the keys to his car, which was going to take us to the airport.

He dropped the keys, and they went into the gap between the floor and the lift. I swear the keys never touched the sides.

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, DudleySquat said:

This was the bulb 100 percent. 

 

Hence my suggestion to contact Philips with your photos and a photo of the bulb packaging.

[DudleySquat]

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, DudleySquat said:

The lamp is still usable.  I will from now on turn on the lamp but turn my head first. 

 

My son has an older version of this lamp in his bedroom.  I use it for my office.  

 

I don't like LED or Fluorescent lights. They make me super tired. 

 

I want natural light.  

Since when is light from an incandescent bulb natural? It's the end product of a complex manufacturing process.

If you want natural light, wait for sunrise.

[Furioso]

46 minutes ago, DudleySquat said:

 This specific model is known as "Ikea Death Ray Lamp"

[Furioso]

32 minutes ago, DudleySquat said:

This specific model of light bulbs are known as "Philips Death Ray Bulbs"

Edited April 27, 2023 by Furioso
I made a typo, therefore I had to edit this post. I deeply apologize for any convenience I may have caused.

[Furioso]

A very possible cause for this accident would be sweat or oil on the light bulb from fingers when handled. Over time the sweat/oil would harden over a good portion of the bulb, causing it to overheat and explode.

In the future it would be a good idea to use gloves when installing the light bulb. 

[degrub]

Maybe there was an insulator contamination, possibly water, or a mechanical insulator failure that resulted in a short. There would have been minimal resistance to the full current that the supply circuit could provide. So instead of milliamps, amps of current. The heating would have caused the insulator block to explode. 
 

Was only the screw base left ?

Were any parts of the insulator block, the part where the filament supports/leads are set in,  present after the explosion ?

 

Any chance moisture, either condensation or spill/spray could have reached the bulb at any time ?

 

 

I would definitely get on touch with Philips to report  a suspected manufacture flaw.  you will need to get the report past the first level customer support somehow. They will want to know the lot and factory code, maybe on the base or the box.

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by degrub

[lopburi3]

As someone who made tungsten filaments for Sylvania for several years in USA would never equate them with natural light.  But as to blowout have had happen several times in my 80 years; so yes it can happen.  And have had issues with lamps made in India.

 

As for Phillips they make almost nothing but medical supplies anymore - even there lights marked Phillips are made by Signify N.V., a spin off established 7 years ago.  

 

[dingdongrb]

5 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

As for Phillips they make almost nothing but medical supplies anymore - even there lights marked Phillips are made by Signify N.V., a spin off established 7 years ago.  

For many decades companies have used the design/manufacturing of others and slapping their label on it. Honeywell used to slap their name on fire alarm systems made by Autocall way back in the 70s. And when LED lights were just coming out many companies were buying Lamina lights and slapping their name on it. Sylvania was one of those many.

[anterian]

It only happens in Asia because incandescent bulbs are no longer sold in Europe. Incandescent bulbs are either nitrogen filled or vacuum, vacuum ones are more prone to thermal shock. 

[Madgee]

1 hour ago, DudleySquat said:

It's good that I have a real vacuum.

Oh Dud .......
Be careful, be very, very careful!
 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, Furioso said:

A very possible cause for this accident would be sweat or oil on the light bulb from fingers when handled. Over time the sweat/oil would harden over a good portion of the bulb, causing it to overheat and explode.

In the future it would be a good idea to use gloves when installing the light bulb. 

You are confusing the damage that oils and grease do to quartz envelopes used in Halogen bulbs with common glass bulbs.

There is no damage done to glass bulbs by handling them, this data from using thousands of incandescent bulbs for decades. 
The exploding bulb is a freak accident or a manufacturing defect. It is certainly worth checking the other bulbs bought at the same time in case it’s a defect in the production line.

 

You are, of course able to use clean room protocols if you so desire. Others will continue as we have done in the past

[The Fugitive]

22 hours ago, DudleySquat said:

I abhor LED lights.  

I like incandescent lighting. 

Agree! LED are supposed to last much longer too. But in my experience both LED bulbs and tubes fail very quickly. 

[sometimewoodworker]

10 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Agree! LED are supposed to last much longer too. But in my experience both LED bulbs and tubes fail very quickly. 

The failures are from over driving the LEDs under driven they last longer than the advertised life 

[DudleySquat]

37 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It is certainly worth checking the other bulbs bought at the same time in case it’s a defect in the production line.

You are exactly right. They should be replaced. 

 

[DudleySquat]

2 hours ago, degrub said:

Was only the screw base left ?

Nothing but the bulb base, which was screwed into the lamp.  I had to remove it with needle nose pliers. 

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, DudleySquat said:

People all makeup reasons.  It's too hot.  Nonsense. 

Just like people make up that this happens all over Asia but never in the US.

[DudleySquat]

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

Just like people make up that this happens all over Asia but never in the US.

Are you insinuating that I am a liar?

[josephbloggs]

13 minutes ago, DudleySquat said:

Are you insinuating that I am a liar?

Wow, sensitive much? Of course you are not a liar - your lightbulb exploded. Happy?

As people have explained there can be several reasons for this to happen, and being in Asia isn't one of them. I have lived here 28 years and have never had one explode. It is a rare thing to happen but it happens in the good old US of A too, with just as much - or just as little - frequency it seems. It is nothing to do with geography. But because it never happed to you there but happened to you here your conclusion is that it happens all over Asia but not in America.  Seems like confirmation bias to me.

I read your other posts that tiles in Thailand bathroom tiles are installed by "idiots" (meaning Thais), Bangkok bank doesn't want foreigners (means you have a chip on your shoulder there), foreign builds are better etc etc. Just my observation that maybe Asia isn't for you and maybe you would be happier back in the west. At least you should chill out a bit and not be so aggressive in your replies to people.

Edited April 27, 2023 by josephbloggs

[DudleySquat]

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

(means you have a chip on your shoulder there)

Prove this statement. 

 

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Just my observation that maybe Asia isn't for you

I think you confused me with someone who asked for your opinion. 

[DudleySquat]

9 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

At least you should chill out a bit and not be so aggressive in your replies to people.

Are we a bit sensitive, much? Boo hoo.  Do you feel better now?

Edited April 27, 2023 by DudleySquat

[transam]

20 hours ago, DudleySquat said:

Philips 60-watt clear bulb. 

Try updating your lighting, cheaper to run too.............

[DudleySquat]

Just now, transam said:

Try updating your lighting, cheaper to run too.............

It doesn't surprise me that you paid no attention to the several times I said I prefer incandescent lighting. 

 

 

[transam]

20 hours ago, Woof999 said:

A 60w bulb in a floor lamp is something from decades ago. Is it incandescent, halogen, or is it LED and 60W is the equivalent incandescent wattage (making it more like 9 watts or so)?

 

Get an energy efficient bulb in there. If the bulb is enclosed then buy an expensive one (that can stand heat), if not fully enclosed then just any LED bulb. 12W max I would think.

 

EDIT: Just read from the poll that it's incandescent. Those things are something like 2% efficient. So 98% of the 60W of energy is transformed to heat. Add in an unusually high temperature and many bulbs will struggle.

Well, the OP does have slippery bathroom tiles too, he is an accident waiting to happen............????