quote:

Um, they started doing the CFLs that look like regular bulbs probably 15 or 20 years ago.

20 years ago, I was still living in Japan. And 15 years ago, I was finishing my PhD....

That's my defense and I'm sticking to it!

Double check all your bulbs.

Not many CFLs are dimmable. You can see the warning on your burned out CFL in the first pic.

Some LEDs are dimmable, but not all of them.

From an earlier post of yours (with the photos):

quote:

This is the kind of bulbs I bought to replace them, notice that the bulb no longer has that plastic part above the metal base

You can't tell by looking at whether there's plastic or not to determine if it's a CFL or LED. That's just how Philips made that G25 type bulb.

Here's one from Feit that has plastic:



https://www.lowes.com/pd/Feit-...lb-3-Pack/1002464300

Looking at the wattage and/or other info printed on the bulb base will help you determine which type it is, if you don't have the original packaging. CFLs are also marked with Hg, as they contain small amounts of mercury.

Wait, so why are we talking about dimming now? Did I miss something?

quote:

Double check all your bulbs.

Just so I'm clear, you mean, check them all in order to swap out any CFLs, right?

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You can't tell by looking at whether there's plastic or not to determine if it's a CFL or LED.

I wrote that before I realized this was a CFL. I thought it was an LED, so I thought it was an older model or something. In any case, as I said, when I buy bulbs, I go by the label on the box rather than by looking at the bulb itself. (Which may be another reason I didn't realize that CFLs have all those shapes.)

I asked about dimmer switches because you said this:

quote:

Whenever I buy bulbs, I always buy ones that say "LED" on the box, so any bulb I've replaced is an LED.

And I subsequently noted this:

quote:

Not many CFLs are dimmable.

Some LEDs are dimmable, but not all of them.

I thought you might have other CFLs in the house that aren't corkscrew style and you didn't realize they are CFLs, so you didn't replace them yet.

And I didn't know if you knew that not all LEDs are dimmable. For instance, those Philips G25 globes you bought for the bathroom don't clearly say dimmable on the front of the package. Most of the packaging I've seen for dimmable bulbs note that up front. If they're not, they hide that in the fine print on the back.

As far as the plastic is concerned, you noted that there is no plastic on the LED G25 globes you bought, and I thought you were noting the absence of plastic as a way to differentiate CFLs from LEDs. That's why I posted an example of the LED G25 globe from Feit that has plastic.

thanks for the confirmations! Between the online format and the simul-posting, it's easy to get confussed.

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I thought you might have other CFLs in the house that aren't corkscrew style and you didn't realize they are CFLs, and you might want to replace them with LEDs.

Yes and yes, I didn't realize a cfl could be a regular shape, so I definitely want to go through and check.

Re dimming, I always assume a bulb isn't dimmable if it doesn't say dimmable on the package.

But, coming into this rental has been challenging, particularly bc the owners, who were the previous tenants, were not super conscientious in a variety of ways. So obviously, I can't make any assumptions about the light bulbs they left behind!

So my question might have gotten lost...

Given that this was a CFL, is it possible that it's not the socket but the light bulb itself?

I think WTG, you suggested we try a new bulb in the socket, but is that safe if the socket did short out?

If it were my fixture, I would grab any new LED bulb and screw it into the socket in question, with the wall switch off. Turn on the wall switch and see what happens. Turning the switch off will cut the power immediately if you notice any anomalies.

I would be very surprised if your fixture is the problem. To me, everything points to the CFL, which is probably older than I am dirt.

eta: But if you're at all nervous, see if anyone else (paging Steve Miller or Big Al) weighs in with an opinion before doing the bulb test.

WTG, thanks! I'll ask Mr. SK what he thinks, and hopefully someone else will chime in as well.

I’d change out the bulb and see if that fixes the problem. Is the replacement bulb doesn’t work then the socket will have to be replaced.

Either way it’s very unlikely to cause a fire, and leaving it turned off at the switch will eliminate any possibility of it.

Thanks Steve!

Maybe we’ll check it after I get home from work. I’ll write an update!

I'm having a similar problem in my office. Two of the overhead cans seem to burn out LEDs in a matter of a month or two. I suspect I'll need an electrician to address this.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I'm having a similar problem in my office. Two of the overhead cans seem to burn out LEDs in a matter of a month or two. I suspect I'll need an electrician to address this.

It may be an overheating problem, particularly if the cans are insulated as they may be and the LED bulbs are reflector types such as are often used in cans. The larger lamps restrict air flow and the insulation tends to retain the heat the lamp generates within the can.

Big Al

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:
I’d change out the bulb and see if that fixes the problem. Is the replacement bulb doesn’t work then the socket will have to be replaced.

Either way it’s very unlikely to cause a fire, and leaving it turned off at the switch will eliminate any possibility of it.

I agree with Steve.

Big Al

quote:

Originally posted by big al:

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I'm having a similar problem in my office. Two of the overhead cans seem to burn out LEDs in a matter of a month or two. I suspect I'll need an electrician to address this.

It may be an overheating problem, particularly if the cans are insulated as they may be and the LED bulbs are reflector types such as are often used in cans. The larger lamps restrict air flow and the insulation tends to retain the heat the lamp generates within the can.

Big Al

Thanks, that's probably the right answer. I guess the LEDs are more sensitive to that sort of temperature change than the incandescents, which didn't have a problem there.