Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #1 on: August 01, 2022, 09:01:18 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
Some things that can cause fluorescent tubes to explode include running them without ballasts, overdriving them  on incompatible ballasts, and running them on HID ballasts in most cases because HID lamps typically run at a much higher current than fluorescent tubes do.
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Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #2 on: August 02, 2022, 02:39:48 AM » Author: AngryHorse
Apart from dropping them on the floor I’ve never heard of any fluorescent tube explosion while in service???
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	Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #4 on: August 02, 2022, 12:56:15 PM » Author: AngryHorse
I’d say more ‘imploded’?, as tube’s are mostly 90% vacuum?
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Current: UK 230V, 50Hz
Power provider: e.on energy
Street lighting in our town: Philips UniStreet LED (gen 1)
Longest serving LED in service at home, (hour count): Energetic mini clear globe: 57,746 hrs @ 15/12/24

Welcome to OBLIVION

	Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #6 on: August 03, 2022, 01:06:12 AM » Author: Medved
Quote from: AngryHorse on August 02, 2022, 12:56:15 PM I’d say more ‘imploded’?, as tube’s are mostly 90% vacuum? Well, when an event causes somethin g to disintegrate and pieces ending flying apart, people use to call that an "explosion". Even when the cause was actually an implosion here...
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No more selfballasted c***

	Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #7 on: August 17, 2022, 02:36:52 AM » Author: bulb_tester2009
In fact, in China, the probability of implosion of fluorescent lamps is almost zero. I think most of it has to do with the electrical characteristics of the lamp and its use. For example, using the wrong ballast causes the fluorescent tube temperature to be too high. Of course, in most cases, the cause of the lamp burst is still the impact.
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I've been collecting light bulbs since I was 2 years old and I've been collecting them ever since.
 
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Bulb base in China:E12(CES) E14(SES) B22d(BC) E27(ES) E40(GES)

	Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #8 on: August 17, 2022, 04:20:51 PM » Author: Medved
When it implodes "on its own" (means no external cause like shock or bad ballast), it is practically always linked to a preexisting manufacturing defect (a partial crack in the glass,...), which then triggers the implosion afer a few, even rather normal, power/thermal cycles. It is true most of these end up rather peacefuly as a vacuum loss, but mainly with bigger tubes (longer, so heavier but hanging at the same end assemblies,...) it sometimes lead to the tube shattering into pieces...
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No more selfballasted c***

	Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #9 on: August 18, 2022, 07:58:09 PM » Author: 108CAM
Mostly it's caused by running the tube without a ballast or with the wrong ballast. When a tube is dropped, sometimes the glass can be sprayed depending on how much vacuum is inside the tube. For example, an F4T5 wouldn't spray glass very far due to the small size but on the other hand, something like an F96T17 or F125T12 has a much higher potential to spray glass if it was to break because of the larger vacuum that longer tubes have.
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Fluro starter pings combined with a 50hz ballast hum and blinking tubes is music to my ears.

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Total incidents since joining LG: 18
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	Re: exploding fluorescent tubes « Reply #10 on: September 12, 2022, 09:12:55 PM » Author: BlitzBiker2001
A couple of months ago we did an LED retrofit of some 4' wraparound fixtures above a stage. The lights hadn't been touched since the building was built in 2005, so we pulled out some gnarly failed lamps. They were all Philips lamps dated August 2004. This one particular lamp (which I've posted on my gallery before) had such a violent EOL that it blew a hole in the side of the lamp, and the glass was laying inside the fixture when we took it down. The rest of the filament broke off when we took the tube out. By far the most destroyed lamp I've seen that wasn't completely shattered.
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Exit signs, emergency lights, fluorescent tubes, NEMA heads.