Whoa! Check out this link. I have heard several stores of CFLs self destructing with flames but most were caught and stopped in time. This is the first article I read where a CFL actually caused major fire damage. Scary!!!

I hope my Feit CFLs doesn't do that to my place. If there's any chance of that happening I will retire them.

Here is a Pur-Lite CFL that is a fire hazard.

Thank god we dont use CFL's.

We use a bunch of those 48" t12 fixtures in home!

i've had cfls burn out,but they went peacefully!

I poseted just not to long ago about the same thing, End of life protection in CFL. I keep a couple CFL one at night. Iv checked the Temperature of the CFL with a laser Thermometer. All of mine read about 110-120F Every couple of weeks I always do a temperature check on the CFL to maker sure there not over heating.

I've had a couple of CFLs myself that became so hot that the glass tube actually broke out of the base from too much heat after several years of use.  Scary! 

wow cfls arebecoming scary like metal-halide!

I know that a lot of people including my self get spooked when hearing a CFL burning down a house. I recently talked to a Sylvania Engineer support specialist he said  for his 20 years of working, hes never heard of a CFL from Sylvania burning down a house or any of the American made CFL including China made. But there has been melting of the plastic he said, from the old magnetic ballast from getting to hot. There could only be about one and one million chance of your CFL burning your house down. You also got to take inconsideration that the CFL plastic that they put on the CFL is  Fire proof, also its not the CFL really that could start the fire, more like the paper or wood that the CFL comes in contact with if ever did happen. There are things in people houses that has a higher chance of causing a fire that we don't pay attention to, For example Christmas tress with over 2000 lights loaded on a small 14 Gage wire extension wire. I just think in my opinion its nothing to get worked up about.

I think GEs CFLs are the safest ones. Most of the time they burn out peacefully. They don't last long sometimes, but at least they won't burn our homes... 

all my cfls were general electric,all died peacefully.

also around here its hard to find 6500 k cfl's most are 2700 k.

The very reason why most CFL internal ballast fail is the very one reason "Capacitor plague", or Capacitor bulging. Electrolyte Capacitors which is in a CFL sometimes has deformation of the capacitor's case from heat. When this happens its caused buy an incorrect electrolyte formula within a faulty capacitor and causes the plate on the top bulge up and release Hydrogen. When this happens it fails.

The very reason why most CFL internal ballast fail is the very one reason "Capacitor plague", or Capacitor bulging. Electrolyte Capacitors which is in a CFL sometimes has deformation of the capacitor's case from heat. When this happens its caused buy an incorrect electrolyte formula within a faulty capacitor and causes the plate on the top bulge up and release Hydrogen. When this happens it fails.

so does the capiciator failing cause the ballast to then overheat and die,or does a capicator fail and causes an open circuit?

Form109: The ballast makes the heat, causing the capacitor to fail like Nineaclock explained, which create an open circuit that often blow some semiconductors before the fuse. So the ballast is only good for the junkyard!

Quote from: Nineaclock on November 10, 2008, 06:43:59 PM

The very reason why most CFL internal ballast fail is the very one reason "Capacitor plague", or Capacitor bulging. Electrolyte Capacitors which is in a CFL sometimes has deformation of the capacitor's case from heat. When this happens its caused buy an incorrect electrolyte formula within a faulty capacitor and causes the plate on the top bulge up and release Hydrogen. When this happens it fails.

so does the capiciator failing cause the ballast to then overheat and die,or does a capicator fail and causes an open circuit?

The heat from the Lamp or tube, causes the ballast to get hot. As the electrode get hotter from decomposing of the electrode, it thus make the ballast get hotter and hotter. Alot of times when you see a CFL go out early its due to the faulty made capacitor, incorrect electrolyte formula. This formula is ionic conducting liquid. Which alot of times can leak or cause buldging from heat. It causes the capicator to not work anymore, it dosent necasary result in a open circuit but really just makes that one most important part of the CFL ballast to fail. That all that i know of. Hope that helps.