House almost caught fire!!

[mtbazz]

Last night around nine I was doing some things around the house and had several lights on, one of them in the hallway. Not even five minutes after turning this light on I smelled something burning, and walk down the hall to find smoke literally pouring from the fixture. I cut the power, and removed the fixture (parts of which were almost to hot to touch and found scorching on the drywall where the fixture was mounted, and charring on the fixture itself.

Im really not sure what happened. The fixture says to use 25 watt bulbs max. Two of the bulbs were the GE Naturals 40 watt bulbs, and one was a 25 watt standard bulb. Im guessing that having the 40 watt bulbs in there may have contributed to this, but they have been in there for the better part of a year.

It was pretty scary and led to somewhat of a sleepless night.

I consider myself to be a pretty cautious person (to the point of it being OCD), whenever I leave the house I make sure appliances are unplugged, stove is off, etc...but this happened in less than 5 minutes...If I had been outside or in the basement when this happened I have no doubts it would have escalated into something much more severe.

 

[IamAdirtyGirl]

Wow mt, close call. Glad you caught it in time!

 

[mtbazz]

Yep. Ive got a closet full of blueberry also, so if I would have had to call the fire dept. I would have been toast.

Ive always told myself that Im much to careful for anything like this to happen, a delusional way of thinking I know. This will probably be my last indoor grow...

 

[IamAdirtyGirl]

Awwwww - or find an understanding electrician to come in and take a look. I bet the fire department would have been high!!!

 

[mtbazz]

Yep....first order of business is to get somewhat out to take a look just to be sure there arent any other issues. I have other work for him to so that can kill to birds with one stone, I will make damn sure not to buy a cheap ass fixture this time.

On my way home from work tonight I am also buying some fire extinguishers and more smoke detectors.

 

[Cookie monster]

Definitely pick up a few detectors and some extinguishers, they saved my place from going up in flames a few years ago..money well spent.

Glad to hear your ok and you caught it in time

 

[Guywithoutajeep]

fire extinguisher!! it could save the day.

My apartment complex is psycho about smoke detectors. There coming over today just to make sure that everyones works and is put in the right spot. I'd mind the maintenance dude coming over every 3-6 months, but they can't go into my grow room as long as my doggie is in there.

 

[OrganicMonkey]

I wouldn't go outside of 5 Watts outside of the safety limit, unless it's a very tiny wattage socket then none at all.

 

[sparkjumper]

The lampholders were rated for 25 watts and you were using 40 watt lamps in there?Thwe problem seems pretty obvious bro these things can work for months or the better part of a year but you cant overrate these lampholders.You can use a 60 watt lamp in a lampholder rated for 75 watts but it wont work the other way around.And always use nameplate amperage rating when sizing conductors dont use wattage or ohms law.Thats what nameplate rating is for

 

[Miss Blunted]

Holy shit, glad you were home. I leave lights on when I'm gone for my cats and security reasons. Close call, glad you are okay.

 

[MoldyFrogToe]

That sucks, glad it wasnt worse, youd think a breaker would trip from that

 

[Frozenguy]

Close call man, glad you were there to catch it. Lesson learned, listen to the manufacturers warnings, the built it! They tested it!

Gald you're alright, it's never nice to hear of someone or their growing going down in flames.

 

[Holdin']

I had a scare last year. Don't let your girlfriend tell you it's okay to use a PLASTIC coffee can for an outdoor ashtray.

 

[kmk420kali]

With the damage seen, especially in pic 2...I would be wondering why my breaker didn't flip!!!

 

[guest2012y]

This stuff's always on my mind. I've seen Things burst into flame right in front of me. Mostly the top-o-the line shit they sell you. Electrical wiring faults from shoddy manufacturing by the stoned cat who wired the stuff. ALWAYS have a fire extinguisher in your room!

 

[The Wang]

make sure you have a fire extinguisher ALWAYS

 

[Ripshot]

I had a scare last year. Don't let your girlfriend tell you it's okay to use a PLASTIC coffee can for an outdoor ashtray.

as if you blame this on your girlfriend.

 

[SuperSizeMe]

With the damage seen, especially in pic 2...I would be wondering why my breaker didn't flip!!!

He's got no ground-wire man... *best Ringo voice*


You're a lucky man, my friend.

 

[tokemaster]

With the damage seen, especially in pic 2...I would be wondering why my breaker didn't flip!!!

the breaker didn't trip because there was no short in the circuit...if the insulation or the socket had melted to the point of the two conductors touching...then you would have had a breaker trip

He's got no ground-wire man

there's a ground in the box...probably wasn't connected...but it is in the box

 

[SuperSizeMe]

the breaker didn't trip because there was no short in the circuit...if the insulation or the socket had melted to the point of the two conductors touching...then you would have had a breaker trip

there's a ground in the box...probably wasn't connected...but it is in the box

Yeah...I just took for granted that everyone knows what a ground looks like, and the fact it wasn't intact on his unit.

Silly me