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Warning: Shattered Glass - CFL (PAR38 Replacments)

G

GB

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have purchased several CFLs sold originally at Costco under the brand Techna Bright but made or
distributed by TCP (Technical Consumer Products) to replace some PAR38 floodlights in my house the
model # is EDXR-38-16.

These were installed in recessed ceiling fixtures designed to handle up to 60 Watt PAR38 lamps. I
replaced many with the CFLs rated at 16 Watt (65 Watt equivalent).

Anyway, it seems that over time the adhesive that bonds the outer glass reflector to the CFL base
starts to lose it's bonding capability.

You can imagine what happens next. The glass reflector gets loose and falls from the ceiling
fixture and, depending on the surface material that breaks its fall, the glass shatters all over the
place.

This happened once in my house. After that, I inspected the remaining 17 or so I had scattered
through the house and noticed more than half of them had the adhesive bonding problem and, it was
not difficult to break the bond of those that were not in use yet (still in the package).

I don't know if this is brand specific or Lot specific. I just know it is not good so...

I recommend anyone using these types of CFLs with the base up, inspect them for this problem.

I have reported my problem to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.CPSC.gov) and to the
company as well. The CPSC took my info. Technical Consumer Products costumer service said they are
aware of this type of problem and told me to send back the CFLs to them for replacements. That was
more trouble than it was worth so I just took them back to Costco (more than a year after I bought
them). Also, How do I know that the replacements would be improved.

GB
GB
 
D

Daniel Stern Lighting

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have purchased several CFLs sold originally at Costco under the brand
Techna Bright but made or distributed by TCP (Technical Consumer
Products) to replace some PAR38 floodlights in my house the model # is
EDXR-38-16.

And the country of origin is...Class? Anyone? Buehler?
Anyway, it seems that over time the adhesive that bonds the outer glass
reflector to the CFL base starts to lose it's bonding capability.

Buy no-name lamps, get no-name quality.
I recommend anyone using these types of CFLs with the base up, inspect
them for this problem.

Easier to inspect the packaging before even opening it. If the country
that comes after "Manufactured In" starts with a "C" and ends with an "A"
and isn't "Canada", and if the manufacturer's name isn't Osram-Sylvania,
General Electric, Philips or any of a very few other major brands, just
don't buy the damn thing to start with.
Technical Consumer Products costumer service said they are aware of this
type of problem

Of course they're aware of it. Their MBAs calculated it would be cheaper
to budget for courtesy replacements to some marginally small number of
non-apathetic consumers than to have them made properly or babysit the,
er, "offshore" manufacturers to prevent the kind of costcutting,
counterfeiting and disregard for specs that is rampant in, er, "offshore"
manufacturing.
How do I know that the replacements would be improved.

See above for very successful lamp acceptance/rejection heuristic.

DS
 
Z

zxcvbob

Jan 1, 1970
0
Daniel said:
And the country of origin is...Class? Anyone? Buehler?




Buy no-name lamps, get no-name quality.




Easier to inspect the packaging before even opening it. If the country
that comes after "Manufactured In" starts with a "C" and ends with an "A"
and isn't "Canada", and if the manufacturer's name isn't Osram-Sylvania,
General Electric, Philips or any of a very few other major brands, just
don't buy the damn thing to start with.




Of course they're aware of it. Their MBAs calculated it would be cheaper
to budget for courtesy replacements to some marginally small number of
non-apathetic consumers than to have them made properly or babysit the,
er, "offshore" manufacturers to prevent the kind of costcutting,
counterfeiting and disregard for specs that is rampant in, er, "offshore"
manufacturing.




See above for very successful lamp acceptance/rejection heuristic.

DS

A well-known brand doesn't necessarily mean anything; I had some
"Westinghouse" screw-in halogen lamps explode a few years ago. Then I
found out that the Westinghouse brand was bought by Angelo Bros. The outer
envelope was paper thin, just like a normal incandescent "A" lamp. The
inner capsule was defective (on 2 different lamps) and burst and the outer
envelope shattered. The first was in a bathroom fixture and glass went
everywhere. The 2nd was in an enclosed fixture and no harm was done
because the fixture contained the explosion. (after the first lamp failed,
I would not have left a Westinghouse halogen lamp in any open fixture)

I wrote to the CPSC and got a form letter back, and never heard anything
again. And the "warranty" on the package was worthless too. I'll never
buy another Angelo Brothers product again.

Read the packages carefully even if you think you know the brand.

Best regards,
Bob
 
D

Daniel Stern Lighting

Jan 1, 1970
0
A well-known brand doesn't necessarily mean anything; I had some
"Westinghouse" screw-in halogen lamps explode a few years ago.

Westinghouse has not been a major brand for decades.
found out that the Westinghouse brand was bought by Angelo Bros.
Voila.

Read the packages carefully even if you think you know the brand.

Excellent advice.

DS
 
G

GB

Jan 1, 1970
0
And the country of origin is...Class? Anyone? Buehler?
China

Buy no-name lamps, get no-name quality.


Easier to inspect the packaging before even opening it. If the country
that comes after "Manufactured In" starts with a "C" and ends with an "A"
and isn't "Canada", and if the manufacturer's name isn't Osram-Sylvania,
General Electric, Philips or any of a very few other major brands, just
don't buy the damn thing to start with.
Thanks, I'll look for them.
Of course they're aware of it. Their MBAs calculated it would be cheaper
to budget for courtesy replacements to some marginally small number of
non-apathetic consumers than to have them made properly or babysit the,
er, "offshore" manufacturers to prevent the kind of costcutting,
counterfeiting and disregard for specs that is rampant in, er, "offshore"
manufacturing.
Costco has been fairly good about suppliers in most area's and they are very good about taking
returns, The big problem here is that this is a potential safety hazard.
See above for very successful lamp acceptance/rejection heuristic.

Which is why I didn't accept the manufacturers not-so-generous offer to replace them (They didn't
even offer to pay my expense of shipping them back.

GB
 
G

GB

Jan 1, 1970
0
Daniel said:
A well-known brand doesn't necessarily mean anything; I had some
"Westinghouse" screw-in halogen lamps explode a few years ago. Then I
found out that the Westinghouse brand was bought by Angelo Bros. The outer
envelope was paper thin, just like a normal incandescent "A" lamp. The
inner capsule was defective (on 2 different lamps) and burst and the outer
envelope shattered. The first was in a bathroom fixture and glass went
everywhere. The 2nd was in an enclosed fixture and no harm was done
because the fixture contained the explosion. (after the first lamp failed,
I would not have left a Westinghouse halogen lamp in any open fixture)
I had a problem with Abco bulbs way back and have avoided them ever since. When trying to remove
them from a socket, the glass bulb would turn without moving the brass base in the socket. Come to
think of it, it's a similar issue to the TCP CFL adhesive. Eventually I had to remove the base with
needle nosed pliers (with the power off).
I wrote to the CPSC and got a form letter back, and never heard anything
again. And the "warranty" on the package was worthless too. I'll never
buy another Angelo Brothers product again.

I got the form letter too. I think they need to see a trend before they act. At least we did our
part in documenting the problems.
Read the packages carefully even if you think you know the brand.

Best regards,
Bob

GB
 
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