[OT] Exploding Light Bulb

Tom Lucas · 2007-01-08T09:55:07+00:00

This is mostly off-topic but it is an interesting (I think) engineering question anyway.Yesterday my girlfriend turned off the light in our cellar and a few minutes later the bulb shattered. It is a standard 230v 60W pearl bulb with bayonet fitting and was already fitted when we bought the house two years ago so I have no idea how old it is.I can see that it is possible that the bulb could shatter with the force of the filament burning out but after it has been off for a couple of minutes and with the filament not failed - that seems a bit odd. She was not completely certain on the time-scale but said it would in the range of about 30 seconds to two minutes after she turned it off.Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might have happened here? Do I write it off as an interesting anomaly or should I be contacting an exorcist?

Jan 08, 2007 25 Replies

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Grant Edwards 19 years ago

I suspect it's not going to be "wrong" for too much longer. For whatever reason, saying "begs the question" instead of "raises the question" seems to be extremely popular among TV personalities. I presume it's because they think that "begs the question" sounds more educated and intellectual. Which it would if it meant what they thought it did.

But, unlike C (for which there is a standard), usage defines natural languages. If the "raises the question" usage continues, it will eventually become accepted and the "circular argument" definition will be reduced to a footnote.

Oh well, perhaps one of my undergrad philosphy professors will see this and feel like his time wasn't entirely wasted. ;)

Grant Edwards grante Yow! .. Now KEN and BARBIE at are PERMANENTLY ADDICTED to visi.com MIND-ALTERING DRUGS...

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Al Balmer 19 years ago

I have no idea. I haven't worked there for over thirty years. The research was done on a military contract.

Al Balmer Sun City, AZ

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Tom Lucas 19 years ago

Well, the good ol' "Meaning of Liff" has a similar thought on other phrases:

GASTARD (n.) Useful specially new-coined word for an illegitimate child (in order to distinguish it from someone who merely cuts you up on the motorway, etc.)

I should think that a philosophy Professor has little defence against suggestions of time wasted ;-)

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FreeRTOS.org 19 years ago

So now we know what happened to your light bulb and my glass - it was friendly fire.

Regards, Richard.

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Andrew Smallshaw 19 years ago

This happened on a fairly regular basis at a pub I used to go into. The landlord had a tendency to fit "candle" bulbs in all his light fittings regardless of the orientation of the fitting. If inserted "upside down" (where the fitting is above the body of the bulb), the bulb can't cool efficently (since they're narrower than standard bulbs) and explodes when it overheats.

Never heard of a bulb exploding when _cooling_ however.

Andrew Smallshaw andrews@sdf.lonestar.org

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