Possible to start a fire

[bleedfire]

I Just recently upgraded my light, i rearrange my ligth set up to upgrade I Disconnected my 175 MH and Reflector, I was surprise seeing this on my canopy under the reflecto, the bulb is 3" away from the reflector(typical|)

the burn is about the size of a regular incandescent light I run the halide 11h/pd for 6 months

 

[davocean]

Well, yeah, that definitely could have started a fire, not the first one I've seen/read about either.
UL listed equipment takes a good bit of the risk out of that occurring.

 

[bleedfire]

Is it normal? would putting the bulb further be better

 

[davocean]

Dude if my bulb did that I would not be using it, period.
What unit/fixture is this?
Yes, a MH bulb does get hot enough to burn wood if set directly on there, but to burn through your reflector is sketchy to say the least.

 

[L8ndeb]

What type of ventilation does the unit have? Fan or passive? I have fans on mine....no discoloration.

 

[bleedfire]

Its an open hood about 8" above the tank theirs no problem on temperature of the tank so i didnt bother using any cooling system plus in winter days pretty much cool off the whole room

 

[crodger]

That is scary, I will check mine tonight

 

[L8ndeb]

no problem on temperature of the tank so i didnt bother using any cooling system plus in winter days pretty much cool off the whole room

I don't want to sound like a smart a$$, but the problem is not the tank or the room temp, it's the fixture temp. I would look at distancing the bulb from the reflector, or add a fan. Good luck.

 

[sirreal63]

You should also have an air gap between the reflector and the canopy. If the reflector is touching the canopy with no air space...this is what can happen. Heat rises and need to go somewhere.

 

[B-Willz]

You should also have an air gap between the reflector and the canopy. If the reflector is touching the canopy with no air space...this is what can happen. Heat rises and need to go somewhere.

+1, the reflectors will absorb the heat from the light waves, in a parabolic shape the heat will be focused more in one area. Moving the bulb further will help very little. You need to move the reflector off of the wood to allow for an air space. Any one who has the reflectors mounted directly to wood runs the same risk.

 

[davocean]

If that was heat across the bulb area, I would maybe agree w/ the air gap thing, and yes, the reflector will absorb and kinda work as a sink, but dude, this burned through that reflector, and at a hot spot I would maybe guess is where there is a short or arc of some kind.
I just would not trust it or use it myself.
Maybe post this in light/filtration forum, maybe someone like Grim can shed better educated light on this subject(ba dump bump!)

 

[etepperman]

this is why i never got the MH lights. If you are going to replace the fixture consider T5HO, while not quite a bright as MH they are very good, and while they do get hot to the touch the are nowhere near as hot as your MH.

-E

 

[bleedfire]

I'll remove it and put it back in tomorrow with gap space in between

 

[B-Willz]

Was the burn mark where the mogul base was attached, if so then Davocean would be correct that there might be something wrong with the socket. If the burn was more centered then it was the heat issue and the air gap will work.

 

[bbnz]

Is that wood? Looks like some type of sheathing or plastic. Laminate maybe. This material might not handle the heat transfer as well as painted wood. Also looks like you had the reflector stapled to the canopy? That may have concentrated the heat to that one spot.

 

[bleedfire]

Those arent staple those are acautly ash from where i took it apart, also the burn mark are from the area where the middle of the bulb is located its really hard to explain