T5 fire

[albano]

Luckily, I was home Sunday, when I smelled an electrical burn..ran around the house, saw nothing , checked basement and garage, nothing, back upstairs, and saw flames inside hood of my 130G tank in my living room. T5's shorted out (?), melted socket, burned wires, reflector slowed burn on wooden hood, but FOR SURE, house could have burned, if I wasn't there!

 

[nanoreefer22]

Wow! Glad you were home Alfie

 

[Galantra]

Luckly you where home, so unsure what happened? Strange look like it got started at the endcaps

 

[albano]

Wow! Glad you were home Alfie

Yeah, thank God all of us aren't jetting off to Hawaii, this is exactly why I wanted Chief to stop by and check for fire hazards!

 

[albano]

Strange look like it got started at the endcaps

I think so ,too, never a problem or short, but looks like the 1 bulb/endcap shorted out and overheated...I don't think it was on fire, the first time I ran by it, when I came up from the basement, I saw the flames, so I was at the right place, at the right time (for once)

 

[BIG L A]

So glad you and everyone are o.k.

 

[Mr. Softy]

Scary stuff. Glad you were there to catch it in time. Just curious, what type of ballast was running the lights that were effected.

 

[masterswimmer]

this is exactly why I wanted Chief to stop by and check for fire hazards!

VERY glad to hear you and your family are all fine. Also very sorry to hear about the incident at all. Please be aware that if Chief did his inspection, unless he was specifically inspecting the wiring of your endcaps in your fixture, he would NOT have found a fire hazard (actually, THAT particular fire hazard).

The likelihood of chief finding any issues would have been limited to overloaded circuits or outlets (mostly outlets since he really wouldn't check the load on an entire circuit). He'd look for curtains or other flammables caught in plugs in outlets, gas cans, propane tanks and other improperly stored spontaneous combustibles (gas/oil soaked rags). Pilot lights that aren't lit, frayed wires, etc.

Point is, you had an angel overseeing you and your family that day. I'm glad it is resolved......I'm assuming you are trashing the T5 fixture. BTW, what fixture was it?

Russ

 

[albano]

thanks for everyone's concern, I was actually teasing Kris about Chief, NOT stopping by my home to see my tanks. I realize that no one could have spotted that problem. the ballast was 5 yr old coralife, it has been retired!

 

[NYreefNoob]

besides that after he came any beer in the fridge would be confiscated afterwards, thats a firemans rights after a fire is to get all your beer

 

[mckostya]

thats crazy Alfie. ill deff have nightmares about my lights tonight...you just never know