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BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Modern Electric Lighting => Topic started by: pSlawinski on February 05, 2005, 01:37:11 pm

Title: 1000W GE PS-52 Explosion
Post by: pSlawinski on February 05, 2005, 01:37:11 pm

I was taking pictures for my site the other day.? I was using my 1000 W GE PS-52 flood lamp as a light source.? I was setting up for a picture when I heard a loud POP!? I looked up to see the filament burning in the air!? Pieces of hot glass went all over the room, but amazingly not one hit me!? I did have one piece come very close to me, but fortunately it did not touch me.? Some of the pieces that hit the floor melted the carpet.? It took me about an hour to clean all the pieces up.

I think that the filament broke from one of the supports and arced, causing the lamp to explode.? I can’t be certain because I was not looking in that direction at the time.? Has anyone else ever heard of this happening with other lamps similar to this one?

Here is where the filament broke and arced:
(http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Small/DSC04643.jpg)
Large Image: http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Large/DSC04643.jpg

Here is the filament:
(http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Small/DSC04644.jpg)
Large Image: http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Large/DSC04644.jpg

Pieces Everywhere:
(http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Small/DSC04645.jpg)
Large Image:http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Large/DSC04645.jpg

Piece that landed on my photo setup:
(http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Small/DSC04651.jpg)
Large Image: http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Large/DSC04651.jpg

What’s left of the lamp:
(http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Small/DSC04652.jpg)
Large Image: http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/Large/DSC04652.jpg

Title: Re: 1000W GE PS-52 Explosion
Post by: mr_big on February 07, 2005, 03:42:10 pm

cool pictures even though it is too bad that the bulb is gone
by the way how many hours was this lamp rated for if it was past it's life then the filament broke from normal wear and tear.
If it is a really old bulb then it may have not had an internal fuse wire to melt if it arced to prevent an explosion

Title: Re: 1000W GE PS-52 Explosion
Post by: pSlawinski on February 07, 2005, 05:39:45 pm

This lamp did not die of normal aging, it had a hairline crack.  Air slowly leaked inside the lamp causing the filament to rapidly decay until it finally broke.  When the filament broke it created an arc which caused the lamp to explode.

Title: Re: 1000W GE PS-52 Explosion
Post by: mr_big on February 08, 2005, 11:21:44 am

Did the lamp get wet before it was running.
If it did then that probably caused thermal stress which caused the lamp to crack I have had this happen to me before only the bulb had been running and it was hot therfore the lamp exploded

Title: Re: 1000W GE PS-52 Explosion
Post by: pSlawinski on February 08, 2005, 03:06:21 pm

No, the lamp had  a surface scratch which developed into a hairline crack.

Title: Re: 1000W GE PS-52 Explosion
Post by: mr_big on February 08, 2005, 04:02:11 pm

How did the lamp get scratched
do you have any pictures off the lamp before it exploded
If so I would like to see them

Title: Re: 1000W GE PS-52 Explosion
Post by: pSlawinski on February 08, 2005, 04:15:16 pm

Images before explosion - http://www.metal-halide.net/index.php?id=gallery&cat=Incandescent&scat=S&bulb=ECV-GE