Fire !

[beany_bot]

OMG !!!

Got home after work today to find a very strong smell of burning plastic and little black bits of plastic ash everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then noticed the light in my community tank (which is on a timer from 2pm - 11pm) was off.

Then I saw THIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG PEOPLE, this must have been bad!!!! thank GOD nothing is seriously damaged!!!! off the buy new light unit from lfs tommorrow then!!!!!!!!!!!. CRIKEY!! Look at the wire!!! and i had to clean the glass as it was covered in soot!!!!!! Could have burned down my house!! I wasnt in !

 

[5teady_2012]

Bloody hell, just glad your house is ok, did it get wet or summat?

 

[beany_bot]

Bloody hell, just glad your house is ok, did it get wet or summat?

No wettness, Bone dry!!! i really dont know!! old light unit though.

 

[Ace Of Spades]

RAAAAAAAWR Looks like michael jackson if he spent too much time in the sun.......

Glad your house it ok!......im scared of this happening to my house or the tank cracking and leaking everywhere

 

[three-fingers]

How old was it?! May be useful as an indicator of how often we should change these things, I'm using one that looks exactly the same (minus the fire damage ) that's over 10 years old on the tank in my uncles showroom, a fire wouldn't be very good .

 

[Helen G]

OMG!!! Thats so scary! I'm just glad you are ok

 

[jameshiggins]

anyone have a idea on wot caused this?, im realy scared lol

 

[AndyOleszczuk]

I have had two of my light units go pop on my Ocean Cape Horn and the first one melted like yours beany bot. Soot and plastic bits everywhere.

Probably be a condensation getting inside the unit thing that caused it. Thats what caused mine to go.

Everyone should check their light fittings regularly for gaps that condensation can get through.

If you find any gaps, seal them with aquarium silicone sealant quick smart.

Andy

 

[kj23502]

That is VERY scary. Luckily you found it in time to stop it from burning the house down! Was it sitting on top of a glass lid?

 

[CFC]

If it was set up on a timer the start up surge could have jammed on when the timer kicked in causing the unit to over heat. Flourescent tubes draw a huge ammount of power at the start but once they are warmed up and glowing the power level drops off. The electronic gear inside the unit is designed to take the short surge of power at the beggining but will over heat and catch fire after a couple of hours if the surge doesnt stop, this is why they dont recomend using timers with aquarium lighting unless they are designed for aquarium use, but of coure no one takes any notice of that because the aquarium timers cost a fortune

 

[The-Wolf]

good old interpet starter units.
I'll stick to arcadia tyvm

 

[add]

i may not use my time now see what happened to your light . what type of timer was it plug in to

 

[beany_bot]

Hi guys it was plugged into a 24hour segment timer thing, defo no wetness in there urgh p.s. sooooooooo hungover today.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

ooooh jesus that looks scary

 

[three-fingers]

If it was set up on a timer the start up surge could have jammed on when the timer kicked in causing the unit to over heat. Flourescent tubes draw a huge ammount of power at the start but once they are warmed up and glowing the power level drops off. The electronic gear inside the unit is designed to take the short surge of power at the beggining but will over heat and catch fire after a couple of hours if the surge doesnt stop, this is why they dont recomend using timers with aquarium lighting unless they are designed for aquarium use, but of coure no one takes any notice of that because the aquarium timers cost a fortune

Brilliant info...I use a cheap ikea timer on the twin t8 starter in my juwel hood...given their reputation I'm going to switch to using it on the interpet t5 starter...and given interpet lighting units reputation I'm also going to install a small 12 pc fan on the starter .

good old interpet starter units.
I'll stick to arcadia tyvm

I think that was an arcadia one from the looks of what's left, I have one that looks the same .