Re: Growing Under Lights: Fire Hazard?

Oliver T Massey CFS (massey@hal.fmhi.usf.edu)
Mon, 4 Mar 1996 10:40:12 -0500 (EST)

> Hi, I've been using a flourescent light fixture (two 40watt, 4 foot tubes)
> to grow my cultures beneath them. I have been using them for about 4
> months. It is in my closet hanging from chains. This morning it overheated
> and began to smoke. Luckily I was there to catch it. It overheated,
> because of the heat build up. The light had a habit of blacking out, I even
> put a fan next to it to move the air to keep it cool.

> I am wondering if there are others out there who had a similar experience.
> But more importantly, I am looking for recommendations on what kind of light
> I should buy. Are there any lights that run cooler?
>
> Sincerely,
> egilding@lava.net

Ed(ward): I have used fluorescent lights for almost twenty years for CPs
and have always had the concern (fire, shorts, etc) in the back of my
mind. At the same time, I believe the risk is small. In the US - as
you know of course - almost all public, government, etc., buildings use
the same basic units as the ones available for home use. I do believe
that the newer units with smaller ballasts are less reliable than the
old ones, but even these are pretty safe. The only bad luck I have had
with fluorescents was one four foot unit that substituted two small
transformers at either end of the casing for the single larger black
ballast in the center. On this one, one end overheated and the
transformer melted the end of the (plastic) cover. I stay away from
this (cheap) style now. And I would hazard to guess that both
incandescents (which aren't enough for plants anyway) and metal halides
are hotter than fluorescents. This is not to say that you can safely
drape material or plastic from the housing of any

Tom in Fl