The other night I noticed a table lamp fitted with a "low-energy" lamp
(one with three loops of glass) was playing up. It seemed as if the
actual lamp fitting was the problem so, reaching inside the shade and
carfully holding the insulated base of the map itself I attempted to
press it upwards, to see if this fixed the problem (low light output
and flickering). Anyway, no solution there. However, when I was moving
my hand from the shade I felt what seemed to be a decent electric
shock! I've had a few (E.S's) in my time so know what they feel like.

This however felt like shock + intense heat at a very small area.
Purely a  long shot but I wonder if the LL lamps have an as-yet
unknown failure mode where by a "micro-pinhole"  in the glass can
provide a path to earth. I know friends, that this is downright wacky
- but that is what is felt like. It was a *very* localised pinhole
type stab - and rather painful. No spikey glass bits seen on lamp.

Also, when I replaced the lamp (which I should have kept for
investigation), with a brand new one, it worked just fine with NO
changes to the wiring.  Plus btw, no shocks when touching any part of
it.

On Aug 8, 12:16 am, dave  wrote:
> The other night I noticed a table lamp fitted with a "low-energy" lamp
> (one with three loops of glass) was playing up. It seemed as if the
> actual lamp fitting was the problem so, reaching inside the shade and
> carfully holding the insulated base of the map itself I attempted to
> press it upwards, to see if this fixed the problem (low light output
> and flickering). Anyway, no solution there. However, when I was moving
> my hand from the shade I felt what seemed to be a decent electric
> shock! I've had a few (E.S's) in my time so know what they feel like.
>
> This however felt like shock  intense heat at a very small area.
> Purely a  long shot but I wonder if the LL lamps have an as-yet
> unknown failure mode where by a "micro-pinhole"  in the glass can
> provide a path to earth. I know friends, that this is downright wacky
> - but that is what is felt like. It was a *very* localised pinhole
> type stab - and rather painful. No spikey glass bits seen on lamp.
>
> Also, when I replaced the lamp (which I should have kept for
> investigation), with a brand new one, it worked just fine with NO
> changes to the wiring.  Plus btw, no shocks when touching any part of
> it.

If the glass pinholed then the bulb would never strike. These sort of
experiences can be generated in the joints and nerves, they arent
always a genuine shock.


NT

"dave"  wrote in message
news:glvm9459rgh8v4cnh0fts22vro79b04fja@4ax.com...
> The other night I noticed a table lamp fitted with a "low-energy"
lamp
> (one with three loops of glass) was playing up. It seemed as if the
> actual lamp fitting was the problem so, reaching inside the shade
and
> carfully holding the insulated base of the map itself I attempted to
> press it upwards, to see if this fixed the problem (low light output
> and flickering). Anyway, no solution there. However, when I was
moving
> my hand from the shade I felt what seemed to be a decent electric
> shock! I've had a few (E.S's) in my time so know what they feel
like.
>
> This however felt like shock + intense heat at a very small area.
> Purely a  long shot but I wonder if the LL lamps have an as-yet
> unknown failure mode where by a "micro-pinhole"  in the glass can
> provide a path to earth. I know friends, that this is downright
wacky
> - but that is what is felt like. It was a *very* localised pinhole
> type stab - and rather painful. No spikey glass bits seen on lamp.
>
> Also, when I replaced the lamp (which I should have kept for
> investigation), with a brand new one, it worked just fine with NO
> changes to the wiring.  Plus btw, no shocks when touching any part
of
> it.

You >>CHANGED<< a low energy lamp - oh heck now you need to sweep the
room for contamination and put it in a lead lined box and take it to
the local hazardous waste disposer. You'll probably have to take
similar precautions having used a lead lined box <GGG>

AWEM

On 8 Aug, 04:18, meow2...@care2.com wrote:
> On Aug 8, 12:16 am, dave  wrote:
>
>
>
> > The other night I noticed a table lamp fitted with a "low-energy" lamp
> > (one with three loops of glass) was playing up. It seemed as if the
> > actual lamp fitting was the problem so, reaching inside the shade and
> > carfully holding the insulated base of the map itself I attempted to
> > press it upwards, to see if this fixed the problem (low light output
> > and flickering). Anyway, no solution there. However, when I was moving
> > my hand from the shade I felt what seemed to be a decent electric
> > shock! I've had a few (E.S's) in my time so know what they feel like.
>
> > This however felt like shock  intense heat at a very small area.
> > Purely a  long shot but I wonder if the LL lamps have an as-yet
> > unknown failure mode where by a "micro-pinhole"  in the glass can
> > provide a path to earth. I know friends, that this is downright wacky
> > - but that is what is felt like. It was a *very* localised pinhole
> > type stab - and rather painful. No spikey glass bits seen on lamp.
>
> > Also, when I replaced the lamp (which I should have kept for
> > investigation), with a brand new one, it worked just fine with NO
> > changes to the wiring.  Plus btw, no shocks when touching any part of
> > it.
>
> If the glass pinholed then the bulb would never strike. These sort of
> experiences can be generated in the joints and nerves, they arent
> always a genuine shock.
>
> NT

I'm sure I've heard of something like this before, maybe in connection
with radio valves. A possibility is that an impurity or air bubble in
the glass might render it conductive at one point, though still vacuum-
tight. It's a pity you didn't keep the bulb.

But I agree that "joints and nerves" are a common source of "electric
shocks". Perhaps someone with medical knowledge will explain it
properly.

Chris

On 8 Aug, 00:16, dave  wrote:
> The other night I noticed a table lamp fitted with a "low-energy" lamp
> (one with three loops of glass) was playing up. It seemed as if the
> actual lamp fitting was the problem so, reaching inside the shade and
> carfully holding the insulated base of the map itself I attempted to
> press it upwards, to see if this fixed the problem (low light output
> and flickering). Anyway, no solution there. However, when I was moving
> my hand from the shade I felt what seemed to be a decent electric
> shock! I've had a few (E.S's) in my time so know what they feel like.
>
> This however felt like shock  intense heat at a very small area.
> Purely a  long shot but I wonder if the LL lamps have an as-yet
> unknown failure mode where by a "micro-pinhole"  in the glass can
> provide a path to earth. I know friends, that this is downright wacky
> - but that is what is felt like. It was a *very* localised pinhole
> type stab - and rather painful. No spikey glass bits seen on lamp.
>
> Also, when I replaced the lamp (which I should have kept for
> investigation), with a brand new one, it worked just fine with NO
> changes to the wiring.  Plus btw, no shocks when touching any part of
> it.

The voltage across the tube is very high, and at high frequency. Maybe
it sparked over to your finger via a gap between the glass and the
holder?

Dave W

On Aug 8, 1:28 pm, Dave W  wrote:
> On 8 Aug, 00:16, dave  wrote:
>
>
>
> > The other night I noticed a table lamp fitted with a "low-energy" lamp
> > (one with three loops of glass) was playing up. It seemed as if the
> > actual lamp fitting was the problem so, reaching inside the shade and
> > carfully holding the insulated base of the map itself I attempted to
> > press it upwards, to see if this fixed the problem (low light output
> > and flickering). Anyway, no solution there. However, when I was moving
> > my hand from the shade I felt what seemed to be a decent electric
> > shock! I've had a few (E.S's) in my time so know what they feel like.
>
> > This however felt like shock  intense heat at a very small area.
> > Purely a  long shot but I wonder if the LL lamps have an as-yet
> > unknown failure mode where by a "micro-pinhole"  in the glass can
> > provide a path to earth. I know friends, that this is downright wacky
> > - but that is what is felt like. It was a *very* localised pinhole
> > type stab - and rather painful. No spikey glass bits seen on lamp.
>
> > Also, when I replaced the lamp (which I should have kept for
> > investigation), with a brand new one, it worked just fine with NO
> > changes to the wiring.  Plus btw, no shocks when touching any part of
> > it.
>
> The voltage across the tube is very high, and at high frequency. Maybe
> it sparked over to your finger via a gap between the glass and the
> holder?
>
> Dave W

yes, 35v is deadly. (not sure what the smiley for sarcasm is)


NT

In message 
, 
meow2222@care2.com writes
>yes, 35v is deadly. (not sure what the smiley for sarcasm is)
  I think you'll find that referenced to earth it's a mite higher than 
35v.
>
>
>NT

-- 
Clint Sharp