Fishy smell from Compact Fluorescent

[Electromen]

We had a odd fish smell in the spare bedroom. We found the cause, a fluorescent light bulb in a lamp. I never liked Compact Fluorescents (CFL) and now we have none. Just letting you know in case you experience the fishy smell.

 

[McQ]

We had a odd fish smell in the spare bedroom. We found the cause, a fluorescent light bulb in a lamp. I never liked Compact Fluorescents (CFL) and now we have none. Just letting you know in case you experience the fishy smell.

Let's see…fish….mercury….mercury….CFLs….CFLs….fish…

:biggrin:

That's so weird. And not in a good way. Does the smell stop when you turn off the light?

 

[TomP]

There are cheap ones and there are goods ones, I have been using them since 1986 when they were known as PLs for Philips lighting the innovator, and cost me 30/40 $ each. Since the mass push started I have seen some real crap, and been bitten also. Go for the lumens to watt ratio and you should get a better bulb. Better yet look at some Cree LEDs, 8 and 12 watt bulbs are 9$ to 12$, and Cree is the gold standard in anything they do, these bulbs L to W ratio are about 70/78 to 1, and are fully dimmable. I think like the CF we have been through the crappy phase of LED s and people are the wiser, I bought some loser LEDs also. Living off the grid, I am always looking and reading about new lighting on my solar forums.

Oh thanks Glenn, not supposed to be any mercury in LEDs.

 

[Electromen]

Let's see…fish….mercury….mercury….CFLs….CFLs….fish…

:biggrin:

That's so weird. And not in a good way. Does the smell stop when you turn off the light?

LOL I like the link. Once the bulb was first used, it continued to smell. It took awhile to find the cause. We just bought a new bed, bed sheets, comforter, pillows and some furniture, so there where many possibilities.

 

[Electromen]

There are cheap ones and there are goods ones, I have been using them since 1986 when they were known as PLs for Philips lighting the innovator, and cost me 30/40 $ each. Since the mass push started I have seen some real crap, and been bitten also. Go for the lumens to watt ratio and you should get a better bulb. Better yet look at some Cree LEDs, 8 and 12 watt bulbs are 9$ to 12$, and Cree is the gold standard in anything they do, these bulbs L to W ratio are about 70/78 to 1, and are fully dimmable. I think like the CF we have been through the crappy phase of LED s and people are the wiser, I bought some loser LEDs also. Living off the grid, I am always looking and reading about new lighting on my solar forums.

Oh thanks Glenn, not supposed to be any mercury in LEDs.

This one came with the lamp, it was "EcoSave". Junk bulb I guess but a very nice lamp.

 

[rick_reno]

I'd stop using it.

 

[McQ]

I'd stop using it.

Or try to fillet it.

 

[Growltiger]

It is caused by a hot cheap plastic light fitting, not by the CF bulb. You should throw away the cheap lamp and you can keep the bulb! It is nothing to do with mercury.

 

[Electromen]

It is caused by a hot cheap plastic light fitting, not by the CF bulb. You should throw away the cheap lamp and you can keep the bulb! It is nothing to do with mercury.

The lamp socket is brass. I put in a 60 watt incandescent bulb and all is well.

 

[7006]

this brings bad memories of such a fishy smell in my flat that bothered us for months, it was indeed plastic melting in the electric cables behind the wall. I called the FD who broke the wall down. we were a couple of hours away from a very big fire.