Just had an Unusual Garage Accident

[RedXray]

Sort of a bizarre accident in the garage tonight.

Flipped the wall switch for one bank of the florescent lights and one of the double 8ft fixture tubes started flickering. My first thought was I'm loosing a tube, no big deal I've replaced dozens through out the decades.

I'm walking under the light heading for the storage room to get a replacement... I hear crackling like a welder sound. Looking up the spring loaded porcelain connection is arching like crazy. I'm like what the... then the porcelain burns through and the tube falls swinging down! Jumping out of the way, closing my eyes... the tube misses my head clipping my elbow knocking it on the hood of my truck

Glass everywhere on the roof, hood, in the cowl, in the hood jamb, on my detail cart 8ft away etc.

Can't find any damage to the paint or any dents (so far). I feel lucky it didn't damage the truck or worse busting on my hard head and getting glass in my eyes!

I've been in a lot of shops throughout the years and seen a lot of busted tubes. Haven't seen a fixture burn and drop a tube until now. I guess it's time to upgrade these old lights anyway.

[SonOfOC]

Talk about close call! Those flourescent ends do get old and brittle. Looks like yours was a little loose and burned over time. In the future, you may want to install those clear diffusers to catch a broken bulb. Better yet, perfect excuse to replace with a T5 setup to match your awesome garage!

[Mittenz]

Wow! I've never seen anything like that. Glad you are OK. Also glad it didn't start an electrical fire or anything.

[haris300]

That's insane. I think I'll check up on the tubes in my garage. Glad to hear you and your ride are okay.

[JHL88]

Sounds like something off of final destination. Glad youre ok tho.

[davidc]

Had a incident like that at least 20 years ago. The 8' tube fell on the trunk lid of the roadrunner really messing up the paint. I had to sand the complete lid down to metal and repaint primer/color and clear.

Dave

[trashmanssd]

Wow, only time I have seen a porcelain burn up was on a cheap 500 watt halogen work light. looks like its up grade time for all the fixtures.

[CDot]

Glad you're ok!

[Ricorocks]

Glad you were not hurt!

[FUNX650]

Whew!!...Close call.

Gives a whole new meaning to fluorescent
light fixtures' "tombstones".


Bob