VERY HOT-Wirefield flourescent lights

[Blowcat]

Has anyone come across "WIREFIELD" flourescent lights and encountered any problems with them?

Was doing a PIR today, and this comms room has several IP rated 2x58watt with emergency packs inside.

The fitting was absoultely scorching hot, even from a foot away you could feel the heat.

Its IP rated and about the width of 2 pop packs. (the other lights are all thorn and about twice as wide and COOL).

The pvc diffuser and lamps were really hot too.

 

[Dunc]

I have seen fluorescent fittings get excessively warm, had to repair a whole load of them in a school gym recently that had heat damage. The fitting itself will likely have a operating temperature labelled on the ballast and all associated cabling within the fitting should be rated accordingly. If you have a laser thermometer take a reading of the fittings operating temperature and check that against the internals to see if it complies. Also pay attention to the type of surface the fitting is fixed to, if there is any possibility that the hot fitting could cause heat damage to the building fabric or pose a fire risk then note it accordingly on the PIR but also make the person in charge of the installation aware of your concerns immediately. If nothing else i would note on the comments that the fittings are running hot even if you don't put a code to it.

 

[Blowcat]

Cheers Dunc , I will put a note on the cert. I know fitting get hot but this heat was something else. Better cover myself. I'll put code 3 on it. Further investigation needed!

 

[Marvo]

If they're too hot to touch (>80 Celsius) or they smell like burning paint or plastic I would disconnect them. Fires in fluorescent fittings are quite common especially cheap ones when tubes reach their end of life and don't ignite properly the ballasts overheat.