Heat lamp caught on fire!

[wildeflowers]

This was actually the 2nd lamp I've had malfunction on me, and although it was not one of the ceramic ones, I did pay about 7 or 8 dollars for them. It was not one of those super cheapy shop lights.

It was hot from the light, but of course, that is what you want and expect. If was definitely the wiring that malfunctioned on the inside. The lamp turned off before it all started, and then kept sputtering, making noise, and it actually caught fire in my hand as I was jiggling the light to find out if the bulb was burned out. Of course, I dropped it pretty fast, it got a good flame going while I unplugged it.

I'll have to see if I can find one of the ceramic ones, although anything electrical can malfunction. Really makes me think, as certainly the chicken coop is a big tinder box with all of those dry shavings.

 

[Rozzie]

Remember that unless you are brooding a LARGE batch of chicks, you really don't need the heavy duty huge heat lamps. For small batches of chicks, a lower wattage lamp often will do the job. It's safer and costs less, too.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
This is also true, as I used at max 2 100W bulbs to heat 18 week old chicks when it was snowing outside in their 4x4x6 brooder. Only reason I used two was in case one burned out in the night. During the day I only had one of the two on. The brooder is only made out of 1/4inch siding too, so no insulation and they all did just fine. 125 or 250W heat bulbs are generally overkill in most small chick number situations.

 

[patandchickens]

The safest heat lamp (or any electrical appliance) is one that is not being used. If you HAVE to be pluggin' something in, a lower wattage unit is safer than a higher wattage one.

So the more you can do to strategize ways of avoiding using electrical heat at all, and using as low-wattage as possible when it is unavoidable (e.g. in brooding chicks), the safer.

If you have a hover type brooder, with a solid top that holds the heat down low near the chicks, you can use a LOT less wattage than if it is all open to the sky so to speak.

Glad you were there and caught the problem before anything bad happened (e.t.a. -- I would strongly suggest throwing out -- in the trash, and not in a way where anyone else would be likely to scavenge them -- any remaining lamps of that manufacture that you may own.)

Pat

 

[Smoky73]

you need a ceramic socket one and even then..whenever you use a heat lamp, ALWAYS secure it well, and then secure it again from a different means. When we used to use them, we used the clamp provided and then chained them to eye bolds on the ceiling and then used and old coat hanger to secure tosomething else.

I do this as I also at one time had one fall into the wood shavings and start smoldering. Thank god I had went out there. I freak out every winter now when people around use start up their wood burning stoves. The smell of wood birning makes me insane!

 

[wildeflowers]

Quote:
I see I didn't clearly say which bulb I was using, but it was a 100 watt light bulb that I turned to the side so it would still be dark on the other side of the coop. Although which bulb is really irrelevant since it was the electrical wiring that malfunctioned. I could have been using any bulb under the sun, although perhaps if I had been using a high wattage heat bulb, it might have happened faster.

That's really my point, as you said, no matter what wattage, no matter what lamp, it's all a fire risk. Thought I would post it as a warning for all to take care and think about what we are doing. As I was getting the chicks acclimated to the outside, I just wanted to take the edge off on the nights that it's been getting down into the 30s. I'm sure they'd rather be a bit cold than on fire, so they'll be acclimating without the lamp from now on. At least it's not harsh winter yet and they seem to be fully feathered, so they should be fine.

 

[Pidgey104]

I only use 100 watts bulbs never again will I use 250 Watts. Not after My brooder caught fire and killed everything.

 

[egg proof]

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