Could have had a fire

[windsorbill06]

Avoided a disaster recently on this last trip.

Our bedroom closet goes across the back of the coach.  Wife has it packed full of her clothes and dresses.   I'm never in there.  I've changed out all interior lights with LED, except I missed those 2 in the closet somehow.   When DW was in the closet, she accidently left the lights on.    They are the plastic frames/lenses on the ceiling and the switch is integrated into the fixture with incandescent bulb.   Well, they got hot enough they fused the ceiling material to the light fixture.  Luckily we smelled something burning and figured it out quickly.    I'm rewiring those fixtures and installing a LED strip light with a remote switch.

If anyone has a similar set up, you might take a look.  

 

  

[96 EVO]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do. Think they may be the same fixtures as all my bay lights.

Surprised they could get that hot.

[windsorbill06]

yea Ben, same fixtures, except my bay fixtures don't have the integrated switch.  I wonder if the switch contributed to the heat build up?     IDK.

[96 EVO]

Had a chance to do an autopsy on it yet?

My bay lights all have the switch on each fixture.

[Dbircky]

I replaced my incandescent bulbs with LEDs.  No heat, less energy used, and brighter lights in the bays.   Direct replacement no need to change fixtures.  

[windsorbill06]

1 hour ago, 96 EVO said:

Had a chance to do an autopsy on it yet?

My bay lights all have the switch on each fixture.

There are 2 fixtures on the ceiling in that closet, with integrated sliding  switches.  She had left them both on with the closet doors closed.   We figured they were on for about 6 or 7 hours.   The light fixture frames are plastic but the housing directly behind the bulb is metal.   When monaco  installed the fixtures using screws, they tightened them on the ceiling  and the soft ceiling material molded around the fixture.  I think from the fixture pressing on the ceiling, it 'pillowed' and came in contact with the metal back plate.   With the extended time the lights were on, the ceiling material couldn't handle that heat.  If you don't have LED bulbs in there, I'd suggest considering it.  Like I mentioned, I changed the basement bulbs to LED, but I just flat didn't  think about the  closet bulbs.

She never did like to have to reach past her dresses to get to the switch up there on the ceiling.  I removed both the lights and ran a LED light strip about 3' long above the sliding doors and then mounted a separate switch.     Much better light and more convenient now.  

[96 EVO]

On 11/13/2022 at 11:05 AM, Dbircky said:

I replaced my incandescent bulbs with LEDs.  No heat, less energy used, and brighter lights in the bays.   Direct replacement no need to change fixtures.  

Good thing I checked my fixtures before I ordered a mess of LED bulbs.

All my fixtures take a 1141 bulb.