On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:59:37 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Jul 12, 4:15*pm, Mike C wrote:
On Jul 11, 2:45*pm, willshak wrote:





Mike C wrote the following:

The builder installed a cheap standard (found in many closets) light
in my pantry that has a glass globe that attaches with 3 screws. It is
mounted on the wall, not the ceiling.

After 9 years, I came home and the globe had broken off and shattered
everywhere. *It was not loose as the neck that the screws attach to
was intact still in the fixture.

My question is are these lights meant to be mounted on a wall or do I
need a new fixture? It could have just been a fluke that it broke off
after all this time, but I could see how hanging sideways would put
stress on the glass.

The screws could have been too tightly turned and expansion of the glass
from the light heat caused it to break off at the neck.
Solutions?
1. Do not screw the new globe on too tightly, let it float a little for
expansion.
2. Use a CFL instead of an incandescent bulb.CFLs stay much cooler than
incands.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Judging where it broke, I doubt it was over tightening. The neck was
entirely intact still attached to the fixture.

The globe is around 6" with a 4"neck (I'm guessing).

I wondered if heat was a factor. *I had a 60 watt bulb in there. A CFL
probably won't work as this is a pantry with a motion sensing switch
so it goes on and off many many times *a day and the lag for the CFL
would also be an issue. *Maybe I'll try a incandescent 40 watt bulb
and see what happens.-

"Judging where it broke, I doubt it was over tightening. The neck
was entirely intact still attached to the fixture."

I feel you judge in error.

The globe expanded and would have loved to expand the neck along with
it. Since the neck was immobilized by the screws it couldn't expand
and the globe cracked at the nearest place that could - just above the
neck.

I think we need more civil rights for glass globes. Why should it
have to crack at the nearest place it could? Or, why can't it crack
right at the screw? A circle is pretty strong, but I think it would
crack at the point of stress. If it were to break elsewhere, I'd
blame it on something else.

So, despite my other post, OP, I don't think it's at all clear why it
broke. How long have you used it? I'd just buy another one and
figure it might last much longer this time. And I would leave one or
two of the screws loose a little. I alwasy do with the two fixtures I
have like that, on the ceiling. If the same thing happens,
re-evaluate.