On Jan 26, 1:00*am, Wes Groleau wrote:
On 01-25-2013 18:27, Doug Miller wrote:

Well, what*would* *you expect to happen when insulation that has been dried up and
embrittled by excessive heat flakes off of the wires, resulting in electrical arcs between the
exposed conductors?

I would expect a circuit breaker to trip.

However, if arcing causes a speck of hot metal
to pop out onto a tissue .....

--
Wes Groleau

* * Ostracism: A practice of sticking your head in the sand.

my bedroom light failed this way. I awoke to go to bathroom and
realized my pillow must of fallen to the floor so i turned the light
switch on as i walked out of room, figuring my eyes would have time to
adust by the time i got back......

however i saw a super brite flash, turned the switch off and didnt get
any more sleep.

the 50 year old wires insulation was crumbling and started arcing to
the fixture, the breaker didnt trip but a nice shower of sparks came
down on the bed.....

needless to say i replaced all the fixtures in the house most were
showing the same detoriation