well that was odd. how do i fix this??

[hoaks]

Science teacher here .perplexed. I'm sitting in bed w/light in ceiling fan powered off at wall switch. Bulb pops and stays lit a tiny amt. Approx 5 mins later bulb blows and trips breaker. Go down to box and breaker will not reset. Will test/replace breaker in the morning......what happened here. Being a science teacher iI must state that when this happened I've been boiling down maple sap(98%water) to make maple syrup *ALL windows fogged up humidity in room 68%*. Shorted something out?? Thanks for any input w/o getting too technical. I dabble in rewiring basic things (stereos/speakers/running new electrical wires etc) but am not savy to all things technical mMumbo-Jumbo I'm just using big words to show I'm loquacious. Thanks!

 

[ronsimpson]

Try removing the burned out bulb then reset the breaker.
Did this happen only once?

 

[dr pepper]

A breaker can if badly overloaded trip and because of internal failure (heater element or strip open circuit) will not reset, if the bulb went dead short this might have happened.
Unless you mean the main incomming breaker, if its a earth leakage type then these will trip when a short from neutral to earth happens, this could be the case even if the switch is off.
Or as Ron says the bulb is still short, a breaker will not stay in reset position if the overload still exists, to stop the nail as a fuse type people from taping them up.

 

[Pommie]

It sounds like condensation caused the switch to be bridged which caused the bulb to glow. That same condensation probably went on to cause a connection to ground which will have tripped the breaker. Chances are that, once it's all dried out, it will be fine.

Mike.

 

[dr pepper]

If the above is so might be worth checking to make sure your lightswitches have a good earth connection, as the screws or metal plate if there is one might have potential on it, if you intend to do such things as that again.

 

[hoaks]

Man these ideas are great! Fingers crossed when its not midnight and pitch black out will look into suggestions. They all make sense. (bulb removed after ooccurred/breaker left in tripped position for now, yes only happened 1x).

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Try this on one for size. Car headlights started to blink at a rate of seconds. Turned out the headlight switch had a built in thermal breaker and the headlamp shorted. This was a 1965 vehicle. A foreign 1982 vehicle had a fuse for each beam on each lamp, so a total of 4.
Shorted bulbs are a rare occurrence.

 

[hoaks]

12hrs later bulb removed, breaker reset and still no juice. Its also rather foggy here today. lastly, the light that glowed then popped (no glass breakage) is in a ceiling fan. 1 bulb and the cover of light fixture was removed at time of incident. (obviously have ceased syrup boiling due to this issue)

 

[tomizett]

Could you clarify if this is a conventional incandescent/filament type lamp or a CFL/low energy type?
Also, do you know what kind of breaker it was that failed - an MCB/over-current type, or an RCD/earth leakage type?
These things might help others shed some light on the situation.

 

[hoaks]

was a single filament bulb (only 1 in fixture) and breaker wasn't one of types you suggest. breakers are an old school square D brand. house built in 1950's pretty sure wiring is that old too.

 

[hoaks]

more updates: tried pulling switch out that controls fan-light....reset breaker...no luck. cranked heat in house up to reduce any mmoisture and am on way to hardware store now. (fuse is 20amp if that helps)

 

[hoaks]

picked up a multimeter.....turned breaker on and tested reads 123 yet nothing on that breaker will work/turn on...how is it that there is juice going out breaker yet nothing on that breaker will work?!? time to replace the breaker??

 

[dr pepper]

Possibly a wiring fault, check for voltage at the switch and light fitting, if you have power at the 'breaker and none at the light time to worry as you have bad wiring.
Also find and check the neutral return in the fuse box for all the circuits on that 'breaker, the neutral screw might be loose or oxidised.

Dont take this the wrong way however I take it you being a new member that 'hoaks' doesnt mean hoax.

Kiss, I had a rover metro, there was a 20a fuse in a place that was marked 10a, so I put a 10a in as marked, one night I switched from dip to main beam and all the lights went out, 'cept the side lights, a scary experience on an unlit road, turned out rover had realised that at the point of switchover both dip and main beam were on and could blow the fuse, so they put 20's in from new instead of 10's.

 

[hoaks]

I wish this was a hoax! (hoaks is my 1st/last name combo). will try your suggestion next. thank you!

 

[dr pepper]

OK let us know how you get on.

 

[hoaks]

Whoo! By George I believe it is fixed! switched out breaker, that didnt do anything. started to trace lines in basement (exposed) and realized the breaker box ddoesn't match the actual breakers. so I switched all the breakers on/off and sure 'snuff one was partially tripped. Odd thing was I did this last night w/no luck. best guess the moisture ffinally dried out. Thanks to everyone for your help! you guys rock AND I learned how to switch out a breaker.....rather easy! thanks again!!

 

[dr pepper]

Glad you fixed it.
Maybe the thermal bimatallic strip in the 'breaker was still warm and wouldnt reset last night.