CCFL Warning

Ham_fisT · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 8:35 pm Post subject: CCFL Warning

Almost EVEYONE in this forum has a Cold Cathode setup in their rig,
I came across this article that I thought we all should be aware of!

>> http://www.casemodgod.com/ccfl_inverter_rant.htm <<

they look nice, but are they worth the risk?
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smith.p.sean · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 8:45 pm Post subject:

Thats a good article but several points, That person is stupid if he didnt have someone else pay for a new computer for him. That is what insurance is for, along with warranties on products. If his CC blew then the company that he purchased from should have and could be made to purchase him a new computer. I might be soundin like my dad, but if that were to happen because of a falty product then they shure as hell would pay! I mean, what happens when u are holding it and it bursts in ur hands, those people have some serious explaining to do for the judges and some big lawsuit claims to pay. If they really werent safe then i dont think that they would be sold. How many people on TN have witnessed or had a buddy whos CC exploded. Im not bashing u ham cause it was a good find. But that guy def didnt think things through and was just unlucky.

Ham_fisT · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:27 pm Post subject:

The point is NOT what this person should have done, it is this....this has happened, this could happen....to you, or anyone!

inverters run kind of hot, have you ever felt how hot that little plastic box gets?
we all have a great deal of time, and money invested in our equipment! (and our Homes, for that matter)! and a house fire is a HORRIBLE thing to have happen to you!

(Can a lawsuit bring back a lost family member? NO)!

I have a Cold Cathode in my rig, but I will damn sure think twice about leaving it on unattended.

the guy probably had a bad PSU, or something,
the post was only meant for informational purposes, I just thought it was something we all should consider!
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smith.p.sean · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:36 pm Post subject:

Yes, and i agreed with u that that was a good find. But i use lights in my home, and an oven, and a hot water heater, and a stereo system. All of which by some freak accident could explode and set fire. This is something that u should be aware of but I dont think that the CC are going to explode. I agree, everyone invests time, and money, but seriously. What do u think the chances are of it exploding. And if its going to explode its going to explode, I dont think that U being there to watch in horror it burning ur vid card is going to have any less effect than u watching tv in another room and it exploding. True as an electrical item, it could explode. But I dont think that they explode commonly, and i certainly dont think that people should be more concerned with it then when they turn on their lights, or computer, or anything else electrical. I think that this guy was unlucky and got screwed but there isnt a real reason to worry.

Yoshida · UberTweaker Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 1219

First of all, if a CCFL explodes inside of your computer, the manufacturer is not necessarily at fault, so frnch, the manufacturer doesnt nessisarily have give u diddly squat. When a product is sold on the market it goes through more then several dozen tests to be more then sure its safe for the public, of course there are a number of defects in some, but if your CCFL explodes, there may have been factors you werent aware or didnt think about, maybe you had a power surge, maybe the inverter didnt have proper ventilation, or hell maybe just leaving it on for 8 days is killing your ccfl. of course im not saying its entirely the consumers fault, but some people are ignorant and will just look to point the blame on the nearest person, without thinking about if maybe it was their fault.

my 1/5th of a dime.

Yoshida · UberTweaker Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 1219

Ham_fisT · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:56 pm Post subject:

Once again...it was meant to be informational, not trying to frighten anybody!
Am I taking my CCFL out...Hell NO!

BTW, retail price for a CCFL is what? about $6.00? so manufacturing cost is at the most $2.00!!
(doesn't leave much room for high-quality components or individual-unit quality inspection)
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smith.p.sean · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:00 pm Post subject:

I know ham, sorry for getting all up in arms.
And yoshida, unless u are sitting there with a lighter, heating it, trying to get it to explode, or didnt follow the install directions which are quite simple. Then yes, it is the manufacturers fault. Proper ventilation has nothing to do with it. U could stick it in a closed in box, and if it exploded cause it got to hot, its not ur fault, there is nothing that says that u have to properly ventilate it. Yes, if u did something wrong during the installation, u are at fault, but they are pretty simple. And after dozens of tests, faulty products are sold all the time. There are TONS of callbacks and what not in the states. Just because it passes the tests doesnt mean that its ok. Im probably being asinine so i apologize, its the laywer in me coming out Damn my dad for being a lawyer, damn him, i just wanna play nice.

Ham_fisT · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:01 pm Post subject:

N/P good buddy

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JayDubya · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:30 pm Post subject:

Its definately something a person needs to watch out for and needs to be careful about.
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Ham_fisT · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:36 pm Post subject:

2old2care · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:01 pm Post subject:

smith.p.sean · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:36 pm Post subject:

Computers scare me in general... but thats the way i want to go :) with my monitor in the bathtub haha. i agree that its something to look at, but not to be generally concerned with. U shouldnt spend ur days worrying about if the thing is going to blow, if it does, dont worry bout it. Put out the flaming chips, sue and buy a newer and better computer :) . After the initial shock, I think that this would be a blessing

Yoshida · UberTweaker Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 1219

smith.p.sean · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 1:15 am Post subject:

Thats great and kinda nifty, i thought it was an alien listening device or something.

If ur case isnt properly ventilated, who cares, it doesnt matter. If the thing explodes cause it wasnt properly ventilated, its not ur problem. Im sure it being ventilated would help but i was pointing out the fact that its still the manufacturers problem. Im not trying to fight with u eh, ur right for prevention methods, but i dont see any need for prevention, when its not my problem to deal with a faulty prodct.

Yoshida · UberTweaker Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 1219

yeah but im not talking about case ventilation if someone has the inverter in thir case covered by a handful of wires or maybe its in a really small area, where it could get really hot, i would hope a person would have the sense that it may cause a problem.

smith.p.sean · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 1:24 am Post subject:

Yes, we woud hope, but if they dont and it explodes, its still not their problem, which was all i was saying.

meobius · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:20 am Post subject:

any explosion of inverters(of a damaging kind) would be caused by the capacitor. Capacitors should always be rated at twice the voltage as that which they are working with (which few people do anymore).... So if it goes boom, it means that the voltage exceeded it's limit. The other possibility, if it was an electrolytic capacitor(which can only handle a current in one direction), is that the voltage suddenly started reversing flow, such an incident would also cause a large exlplosion of the capacitors. Now another thing that can affect capacitors it heat, the hotter they are the less effective they get, and they can get to a point where they can no longer handle the voltage going through them and explode...
in the burst capacitor picture, it looks like a power spike took it out...
in the molten chared inverter picture, i would have to say probably caused by overheating, or perhaps a short somewhere

ToggleHead · TWEAKGURU Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 4360 Location: Jersey

perhaps removing the outer plastic covering, and mounting this thing on a static free matrial inside the case somewhere would be an acceptable precaution.......
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smith.p.sean · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 10:11 am Post subject:

, no, i dont think removing the covering would help, i suppose, we should all make some small little fan boxes for them just to err on the side of caution. My brain is ticking looking for a easy mod. Will post once i have it.