[Elecraft] Noise from LEDs

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

That sounds like the CFL failed as it was designed to fail.

CFLs draw more current as they age. Eventually the power supply is
overwhelmed by the current demand and fails. All the CFLs I've seen use a
tiny (1/8 or 1/16 watt) resistor as a fuse. Before anything else gets
overloaded enough to fail, the little resistor acts as a fuse and opens.
But, being a resistor, it fails like a resistor often with some smell and
brief puff of smoke. I suppose it might be possible for a flame as the
covering burns, but that should be inside the base enclosure. I've never
seen anything but a small puff of smoke if I am looking in that direction
when it goes. 

73, Ron AC7AC



-----Original Message-----
... a couple of those so called "5000 hour" Chinese CFL's actually burned up
(yes, smoke, fire and flames) 

Jim - W0EB