The New Hotness

The bathroom ceiling fixture has a nightlight position that we use occasionally, but eventually the little 7 W Christmas Tree bulb failed and I installed this hulk from a box of CFL bulbs a friend scrapped out after switching to LED bulbs:

MaxLite CFL - overview — MaxLite CFL – overview

I never tested whether it actually drew 3 W, but, hey I could feel good. Right? Right?

Anyhow, this one failed after a few years, too. The “bulb” envelope looked like it might make an attractive blinkie or glowie, so I decided to harvest it.

The candelabra screw base felt loose and popped off with a push:

MaxLite CFL - overflow cap — MaxLite CFL – overflow cap

Perhaps they chose the envelope before finalizing the circuitry?

This is why you need a lathe in your shop:

MaxLite CFL - lathe cutting — MaxLite CFL – lathe cutting

It wasn’t particularly well centered, so that was done dead slow and finished with a few hand turns of the chuck. Obviously, I need a crank for the spindle.

The rest of the circuitry is pretty well packed under that tall cap:

MaxLite CFL - circuitry — MaxLite CFL – circuitry

Pulling the PCB out revealed the tube wiring:

MaxLite CFL - tube wires — MaxLite CFL – tube wires

Cut the wires and chuck it up again:

MaxLite CFL - envelope turning setup — MaxLite CFL – envelope turning setup

Turn dead slow again until it breaks through:

MaxLite CFL - envelope breakthrough — MaxLite CFL – envelope breakthrough

Then finish by hand:

MaxLite CFL - tube and envelope — MaxLite CFL – tube and envelope

It’s too cute to throw out, but … sheesh you can see why recycling this stuff is so difficult.

For whatever it’s worth, I replaced it with a 3 W LED candelabra bulb that is way too bright.

The New Hotness

MaxLite Candelabra CFL: FAIL