New recessed fixture is smoking

[Chris Barnabo]

Need a wee bit of advice - I just installed a bunch of new-construction IC-rated 4" recessed fixtures. Drywall and insulation aren't up yet, but I powered up the circuit to show my wife how they'd look and to get her opinion on the different baffles/trims. I had one each white, chrome and black baffles, each lamped with an R20 50W flood (which is what the fixture is rated for with those baffles).

After a few minutes, I noticed some wisps of smoke from the fixture with the black baffle. The other baffles were fine, and the unbaffled fixtures were also fine. Is this normal for a newly-installed light & baffle?

The fixtures also came with screw-in extenders that extend the lamp about an inch - the instructions for the fixture seem to picture this being used with the white or black plastic baffles (but not the chrome), but the instructions that came with the baffles make no reference to this. They certainly make the lamp a lot uglier by pushing the bulb to where it's more visible. Optional / required?

Thanks!

-- Chris ________*________ Chris Barnabo, [e-mail] ____________ \\_______________/

\\__________/ / / __\\ \\_______/ /__ "The heck with the Prime Directive, \\_______________/(- let's destroy something!"

[TKM]

Are you using a spot lamp? Usually, spot lamps have a clear face while flood lamps have a stippled or configurated surface. A spot lamp may focus too much heat on the louver and what you see is the paint or coating material burning off.

Remove the louver and try putting a piece of paper or cardboard at the position of the louver and you'll see right away if it changes color starts to char.

Several solutions: replace the spot lamp with a flood lamp. Pull the lamp up further in the can. That reduces the heat on the louver as well as the glare from the fixture. The louver is designed to further reduce glare.

TKM

[John Grabowski]

I don't recall ever installing a recessed light that smoked upon start-up. The R-20 50 watt bulb is not as hot as a PAR 20 halogen. My guess is that there is a problem with the fixture or that particular trim. What brand of fixtures are these?

[Chris Barnabo]

It's a Halo (Cooper Lighting) fixture & trim. I swapped the trim and lamp to another fixture and didn't notice any smoke this time from either the new or original fixture, so I'm guessing some residue from the manufacturing process must've been involved.

During all of these testing the housings themselves never became more than slightly warm to the touch, so I don't think it's any kind of problem internal to the fixture.

Any idea on those lamp extenders? I'm guessing their purpose is to leave a little more room between the R-20 lamp and the trim, but there's no clear guidance on whether they're required or not.

-- Chris ________*________ Chris Barnabo, [e-mail] ____________ \\_______________/

\\__________/ / / __\\ \\_______/ /__ "The heck with the Prime Directive, \\_______________/(- let's destroy something!"

[anti-smoker]

I hope you dont live in a smoke free home. Otherwise, report this fixture to the authorities, or just take a rifle and shoot it. I'd also place a "NO SMOKING" sign next to it.

NO SMOKING

[John Grabowski]

I usually use the Halo H99 series when installing 4" cans with the 993 white coilex trim. I never saw lamp extenders come with the fixtures. I think most people like the set back of the bulb. My guess is that they are optional to use.