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[xp29]

Thank you for that. I haven't taken mine apart yet, but it looks just like yours so I'm guessing it was an exoterra.
Something I did notice different though. My socket is labeled for 660 watts and 250 volts, it is stamped inside the socket. I don't see the rating in yours.
You'd think at a rating that high it would not be in danger of a short, but I guess anything is possible.

 

[NickAVD]

this is what is written on mine

 

[xp29]

this is what is written on mine View attachment 90287

Hrrmm your last post didn't show up in my unread tab.
I'm going to post the pictures of mine. I'm not sure what failed, but I did find one of the contacts had come loose from a bradded type fastening. Maybe it moved enough to make contact. The wire was still attached to it with a screw.

 

[NickAVD]

it looks like there was a strong fire at the site of the short circuit. Due to charring, the problem is difficult to see.
to find the cause you need to find the place where the metal parts melted.

 

[xp29]

it looks like there was a strong fire at the site of the short circuit. Due to charring, the problem is difficult to see.
to find the cause you need to find the place where the metal parts melted.

I agree. I have tossed it out now, I'm moving on 2 days and I'm trying to not take a bunch of stuff back that's just going to get stored indefinitely on the other end lol. The wires burned in two right where they pass through the little metal bracket and it looks like most of the damage was in that side of the socket. There eas anout 1/4 inch of wiring left behind the connection screws so I think the problem started before that. I think the bradded connection being dislodged is a symptom not a cause. Either way it was dangerous.

 

[NickAVD]

I agree. I have tossed it out now, I'm moving on 2 days and I'm trying to not take a bunch of stuff back that's just going to get stored indefinitely on the other end lol. The wires burned in two right where they pass through the little metal bracket and it looks like most of the damage was in that side of the socket. There eas anout 1/4 inch of wiring left behind the connection screws so I think the problem started before that. I think the bradded connection being dislodged is a symptom not a cause. Either way it was dangerous.

It is possible that the plastic sleeve in the metallic bracket broke the wire and it began to spark. When I disassembled my lamp, I did not install this plastic sleeve and made another protection against pulling out the wire, although no one will pull the wire.
Perhaps you shouldn't throw away your aluminum dome? You can screw a new lamp socket onto it.
But I understand your desire to relocate less stuff. In our area they say: “one relocation is equal to two fires”
This means that when moving we lose more things than in a fire.

 

[NickAVD]

look what the plastic sleeve did to the wire! It bent it so that it almost broke.

I'm very disappointed in Exotera...

 

[Chris.]

look what the plastic sleeve did to the wire! It bent it so that it almost broke. View attachment 90400
I'm very disappointed in Exotera...

That's a strain relief that has been tightened a bit too well in my opinion.

 

[NickAVD]

@Chris.
Yes it is. I have seen many different strain reliefs, but this is the roughest of them, one extra movement on the wire will break. It may be hard to see in the photo, but this is a mockery of the wire.

 

[xp29]

I didn't pull the relief out of mine. It wasn't melted or deformed, but the wires were burned in two just on the inside of it. I'll pull it back out of the trash and take a look. The dome got smoked up pretty good and smells like an electrical fire, so I just tossed it.

 

[Claudiusx]

Moved by Moderator from Advanced Discussion to Enclosures

Also stickied temporarily as it is a good reminder to all.

 

[Rocky2022]

Thank you for sharing!