Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Old Xenons. What to Do?

This is topic Old Xenons. What to Do? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 01-20-2003, 06:59 AM:

Hi All again,
I have at least a dozen old xenon lamps and I know that I am not supposed to go and throw them in the trash or someone might get hurt. What am I supposed to do with them? Shall I send them somewhere for recycling!!!! [Smile]

Anyway. Please advice
Demetris Thoupis

Posted by Mike Rendall (Member # 1499) on 01-20-2003, 07:34 AM:

I normally wrap them in an old towel or blanket, and then throw them down a flight of stairs - Obviously, you need to ensure that they are well wrapped up, and that there is no-one likely to walk in on you while you do it. If you have an echoey stairwell, the sound can be quite alarming!

I know other people generally put them in a skip (wrapped up) and throw a brick at them - Has the same effect.

Mike

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 01-20-2003, 07:40 AM:

The idea being that once they've been depressurised, they're no more dangerous than any other broken glass. Even with normal light bulbs I was taught to wrap 'em and smash 'em before throwing them away. Doing so ensures that there is no danger of the bulb breaking and a shard of glass puncturing the bin liner, which could be both dangerous and messy.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-20-2003, 08:27 AM:

Some links:

http://www.sylvania.com/forum/pdfs/faq0027-1098.pdf

http://www.ushio.com/safety.htm

http://www.sqpuv.com/high_safety.htm

http://osat-ext.grc.nasa.gov/gso/manual/chapter_26.pdf

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 01-20-2003, 12:28 PM:

Take em out to a field and use them for target practice.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 01-20-2003, 12:40 PM:

They make good hand gernades, too. [Big Grin]

Posted by Don Bruechert (Member # 1538) on 01-20-2003, 01:02 PM:

We just changed one a week or so ago and pitched the bad one in the empty dumpster - still enclosed in the protective plastic sheath that is supposed to protect you - in such a way that it would shatter. Well shatter it did, and in doing so it also destroyed the plastic thing that is supposed to protect you.... Makes one wonder if those things just have a placebo effect, and if a lamp actually decided to explode while in one would you really be safe.... Of course they do sound really cool when they go off!

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-20-2003, 01:21 PM:

Got some neighbors you don't like Paul? [Big Grin]

Now there was one theatre I worked at that had some dumpy apartments with some real great tenants that we didn't really like... [evil]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-20-2003, 08:38 PM:

Well,,,,there is some guy on these forums that did something with them at.........
Mark

Posted by Kris Brunton (Member # 432) on 01-21-2003, 08:32 AM:

I usually place them in the bottom of an empty metal popcorn oil can, put the lid back on and give it a good shake. [Wink]

Posted by Don E. Nelson (Member # 1049) on 01-21-2003, 02:57 PM:

................I eat a lot of KFC chicken, not using any napkins, then I handle the Xenon bulbs with my bare (greasy) fingers, trying to leave a lot of fingerprints for the forensics people. This gets all the anxiety out of my system and helps me to live a stress free life. Sometimes I do this after I have just done an oil change on the Honda.

[Cool]

Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 01-21-2003, 03:29 PM:

[Big Grin]

I put it in the plastic shell, then repackage it in the box it came in (I always save all packaging when I install a new bulb), seal up the box really good with duct tape so that no shards of glass can fall out, and throw the box on the ground. I did open the box one time to see what it looked like and the plastic shell was not damaged. But I still would wrap it in something else to be safe.

Posted by German Marin (Member # 918) on 03-10-2003, 09:13 PM:

If it touch the ground vertically it doesn't explode...

The LTI plastic protector is very weak and most of the times crash within the lamp.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-10-2003, 10:38 PM:

German definately has the right idea...... [thumbsup]

Target practice is another good lot of fun with them!
Mark

Posted by Andrew Duggan (Member # 1302) on 03-10-2003, 11:13 PM:

I use them for target practice, too. [Smile]

A Tokarev TT33, a couple of old Xenons and you've got yourself a grand old time.