This horrible mess used to be one of those really cheap plastic bulkhead lights:





The goo around everything seems to include all that's left of the plastic shells from the terminal blocks on the ground and hot loop-thru wires:




This combination certainly didn't help the situation:







[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 05-31-2005).]

Looks like the plastic has been nibbled by mice or rats?

Nope, 100W bulb, those things are typically rated for 60W or less.

Paul, are you allowed to dangle light fixures from a cord stapled to the wall, with no box like that in the UK? (I have seen it done in Spain, but didn't think it was legal...)

I've never seen one of those made of plastic...heck, the metal and glass ones cost about $4! That's plenty cheap enough for me.

My one gripe about much lighting- and not limited to the cheap kind- is that they are too closely sized to the A-19 bulb. This dissapoints me, as all but the smallest compact flourescents are considerably longer- and won't fit. (I'd rather spend my lighting money on light, rather than heat!)

Ahh yes Paul,
So you have that same problem in the UK as well.
Regardless of any markings that a manufacturer will put on thier own gear, there will always be some idiot that thinks that they know better and throws a higher rated lamp in the fitting.
People don't seem to realise that fuses/CB's don't protect against thermal effects at fittings, until of course the bare wires short-circuit.
John,
Yes they do come in plastic versions, polycarbonate, to be exact.
We've extinguished a few porch fires caused by these sorts of fittings, the problem is with them being weather-proof, once you have the cover/diffuser screwed on it, there is no ventilation at all to get rid of the huge amount of heat that the incandescent lamps produce.
Leaving a light like this on for any length of time is just asking for trouble.

Yep, it must have been purely the heat. For anyone who can't make it out, the marking on the reflector does indeed say "Max. 60W."

Even with our inflated British prices these are about as cheap as you can get. I've seen them in the DIY stores for around £5. In my trade catalog they're listed at £1.45 (about $2.60) plus tax!

Or polypropylene. I'm no chemist, so I'm not sure about any significant differences in the composition.

No, that's just how far I'd gotten in removing it when I remembered I had my camera with me.

It was actually screwed to the soffit board, hence the scorch marks you can see at the top of the first picture. I can see how that looks like a staple on the cables, but it's actually a rubber grommet which was in the end the fitting.

Boxes are seldom used behind any light fittings here, except on conduit work. In fact the general method of connecting to lights is one aspect of British wiring which I find less than ideal.

Very familiar Paul. Had a job today to change out a fluorescent from the 70s with a nasty overheated ballast, that smell is so... appetising LOL

Oh yeah... nice smell, indeed!
The new lights of that kind are even worse, they have dead cheap plastic sockets with push-in terminals. They feel like they're gonna fall apiece upon the first bulb change... but hey, the supply silicone tubing for the wires!