[Nancy]

The burning smell with a new emitter is normal but also make sure the emitter isn't touching the wires of the cage.

The sound can happen sometimes with the rheostat fixtures. If they didn't make the sound with the bulbs Puff and Chloe had, I'd switch back. Sometimes it's the bulb that causes it to make the noise, sometimes it's the fixture, and sometimes it's just where you have the switch set.

I've used one that made the noise. It wasn't loud and could only be heard when right beside the fixture.

 

[Nancy]

The rheostat on the fixture don't have a motor. Rheostats are a coil of wire that a metal thingy rides on and depending on where it is set there is more or less resistance which allows more or less electricity to pass. How's that for a really unscientific explanation. :lol: They are different than timers which do have motors.

Rheostats of any type sometimes make a buzzing or humming sound and I've got fixtures that were brand new that made the noise right from day one. Sometimes it is the particular bulb or emitter that causes the problem.

 

[Nancy]

The bulb itself will definitely smell when first used. Sometimes the fixtures can emit an odor as well and sometimes if the bulb is close to the wires of the cage, that can smell too. It's just from the paint getting warm and will quit happening after a couple of times it's on. Having the fixture rest directly on the wires is fine.

As for the wood getting warm, ideally it shouldn't. I don't know if it would be a fire hazard or not. It would depend on how warm it's getting. I think I'd move it just to be safe.