My question is that I have had several people ask me about surface mount incandescent light fixtures using up A-lamps very fast. These could not just be cheap light bulbs all the time when it happens so often. Could it be that there is a loose wire under a wire nut or some kind of bad connection that is causing this. They never say that the lights flicker while this happens. Thanks.
light bulbs burning out fast
- Thread starter leggo
- Start date
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shocker3218
Senior Member
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
I have a light fixture in my bedroom with 7 bulbs, on a dimmer, and have only had 1 burn out in the last 5 years. I think a lot of bulb life depends on the quality of the light fixture itself.
I used all the same bulbs in my personal house when I built it 2 1/2 years ago. In some fixtures I have changed bulbs 2 or 3 times, in others I have not changed them yet. They all get approximately same useage (I have teenagers and they are all always on)
I have a light fixture in my bedroom with 7 bulbs, on a dimmer, and have only had 1 burn out in the last 5 years. I think a lot of bulb life depends on the quality of the light fixture itself.
I used all the same bulbs in my personal house when I built it 2 1/2 years ago. In some fixtures I have changed bulbs 2 or 3 times, in others I have not changed them yet. They all get approximately same useage (I have teenagers and they are all always on)
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
Tests I have made, have been on older fixtures where the center contact has been compressed. This makes for hard twisting of glass envelope breaking the pressure seal.
Get a pop cycle stick and pull the contact out further. Or get a new fixture.
Tests I have made, have been on older fixtures where the center contact has been compressed. This makes for hard twisting of glass envelope breaking the pressure seal.
Get a pop cycle stick and pull the contact out further. Or get a new fixture.
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
Does that light fixture that you are using have a globe that encases the bulbs ? If so, the heat around the bulb(s) is not able to dissipate and is contained inside that globe and reduces the life of the bulb(s). If it is possible to loosen the globe so that some of the heat may dissipate you may extend the life of the bulb(s). If you cannot do this you can try going to compact fluorescent bulbs if you're not using a dimmer.
Also, check the lamp rating on the fixture and make sure you're not "over-lamping" the fixture. If it says max is 60 watt bulbs and you have a 3-lamp fixture, you now have 180 watts of power and heat enclosed inside that fixture. The life expectancy of the bulbs in total cannot be that long. Just my opinion
Does that light fixture that you are using have a globe that encases the bulbs ? If so, the heat around the bulb(s) is not able to dissipate and is contained inside that globe and reduces the life of the bulb(s). If it is possible to loosen the globe so that some of the heat may dissipate you may extend the life of the bulb(s). If you cannot do this you can try going to compact fluorescent bulbs if you're not using a dimmer.
Also, check the lamp rating on the fixture and make sure you're not "over-lamping" the fixture. If it says max is 60 watt bulbs and you have a 3-lamp fixture, you now have 180 watts of power and heat enclosed inside that fixture. The life expectancy of the bulbs in total cannot be that long. Just my opinion
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
I see this problem quite often, there must be some common cause. Maybe not.
I just replaced a 40 watt incandescent lamp with a florescent mini-lamp. Maybe over tightening has something to do with this problem. The inside was clouded up, indicating loss of inert gas.
The old lamp was hard to turn out, the new one went in easy,after the old popcicle stick trick.
I also noticed the lamp was horizontal. Vibration would appear to be more violent with the support wires hot and limp.
Vertical, base up, the heat would tend to rise inside the lamp, to the base. Base down, the filament, would tend to have more heat.
How does a household lamp compare with an auto lamp for longevity?
I see this problem quite often, there must be some common cause. Maybe not.
I just replaced a 40 watt incandescent lamp with a florescent mini-lamp. Maybe over tightening has something to do with this problem. The inside was clouded up, indicating loss of inert gas.
The old lamp was hard to turn out, the new one went in easy,after the old popcicle stick trick.
I also noticed the lamp was horizontal. Vibration would appear to be more violent with the support wires hot and limp.
Vertical, base up, the heat would tend to rise inside the lamp, to the base. Base down, the filament, would tend to have more heat.
How does a household lamp compare with an auto lamp for longevity?
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
You probably have a bad neuteral connection somewhere on the circuit. Most likely at the switchbox or behind the fixture, it could be anyplace upstream though.
Look for non-twisted wires during makeup or maybe just re-do the connection behind the fixture "and be sure to use the correct size wire nuts"
You probably have a bad neuteral connection somewhere on the circuit. Most likely at the switchbox or behind the fixture, it could be anyplace upstream though.
Look for non-twisted wires during makeup or maybe just re-do the connection behind the fixture "and be sure to use the correct size wire nuts"
hbiss
EC, New York NEC: 2017
- Location
- Little Falls, New York NEC: 2017
- Occupation
- EC
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
...You probably have a bad neuteral connection somewhere on the circuit.
Explain to me how a "bad neutral" (assuming that it is not a shared neutral between two phases) will cause bulbs to burn out prematurely.
-Hal
...You probably have a bad neuteral connection somewhere on the circuit.
Explain to me how a "bad neutral" (assuming that it is not a shared neutral between two phases) will cause bulbs to burn out prematurely.
-Hal
G
Guest
Guest
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
Cheap bulbs?
Counterfeit bulbs.
Overvoltage.
Surges.
Underrated bulbs (i.e.- 100 volt lamps on 120 volt circuit).
Cheap bulbs?
Counterfeit bulbs.
Overvoltage.
Surges.
Underrated bulbs (i.e.- 100 volt lamps on 120 volt circuit).
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
See if you can find a 130 V lamp. Traffic signal lamps are rated 8,000 hours at 130V.
See if you can find a 130 V lamp. Traffic signal lamps are rated 8,000 hours at 130V.
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
The answer to the lamp duration is based on the lamp voltage rating. As stated earlier a 130V lamp will last longer on a 120V circuit than a 115V lamp.
When I worked for a utility, we would cell the customers lamps that were rated for 130 volts. The reason for this was that the system voltage was set to about 123 volts at the substation. If the lamp is close to the utilities' substation, the voltage will be higher and the lamp will have a shorter life.
The answer to the lamp duration is based on the lamp voltage rating. As stated earlier a 130V lamp will last longer on a 120V circuit than a 115V lamp.
When I worked for a utility, we would cell the customers lamps that were rated for 130 volts. The reason for this was that the system voltage was set to about 123 volts at the substation. If the lamp is close to the utilities' substation, the voltage will be higher and the lamp will have a shorter life.
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Re: light bulbs burning out fast
Wildcat (interesting name . . .), you are correct but don't forget that if a lamp is applied at a lower voltage than its rating, you will lose lumens. I used to use 130 volt lamps all the time when I purchased them at the supply house by the case. Now that I am no working in the trade, I pick them up at the hardware store and 120 volt lamps are all they carry.
We pump our 13.8 kV from our substations on a 13.2 kV system (about a 4% overvoltage). That permits us to go a lot further before we need voltage regulators. Customers get close to 125 volts where they are located close to our substations.
Wildcat (interesting name . . .), you are correct but don't forget that if a lamp is applied at a lower voltage than its rating, you will lose lumens. I used to use 130 volt lamps all the time when I purchased them at the supply house by the case. Now that I am no working in the trade, I pick them up at the hardware store and 120 volt lamps are all they carry.
We pump our 13.8 kV from our substations on a 13.2 kV system (about a 4% overvoltage). That permits us to go a lot further before we need voltage regulators. Customers get close to 125 volts where they are located close to our substations.
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