I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas what might be going on?
Mike D.
Ghosts.
Greg
Hecho en China?
Years ago, about 1988, I found Phillips burned out immediately over my work bench (vibration) and GE lasted longer.
Try different brands.
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Mike D.
Michael Dobony wrote in news:tckev6z11k4r.14r48vdob9hab$. snipped-for-privacy@40tude.net:
How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any vibration?
Incandescent or CFL? I've had more than one batch of bad CFLs - and the brand doesn't seem to matter - just about all are made in China anyway.
Were they over 60W and in a globe? My bulbs died early too but they still lasted longer than 2 hours! Using 60W, they last months as they should.
Probably a bad batch. I've run into that before.
If you buy replacements, get them from a different store. Write Sylvania too and they most likely will send you a coupon for replacements.
Yeah, there is distinctly a lack of quality consistency in imported light bulbs, both CFL and incandescent.
Probably just a bad batch of bulbs.
I used to put 75W and maybe 100 in a globe, even though I had read what it says. Maybe they did but I didn't notice bulbs burning out so much. But the plastic around the sockets crumbled in several years. .
If the contacts were dirty enough to matter, it would lower the voltage at the bulb and if anything, extend their life. As you know, it doesn't sound like the contacts are the problem.
Bad batch? Return to the store if you can.
*Arcing inside of the socket could cause the problem. However you did say that the contacts were clean and bright. If it is an old light fixture, take it apart and look at the wire connections to the socket. Vibration could also cause the problem. Use fan bulbs or rough service bulbs to resolve that. It is also possible that the bulbs were mishandled at some point during the shipping process and were damaged before you bought them. Regardless, I would return them to the place of purchase.
You didn't say where you installed the bulbs or what type of bulbs they were, but it is possible that the wattage was too great for the fixture. Certain light fixtures such as recessed lighting have thermal protection in them. If the wattage is too much, they will shut off until they cool down. In which case the bulbs may not be burned out at all. Did you try screwing the bulbs into another fixture or lamp?
Vibrations, movement of the sockets, theft, Sylvania makes a lot of trash same as all the others. My bet's on vibrations from people's feet or machinery running or a bad connection somehow. .
You people really make me laugh. You=92re all so brainwashed that you don= =92t know which way is up. In the first place stop blaming =93vibration=94.= I=92m old enough to remember when the light bulb in your house lasted just= as long as the light bulb on your vehicle. You=92re all too brainwashed to= remember that. In the second place stop blaming the sockets or maybe I sho= uld say start blaming the sockets because they=92re made in China too. I=92= m old enough to remember when the only sockets that weren=92t made of porce= lain were Christmas tree light sockets. The Chinese are making the filament= s too short and of tungsten that isn=92t as pure. They=92re also making the= glass thinner. The light bulbs are burning a lot hotter which is shortenin= g their life, and like good little boy almost none of you are complaining.
all good points. can't control poor manufacturing or poor handling, but can do something about the vibration. shock mount, or buy suitable bulbs for rough situations.
You can also add an old fashioned dimmer controller to the sockets and leave it set to FULL ON That ensures the bulb comes on at voltage crossover reducing power on surge and strain to the bulb. You may remember that most bulbs seem to blow as you turn them on, you rarely find them already dead in the socket..
I once had a 'light bulb killer' luminaire: the switch contacts make and break and make and break and can blow a bulb out quick! Replacing the switch cured the problem.
Mounted to brick walls, no vibrations other than people running up and down the stairs.
They are incandescents, sorry.
Bought a 10 pack and used many of them with no issues at all. Problem is limited to these 4 sockets, all the sealed deck lights. I have a bunch of other deck lights that are doing fine, same breaker, different switch.
no machinery. as mentioned, bad connection would lower voltage and make the bulbs last longer. Other bulbs in same box are good.
Michael Dobony wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@40tude.net:
No spikes in that 117 voltage? Absent vibration and poor contact, overvoltage is probably the only culprit left.
Maybe you got a bad batch. Or maybe QC is slipping, as the makers try and force you to CFLs, which carry a better margin for them.
I have a bunch of Philips DuraMax "Long Life" 60W I stocked up on when banning incandescents was all the rage. They seem to be lasting just fine. You know, I still have a couple of 60W incandescents that were installed when we moved into this house. They're at least 19-years-old now. Amazing.
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