GU10 bulbs and poor lifespan

[Fatboy40]

There realy isn't much information on the above around so I thought I'd ask in here.

The lifespan of GU10 bulbs seems to be appaling, they're rated for say 1500 hours but for many they last only a few weeks, this happens to me no matter what brand I buy.

I've noticed that some say you should not handle the bulbs directly but this seems to be some sort of urban myth. Also LED GU10's seem to be a solution, however, the amount of light they emit is less than a standard 50 w GU10.

Is there one brand of bulb you can buy that doesn't fail so quickly or if you choose to install GU10 fittings do you just have to get used to replacing them regularly ?.

Thanks.

[Sparks]

We have 15 GU10's in our Kitchen since April 05, they are on a lot - I don't seem to be replacing them all the time, I think I have replaced 3 in 8-9 months!

They are installed with nothing above them (well, the roof is between 1 and

3 meters away) - are yours covered over at the top with insulation or something?

Sparks...

[Fatboy40]

They have good ventilation so that shouldn't be an issue for me, they're in little metal 'pods' that protrude form the ceiling by about 2 1/2 inches.

I know that there are some people out there, like yourself, who have had good experiances with GU10's, there just seem to be many like me on a merry go round of bulb replacement :(

[Sparks]

I will have a look what make they are when I get a moment - I wouldn't say that a 2 1/2" pod is good ventilation though! - Is there a room above the lights?

Sparks...

[Sparks]

Just thought, I have mine on those touch dimmers, so they soft start every time they are tuned on - maybe that is the key?

Sparks...

[sm_jamieson]

They certainly get hot. I put some of those 3-on-a-bar type halogens, and I smelt a funny smell. I don't know what the ceiling was painted with, but it appeared to be melting ! Simon.

[daddyfreddy]

I've never considered it a myth. I always try and handle them without skin contact or clean them if I do touch them. Anyone know any different?

[usenet]

Surely this applies to the actual halogen bulb which is a much smaller thing inside the GU10 envelope, you can't touch that unless you break the outside glass.

You shouldn't touch the actual quartz envelope of 'quartz halogen' bulbs but on GU10s you can't. There's certainly no warning about this on GU10 bulb boxes and there certainly is on other types where you can touch the quartz - e.g. the linear 300w and 500w bulbs and car headlamp bulbs.

[Frank Erskine]

I've had six GU10 lamps in the bathroom for over two years, and have only ever replaced one bulb. There isn't that much clearance above them - just a few inches.

[Baz]

A mate of mine sells bulbs and I asked him the same question as the ones I was using didn't last very long. He suggested "SYLVANIA", I bought a box and have been replacing dead ones with these and I have now had some of the news ones in for over a year.

Baz

[Ian_m]

This issue is often the mains being too high, but withing spec. My mate suffered this in his new kitchen, costing £3-4 month in bulbs over about 1 year. Greatly helped by fitting soft start unit

but after suffering an insulation failure in one of the lights changed them all to 12V units, each off a transformer and not suffered any bulb failures in 4 years.

I have 8 12V downlighters in my kitchen, fitted in 2000 and not suffered any bulb failures at all, which is what finally convinced my mate 12V + transformer was the way to go.

[Andy Dingley]

Buy better bulbs. Cheap GU10s are a false economy.

[Blueyonder]

I've quite often noticed finger-prints on the inside of these things, so I suspect they are not treated so carefully at the factory. These are the GEC things made in Poland.

-- JJ

[Fatboy40]

Yep, I presumed the same thing, however, a bulb from a branded pack of three for £9.99 seems to last no longer than a bulb from a three pack costing £4.99 :(

If anyone can reccomend a brand of bulb available on the high street that it supposed to be of a better quality I'll try it...

[Fatboy40]

Thanks Baz.

I had a look at their website and it seems that they're the new name for Osram who I'm aware of.

I've never seen the brand on the high street though, where did you buy yours ? (I see that they can be bought on line, however, I think I'd have to be mad to trust my postie to deliver them intact).