Bulbs burn out all the time

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brakeshoe

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I have 2 lights in the ceiling of my upstairs hallway. Each takes 2 60 watt bulbs. There is a glass half globe that completely covers the bulbs. Since I have moved into the house 2 years ago I have changed these light bulbs many (>10) times. I never see a flash when I turn them on, just at some point I notice that one or more bulbs are out. The lights are both on the same 3 way switch and are generally turned on and off once a day. Being put on around 5PM and turned off around 11PM. I have tried several different brands of bulbs, but not CFL or LED. The last bulb lasted about 1 week. This is a 20 year old townhouse that has no other electrical issues that I have noticed. Does this sound like a wiring issue or are the fixtures bad?
 

Reach4

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I would definitely go with one of the more modern LED bulbs. Thinks about whether you want the warmer color or the more daylight color.

Maybe the fixtures do not dissipate heat so well, but the LEDs will generate less heat.
 

Jadnashua

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Unless it has fallen off, there will be a sticker or maybe a stamped message indicating the max wattage of the bulbs allowed for that fixture. Does it allow up to 60W?

FWIW, as of the first of the year, they are no longer making 60W incandescent bulbs for the USA...the stores are allowed to sell what inventory they have, but in awhile, you will have no choice but to buy replacement bulbs with different tech (cfl, LED, or maybe something else new).

Two things kill bulbs, vibrations, and surges. Surges happen when you turn them on and may happen if there is a large load (like a big motor) on the same circuit (it could also happen if you have frequent lightning storms), vibrations will depend on how the building was built and what's going on.
 

Jadnashua

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Overheating is a third possibility on why bulbs fail that I should have included...excessive heat can put a lot of stress on the contacts...for example, the bottom, center connection may have a little spring to it, and over time, it may lose its ability to spring back...so you screw it in, things heat up and cool off a few times, and it may no longer be making good contact anymore. It might call for new sockets, or replacing the whole thing, or there's a loose connection, causing frequent power cycles. Do they seem to flicker when someone is say going up and down the stairs?

A loose connection may also occur in the switch(es) over time if the screws weren't tightened properly in the first place, or the actual switch contacts themselves are getting old, especially if they were overloaded at any time.
 
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DonL

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Could also just be bad / cheap bulb sockets.

Are you testing the bulbs that you are removing ?

2 60 watt bulbs closed up like that will get hot.


I like the LEDs. Don't be fooled LEDs put off heat also, and should have some ventilation to cool them.
 

brakeshoe

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Thanks for the responses. Here are some further remarks based on the comments I got

I have tested the failed bulbs and they are dead
There is no information inside of either fixture to indicate the maximum wattage
I have tried 40 or 45 spotlight shaped bulbs with the same bad result
There is no flicker when people walk by. It is the top floor of an end unit
I have never seen the bulbs flash and burn out
There is a washer and dryer nearby but they are on a different circuit
 

DonL

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Thanks for the responses. Here are some further remarks based on the comments I got

I have tested the failed bulbs and they are dead
There is no information inside of either fixture to indicate the maximum wattage
I have tried 40 or 45 spotlight shaped bulbs with the same bad result
There is no flicker when people walk by. It is the top floor of an end unit
I have never seen the bulbs flash and burn out
There is a washer and dryer nearby but they are on a different circuit


Balance the load in the washer, so it don't shake your light bulb filaments when in goes in to spin. You need to use appliance bulbs.

That is one reason they don't put light bulbs in the washing machine, to help you see the clothes. They wont last.


Have Fun.
 

LLigetfa

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In my former home, the builder skimped on cross-bracing and mounted the light fixtures midspan on the floor joists in the crawlspace. I went through lots of bulbs before I switched to rough service bulbs.

When I built my current home, I deliberately located the fixtures close to support beams and the only bulb I've had to change in 12 years was the one under the washer and dryer. I put a CFL in its stead.
 

Vegas_sparky

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You can also pull the fixture/switches to make sure the neutrals in the j boxes are tight. Loose neutrals(especially in multi wire branch circuits) can cause lots of problems.
 

Dana

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Could also just be bad / cheap bulb sockets.

Are you testing the bulbs that you are removing ?

2 60 watt bulbs closed up like that will get hot.


I like the LEDs. Don't be fooled LEDs put off heat also, and should have some ventilation to cool them.

That's true- LEDs are far more sensitive to heat than CFLs (and expensive) so in an unvented fixture compact fluorescents would be a better solution.

But CFL lifespan is also affected by heat- a pair of 10-13 watters is a better choice than a pair of 15-19 watters.

If you replace the fixture, a dedicated LED fixture would likely go 3-5 DECADES, barring a direct lighting strike.
 

oxjam

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you have a loose connection somewhere creating resistance. Resistance equals heat, heat equals higher temps which burn things up. If is only that circuit check neutral and hot in panel that they are tight and not corroded. then check switches for loose connections and wire nuts in box and under the light fixture. You will find your problem. Also see if possible of screw from switch or light fixture screwed into wire. may not trip circuit but will cause all kinds of problems. I deal with these problems alot. Dont be scared of electricity just be cautious and alert or turn off breaker. no need to paid someone what you can do.
 

LLigetfa

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you have a loose connection somewhere creating resistance. Resistance equals heat, heat equals higher temps which burn things up...

A loose connection normally results in a brownout situation which, in the case of incandescent bulbs actually lowers the heat, not raises it.

The only case a loose connection could raise the voltage and subsequently the heat, would be a bad neutral on a multi-wire circuit.
 

DonL

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Switching a light on and off quickly can cause light bulbs to burn out.

I have one fixture in my kitchen over the sink, it would need the bulb replaced very often.

I thought it was because of the glass dome, so I removed it, still same problem.

It is near a window so I figure it was because of Thunder Boomers, because it did follow thunder storms.


I got feed up with it and put a florescent bulb in its place. Problem Fixed.
 

Jadnashua

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Some light fixtures do not hold the bulb very stable...vibrations can wreck havoc with bulb filaments. A ceiling light might see vibrations from people walking (kids jumping?) on the floor above. Same potential issue with the actual electrical connections - they may be loose. Some people seem to walk like they are pile drivers...banging their heels heavily with each step. Combine that with a light fixture beneath, and your bulbs may not last long. Live near a train track or subway? Planes landing overhead?

You might try to find a rough-service bulb if it continues to become a problem...they either support the filament better or use a heavier gauge wire to minimize damage from vibrations.

The last thing, is while we call the service 120vac, it may or may not be all that close to 120vac - it could be somewhat higher or lower and still be within acceptable range. If it is on the high end, you might want to try to find some 130v bulbs...if your voltage is lower, they may be a little dimmer, but if it is on the high end, they may last longer.
 

Talisker

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I have three recess can light fixture over island. They all have daylight bulb. Can't figure out what is causing the bulb to burn so quickly. They all don't burn out at once, but one after an another. Does running exhaust fan for long time cause the bulb to burn out? I don't know if they are on the same circuit. It is only those three fixture that I am having problem with.
 

Reach4

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I have three recess can light fixture over island. They all have daylight bulb. Can't figure out what is causing the bulb to burn so quickly. They all don't burn out at once, but one after an another. Does running exhaust fan for long time cause the bulb to burn out? I don't know if they are on the same circuit. It is only those three fixture that I am having problem with.
If you are looking for a solution, put LED bulbs in. If this is more an academic question, vibrations, higher voltage, and heat can shorten the life of tungsten lamps.
 

DonL

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Using a daylight bulb may cause problem when used at night.

Could not resist.

Are they CFL ?
 
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