Halogen Bulb Keep Burning Out Quickly

TromboneAl

TromboneAl

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Jun 30, 2006
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Please Note: I didn't touch it with my fingers!

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The last halogen bulb in our dining room light lasted for years, then burned out. I replaced it, and within a week that one burned out. Did it again with the same result.

I wear nitrile gloves when doing this, and am gentle.

Is it possible that the gloves have oil that causes them to overheat?

How can I keep this from happening?

Thanks,

Al
 
We wipe them off with rubbing alcohol, ensures something else didn't leave oils on it. Then use the paper towel.
MRG
 
Cheap bulbs? (China?)

Try the alcohol as MRG suggested. (Not the distilled and blended stuff!) :D
 
Last edited:
TromboneAl said:
The last halogen bulb in our dining room light lasted for years, then burned out. I replaced it, and within a week that one burned out. Did it again with the same result.

I wear nitrile gloves when doing this, and am gentle.

Is it possible that the gloves have oil that causes them to overheat?

How can I keep this from happening?
Click to expand...

Is this a multi-bulb fixture, or just a single bulb? If it's the only bulb, is there a chance something's up with your wiring/breaker/light switch? (maybe a dimmer?)
 
Are you sure you bought the exact right replacement bulb?

Get your multimeter and check the voltage at the fixture and compare it to the working fixtures. When my CFLs have burned out extremely fast, it was due to overvoltage in the fixture.

Check the transformer specs. Does the bulb match the voltage and wattage requirements? My guess is that transformer went bad.
 
Single bulb. Quite sure it's the right replacement.

I don't think there's a transformer. I'll play with it tomorrow.

And what is it with me an typos in the titles?
 
TromboneAl said:
Single bulb. Quite sure it's the right replacement.

I don't think there's a transformer. I'll play with it tomorrow.

And what is it with me an typos in the titles?
Click to expand...

Yes, this type of bulb is a 115V lamp of a fairly high wattage.

And the typo errors are just another sign of old age. It is to be expected, and nothing to worry about.
 
TromboneAl said:
Single bulb. Quite sure it's the right replacement.

I don't think there's a transformer. I'll play with it tomorrow.

And what is it with me an typos in the titles?
Click to expand...

Did you know that they now make a certain halogen light (if you are taking about those small ones with two prongs on the end) in LCD, and it can go right in a regular halogen fixture now. I had problem with three halogen bulbs either burning out or turning on and off when they got hot, which is often here in Fl. in the summer. The guy from Home Depot showed me the new LCD type halogen bulbs that can be inserted in their place. Very costly at $20 a piece. Cost $60 to replace 3 bulbs, but cheaper than an electrician and having to change out my halogen can fixtures. I love the light Halogen bulbs throw off. Makes everything look great. The LCD's are second best for esthetics.

The LCD is a very bright white light. But no blue tint either. Not as flattering as the halogen, but it doesn't get hot, hopefully won't burn out, and lasts a long time. I was going through at least 2 halogen light bulbs per can a year, which is $30 a year.

For other types of LCD bulbs, go to Costco. Much cheaper than Home Depot or Lowes.
 
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modhatter said:
Did you know that they now make a certain halogen light (if you are taking about those small ones with two prongs on the end) in LCD, and it can go right in a regular halogen fixture now.
.
Click to expand...
That's good to know. We have a bunch of halogen fixtures and the replacement bulbs are costly and don't last that long, so even an expensive LCD might make sense. Are the LCDs as bright as the halogen bulbs?
 
modhatter said:
Did you know that they now make a certain halogen light (if you are taking about those small ones with two prongs on the end) in LCD, and it can go right in a regular halogen fixture now. ...
Click to expand...

I assume you mean LED (Light Emitting Diode), not LCD (reflects light, does not produce light) -

Do you have a link, I could not find them?

-ERD50
 
The little two-prong bulbs described above are 5-watt bulbs. I have not seen the LED replacements, but do not see why they should cost $20.

The bulb T-Al showed is a 150-watt bulb, I think. An LED with the same brightness is going to cost mucho money, if it is even available.

PS. I stand corrected. There are 2-prong bulbs that go up to 20 watts. I guess an LED that goes into the same small space is harder to make, hence costs more.
 
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MichaelB said:
That's good to know. We have a bunch of halogen fixtures and the replacement bulbs are costly and don't last that long, so even an expensive LCD might make sense. Are the LCDs as bright as the halogen bulbs?
Click to expand...

Brighter. (same 50 watt equiv) My little bathroom now could be an operating room.
 
Is this bulb in a recessed fixture with a thermal overload that's tripping, or is the bulb truly burning out? Not sure why the old bulb wouldn't have had the same problem, though.

Just brainstorming.
 
Al,
Just my 2 cents... As you know those bubs run really hot. If the original ran for years then burned out and replacements die early, I suspect the fixture. You might try cleaning the contacts, replacing the switch - otherwise replace the fixture.
 
BUM said:
Al,
Just my 2 cents... As you know those bubs run really hot. If the original ran for years then burned out and replacements die early, I suspect the fixture. You might try cleaning the contacts, replacing the switch - otherwise replace the fixture.
Click to expand...

Or the airflow through the fixture is blocked?
 
GalaxyBoy said:
Is this bulb in a recessed fixture with a thermal overload that's tripping, or is the bulb truly burning out? Not sure why the old bulb wouldn't have had the same problem, though.

Just brainstorming.
Click to expand...

Yes to both. They cut out because of heat build up and thermal overload, and after a while when they cool down, they come back on. There are three in the bathroom ceiling (recessed) I have been in the shower where there is one above me, and have it go out, then a few times the other two cut out. Can you say SCARY?? :LOL:

I paid an electrician to put cages around them to keep away the blown insulation etc and create enough air around them, but didn't help. They did seem to blow out quite prematurely though as well.

Since my replacement with the LCD bulbs, I can have lights on all day, and not one has gone off. (My son doesn't know where the "light off" switch is located apparently) :(
 
It's a very simple 120 VAC fixture.

The old bulb was definitely burned out, with infinite resistance and a tiny black spot at one point near the end of the filament.

Cleaned contacts, wiped bulb with alcohol, and installed. We'll see.

g0AmQFr.jpg
 
It burned out again today. So, I can either buy a new fixture for a few hundred, or use halogens at $6 a pop.

Maybe I can jury rig an LED bulb in there.
 
Perhaps they don't make them like they used to. Or that the utility has been messing around, and your line voltage is higher than 115V. Do you have a voltmeter to check?

If it keeps failing, I would put in a wall dimmer to cut the power to the bulb a bit.
 
This happened to me all the time with a new kitchen light/fan, then on my electrician's advice I ordered halogens rated at 130V instead of 120V. Issue went away.

I found them on Amzn.
 
NW-Bound said:
Perhaps they don't make them like they used to. Or that the utility has been messing around, and your line voltage is higher than 115V. Do you have a voltmeter to check?

If it keeps failing, I would put in a wall dimmer to cut the power to the bulb a bit.
Click to expand...


I recall T-Al's neighbor had hot wired to the utility to power their grow operation, and overloaded the feeds to the point of smoking. Perhaps somewhere along the way, someone on your feed complained of low voltage, and the utility increased the voltage to that feed, and never brought it back down when the grow operation was detected?

If you have high voltage, you want it fixed. It can affect a lot of things, but filament bulbs are very sensitive to delta V. IIRC a 10% increase gives less than 50% life.

I'd put in an LED rated dimmer in either case. Dimming is a nice feature and will increase bulb life (I think halogens need occasional time at full power - something about the halogen depositing on the glass and needing to be 'burned off').

130V bulbs would help but I say fix the source.

-ERD50
 
I checked the voltage last time and it was fine--while I was testing at least.
 
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