"zmike6" wrote in message
...
The outdoor light adjacent to my garage is burning out bulbs very
fast. It worked fine using the original bulb for more than four
years, then I noticed it would tend to go out sometimes (a light tap
on the fixture would bring it back). Eventually the bulb burned out
completely and I replaced it. The new bulb worked OK for about 6
months then began to exhibit the same behavior until it failed
completely. So I replaced the bulb again and now it's dead after just
3 days. The fixture appears to be designed for typical 60w
incandescent bulbs

If it matters, there is another outdoor light on the same circuit that
does not suffer from rapid failure.

Does this sound like a short, loose wire, corrosion in the fixture?
Is excessive voltage the main thing that can burn out a bulb
prematurely?

Could easily be the bulb you are putting in or a problem with the fixture.
First, is the bulb in the fixture a base up configuration? If so, be sure
the bulbs you are putting in are rated for that. Also, there is a product
(might be a GE one) that is called "Post Lamp" that are rated for outdoor
use. I've found they do last a lot longer in the lamp post then the
standard incandescent bulbs.

YMMV.