We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of globe
than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more often than
they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too high or too low?
Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I need to call an
electrician?

Thanks for any help.

Jen

Jen wrote:
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of globe
than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more often than
they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too high or too low?
Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I need to call an
electrician?


Aprox how often do they fail? How expensive are they? Please post a
pic of the bulb or a more specific description.

"Lawrence" wrote in message
ups.com...

Jen wrote:
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of
globe
than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more often
than
they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too high or too low?
Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I need to call an
electrician?


Aprox how often do they fail? How expensive are they? Please post a
pic of the bulb or a more specific description.


Seems to blow every couple of months. They're just the normal priced
globes. Can't post a pic, no camera. I'm from Australia, I don't know
where you are from, we may have different manufacturers so I don't know if a
description would be useful. It is a Phillips brand 25 watt globe.

Jen

Jen wrote:
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of globe
than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more often than
they should. Does anybody know why?

Three lights or more are considered Chandiliers, and require special
bulbs.
The filaments of these bulbs are usually more delicate.

Is the wattage too high or too low?

Usually, their spot on...120V.........but your house may be higer......
If your pushin' 125 or higer, they'll blow more.
Less than 125...well, they'll come close to the Service life of what
the box says.

Or is there a problem with the fitting itself?

Wouldn't think so.

Do I need to call an electrician?

Wouldn't think so.
If you or a friend can take a reading with a volt meter for AC Volts at
your outlets,
that'll tell ya' what ya' got.
120 to I've seen as high as 127V in some.
A 122 average will keep ya' close to the box, with a 120
A 124 or higher average, you should go with 130V bulbs. but they'll be
a little dimmer.
The Blue or orange boxes may have higher voltage bulbs, but if you have
a lighting and electical supply house nearby, you should have a better
experience.

Thanks for any help.

Jen

YW
Sky

Jen wrote:
Seems to blow every couple of months. They're just the normal priced
globes. Can't post a pic, no camera. I'm from Australia, I don't know
where you are from, we may have different manufacturers so I don't know if a
description would be useful. It is a Phillips brand 25 watt globe.

Jen

Are you in AUS now?

"sky" wrote in message
ps.com...

Jen wrote:
Seems to blow every couple of months. They're just the normal priced
globes. Can't post a pic, no camera. I'm from Australia, I don't know
where you are from, we may have different manufacturers so I don't know
if a
description would be useful. It is a Phillips brand 25 watt globe.

Jen

Are you in AUS now?

Yes

Jen wrote:
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of
globe than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more
often than they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too
high or too low? Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I
need to call an electrician?

Thanks for any help.

Jen

Several factors can cause short life.

Heat, especially if the lamps are in an enclosed fixture
Vibration, from machinery or sometimes someone walking on the floor
above a ceiling fixture.
Moisture. This is also a killer, it does not take much.
Poor connections. If the contacts of the fixture are corroded or maybe
lost their "springiness" the lamps may not be making good contact.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 08:37:53 GMT, "Jen"
wrote:

We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of globe
than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more often than
they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too high or too low?
Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I need to call an
electrician?

Thanks for any help.

Jen

We had a light bulb last over 10 years once. It was hanging in a
barn with no globe and was a low wattage bulb.

On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 11:35:29 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

Jen wrote:
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of
globe than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more
often than they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too
high or too low? Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I
need to call an electrician?

Thanks for any help.

Jen

Several factors can cause short life.

Heat, especially if the lamps are in an enclosed fixture
Vibration, from machinery or sometimes someone walking on the floor
above a ceiling fixture.
Moisture. This is also a killer, it does not take much.

?? How would moisture get into the lightbulb, or make a difference
from the outside?

Poor connections. If the contacts of the fixture are corroded or maybe
lost their "springiness" the lamps may not be making good contact.

"JimL" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 08:37:53 GMT, "Jen"
wrote:

We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of
globe
than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more often than
they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too high or too low?
Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I need to call an
electrician?

The causes I can think of:

supply voltage too high, or voltage surges
vibration
bad contact

If it's a bad contact you would see the light flicker sometimes. You can
measure if the supply voltage is too high or not.

Voltage surges are harder to catch. Other than having a monitoring device on
it, I don't know what else could help.

"Jen" wrote in message
...
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of
globe than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more
often than they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too high
or too low? Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I need to
call an electrician?

Everyone's given all sorts of interesting theories. Thanks. But none of it
really helps solve the problem.

Thanks for trying though.

Jen

In my experience, it depends on manufacturer and batch. Had some miniature
pot lights that took a 35 watt reflector. Bought a box of 12 bulbs, they
only lasted a couple of months each. Bought a second batch of 12 bulbs, and
they last a couple of years each. Finally used them up and bought some
Philips at the local HD store, they are still going and are at least 3 years
old. In the same vein, I have some 50 watt large reflectors where several of
the 19 original bulbs are still in daily use after 20 years. I can't figure
it out, I doubt anyone else can other than brand and batch. You get some
good ones and some bad ones.

"Jen" wrote in message
...

"sky" wrote in message
ps.com...

Jen wrote:
Seems to blow every couple of months. They're just the normal priced
globes. Can't post a pic, no camera. I'm from Australia, I don't know
where you are from, we may have different manufacturers so I don't know
if a
description would be useful. It is a Phillips brand 25 watt globe.

Jen

Are you in AUS now?

Yes

On 08/05/06 04:37 am Jen wrote:

We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type of globe
than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much more often than
they should. Does anybody know why? Is the wattage too high or too low?
Or is there a problem with the fitting itself? Do I need to call an
electrician?

Have you tried a different brand of bulb or a bulb from a different
batch? I bought a pack once of a reputable brand of bulb/"globe" (only
Aussies seem to call them that); most of them lasted only a few hours,
and one or two blew as soon as the switch was turned on for the first time.

Perce

mm wrote:
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 11:35:29 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

Jen wrote:
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type
of globe than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much
more often than they should. Does anybody know why? Is the
wattage too high or too low? Or is there a problem with the fitting
itself? Do I need to call an electrician?

Thanks for any help.

Jen

Several factors can cause short life.

Heat, especially if the lamps are in an enclosed fixture
Vibration, from machinery or sometimes someone walking on the
floor above a ceiling fixture.
Moisture. This is also a killer, it does not take much.

?? How would moisture get into the lightbulb, or make a difference
from the outside?

It can come from leaks or condensation. It can cause corrosion and
thermo shock.


Poor connections. If the contacts of the fixture are corroded or
maybe lost their "springiness" the lamps may not be making good
contact.



--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 12:33:02 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

mm wrote:
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 11:35:29 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

Jen wrote:
We have a light fitting with three lights that take a smaller type
of globe than the more common ones. It seems they are blowing much
more often than they should. Does anybody know why? Is the
wattage too high or too low? Or is there a problem with the fitting
itself? Do I need to call an electrician?

Thanks for any help.

Jen

Several factors can cause short life.

Heat, especially if the lamps are in an enclosed fixture
Vibration, from machinery or sometimes someone walking on the
floor above a ceiling fixture.
Moisture. This is also a killer, it does not take much.

?? How would moisture get into the lightbulb, or make a difference
from the outside?

It can come from leaks or condensation. It can cause corrosion and
thermo shock.

I get it. Good to know.

Poor connections. If the contacts of the fixture are corroded or
maybe lost their "springiness" the lamps may not be making good
contact.

"Jen" wrote in message
...

Everyone's given all sorts of interesting theories. Thanks. But none of
it really helps solve the problem.

Did you actually try any of the suggestions? Many are not 'theories',
but proven techniques that address your stated problem. Using
higher voltage globes or using a dimmer will most assuredly give
you longer lifed globes.

lee h

"lee houston" wrote in message
...

"Jen" wrote in message
...

Everyone's given all sorts of interesting theories. Thanks. But none of
it really helps solve the problem.

Did you actually try any of the suggestions? Many are not 'theories',
but proven techniques that address your stated problem. Using
higher voltage globes or using a dimmer will most assuredly give
you longer lifed globes.


I gave them all some thought. It's not moisture. I've never seen any
globes of a different voltage, they all seem to be 240. A dimmer, none of
us actually want at the moment, and can't afford - and why didn't it happen
before, we didn't have a dimmer before. I've put it down to the batch, as
someone suggested.

Jen