I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar
store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them
last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage
and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas what might be
going on?

Mike D.

China

Michael Dobony wrote:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar
store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them
last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage
and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas what might be
going on?

Mike D.

Ghosts.

Greg

Hecho en China?

Years ago, about 1988, I found Phillips burned out
immediately over my work bench (vibration) and GE
lasted longer.

Try different brands.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Michael Dobony" wrote in message
...
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago,
not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four
went out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and
1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the
voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright.
Any ideas what might be going on?

Mike D.

Michael Dobony wrote in
:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap
dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I
replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later!
I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and
bright. Any ideas what might be going on?



How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any vibration?


--
Tegger

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:46:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Michael Dobony wrote in
:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap
dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I
replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later!
I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and
bright. Any ideas what might be going on?



How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any vibration?
Incandescent or CFL? I've had more than one batch of bad CFLs - and
the brand doesn't seem to matter - just about all are made in China
anyway.

wrote:
On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:46:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Michael Dobony wrote in
:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap
dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I
replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later!
I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and
bright. Any ideas what might be going on?



Were they over 60W and in a globe? My bulbs died early too but they
still lasted longer than 2 hours! Using 60W, they last months as they
should.



How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any vibration?
Incandescent or CFL? I've had more than one batch of bad CFLs - and
the brand doesn't seem to matter - just about all are made in China
anyway.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:11:12 -0500, Michael Dobony
wrote:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar
store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them
last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage
and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas what might be
going on?

Mike D.

Probably a bad batch. I've run into that before.

If you buy replacements, get them from a different store. Write
Sylvania too and they most likely will send you a coupon for
replacements.

On Oct 17, 9:51*pm, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:11:12 -0500, Michael Dobony

wrote:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar
store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them
last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage
and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas what might be
going on?

Mike D.

Probably a bad batch. I've run into that before.

If you buy replacements, get them from a different store. *Write
Sylvania too and they most likely will send you a coupon for
replacements.

Yeah, there is distinctly a lack of quality consistency in imported
light bulbs, both CFL and incandescent.

Probably just a bad batch of bulbs.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:33:49 -0400, Bill wrote:

wrote:
On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:46:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Michael Dobony wrote in
:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap
dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I
replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later!
I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and
bright. Any ideas what might be going on?



Were they over 60W and in a globe? My bulbs died early too but they
still lasted longer than 2 hours! Using 60W, they last months as they
should.

I used to put 75W and maybe 100 in a globe, even though I had read
what it says. Maybe they did but I didn't notice bulbs burning out
so much. But the plastic around the sockets crumbled in several
years. .


How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any vibration?
Incandescent or CFL? I've had more than one batch of bad CFLs - and
the brand doesn't seem to matter - just about all are made in China
anyway.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:11:12 -0500, Michael Dobony
wrote:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar
store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them
last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage
and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright.

If the contacts were dirty enough to matter, it would lower the
voltage at the bulb and if anything, extend their life. As you know,
it doesn't sound like the contacts are the problem.

Any ideas what might be
going on?

Bad batch? Return to the store if you can.

Mike D.

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar
store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them
last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage
and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas what might be
going on?


*Arcing inside of the socket could cause the problem. However you did say
that the contacts were clean and bright. If it is an old light fixture,
take it apart and look at the wire connections to the socket. Vibration
could also cause the problem. Use fan bulbs or rough service bulbs to
resolve that. It is also possible that the bulbs were mishandled at some
point during the shipping process and were damaged before you bought them.
Regardless, I would return them to the place of purchase.

You didn't say where you installed the bulbs or what type of bulbs they
were, but it is possible that the wattage was too great for the fixture.
Certain light fixtures such as recessed lighting have thermal protection in
them. If the wattage is too much, they will shut off until they cool down.
In which case the bulbs may not be burned out at all. Did you try screwing
the bulbs into another fixture or lamp?

In ,
Michael Dobony typed:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago,
not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went
out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was
burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage and
it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas
what might be going on?

Mike D.

Vibrations, movement of the sockets, theft, Sylvania makes a lot of trash
same as all the others. My bet's on vibrations from people's feet or
machinery running or a bad connection somehow. .

You people really make me laugh. You’re all so brainwashed that you don’t know which way is up. In the first place stop blaming “vibration”. I’m old enough to remember when the light bulb in your house lasted just as long as the light bulb on your vehicle. You’re all too brainwashed to remember that. In the second place stop blaming the sockets or maybe I should say start blaming the sockets because they’re made in China too. I’m old enough to remember when the only sockets that weren’t made of porcelain were Christmas tree light sockets. The Chinese are making the filaments too short and of tungsten that isn’t as pure. They’re also making the glass thinner. The light bulbs are burning a lot hotter which is shortening their life, and like good little boy almost none of you are complaining.

On Oct 18, 2:58*am, "John Grabowski" wrote:
*Arcing inside of the socket could cause the problem. *However you did say
that the contacts were clean and bright. *If it is an old light fixture,
take it apart and look at the wire connections to the socket. *Vibration
could also cause the problem. *Use fan bulbs or rough service bulbs to
resolve that. *It is also possible that the bulbs were mishandled at some
point during the shipping process and were damaged before you bought them..
Regardless, I would return them to the place of purchase.

all good points. can't control poor manufacturing or poor handling,
but can do something about the vibration. shock mount, or buy suitable
bulbs for rough situations.

You can also add an old fashioned dimmer controller to the sockets and
leave it set to FULL ON That ensures the bulb comes on at voltage
crossover reducing power on surge and strain to the bulb. You may
remember that most bulbs seem to blow as you turn them on, you rarely
find them already dead in the socket..

I once had a 'light bulb killer' luminai the switch contacts make
and break and make and break and can blow a bulb out quick! Replacing
the switch cured the problem.

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:46:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

Michael Dobony wrote in
:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap
dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I
replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later!
I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and
bright. Any ideas what might be going on?



How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any vibration?

Mounted to brick walls, no vibrations other than people running up and down
the stairs.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:31:15 -0400, wrote:

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:46:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Michael Dobony wrote in
t:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap
dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I
replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later!
I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean and
bright. Any ideas what might be going on?



How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any vibration?
Incandescent or CFL? I've had more than one batch of bad CFLs - and
the brand doesn't seem to matter - just about all are made in China
anyway.

They are incandescents, sorry.

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 03:20:17 -0400, micky wrote:

On Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:11:12 -0500, Michael Dobony
wrote:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap dollar
store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I replaced 2 of them
last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage
and it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright.

If the contacts were dirty enough to matter, it would lower the
voltage at the bulb and if anything, extend their life. As you know,
it doesn't sound like the contacts are the problem.

Any ideas what might be
going on?

Bad batch? Return to the store if you can.

Mike D.

Bought a 10 pack and used many of them with no issues at all. Problem is
limited to these 4 sockets, all the sealed deck lights. I have a bunch of
other deck lights that are doing fine, same breaker, different switch.

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:35:01 -0400, Twayne wrote:

In ,
Michael Dobony typed:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago,
not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went
out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was
burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage and
it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas
what might be going on?

Mike D.

Vibrations, movement of the sockets, theft, Sylvania makes a lot of trash
same as all the others. My bet's on vibrations from people's feet or
machinery running or a bad connection somehow. .

no machinery. as mentioned, bad connection would lower voltage and make the
bulbs last longer. Other bulbs in same box are good.

Michael Dobony wrote in
:

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:46:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

Michael Dobony wrote in
:

I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago, not cheap
dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went out already. I
replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was burned out only 2 hours
later! I checked the voltage and it is 117. The contacts are clean
and bright. Any ideas what might be going on?



How securely are the fixtures held? Are they subject to any
vibration?

Mounted to brick walls, no vibrations other than people running up and
down the stairs.



No spikes in that 117 voltage? Absent vibration and poor contact,
overvoltage is probably the only culprit left.

Maybe you got a bad batch. Or maybe QC is slipping, as the makers try and
force you to CFLs, which carry a better margin for them.

I have a bunch of Philips DuraMax "Long Life" 60W I stocked up on when
banning incandescents was all the rage. They seem to be lasting just fine.
You know, I still have a couple of 60W incandescents that were installed
when we moved into this house. They're at least 19-years-old now. Amazing.

--
Tegger

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:24:55 -0500, Michael Dobony
wrote:

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:35:01 -0400, Twayne wrote:

In ,
Michael Dobony typed:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago,
not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went
out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was
burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage and
it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas
what might be going on?

Mike D.

Vibrations, movement of the sockets, theft, Sylvania makes a lot of trash
same as all the others. My bet's on vibrations from people's feet or
machinery running or a bad connection somehow. .

no machinery. as mentioned, bad connection would lower voltage and make the
bulbs last longer. Other bulbs in same box are good.
No, bad connection will cause the fillament to fail early due to
flickering (which you may not even see) Any induction in the circuit
causes high voltage but the induction in the coiled tungsten filament
is negligible so high voltage is not the explanation (or at least not
the major influence) Flicker causes higher peak current draw, and
magnetic vibration in the coiled filament.

On 10/18/2012 4:24 PM, Michael Dobony wrote:
On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:35:01 -0400, Twayne wrote:

In ,
Michael typed:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago,
not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went
out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was
burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage and
it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas
what might be going on?

Mike D.

Vibrations, movement of the sockets, theft, Sylvania makes a lot of trash
same as all the others. My bet's on vibrations from people's feet or
machinery running or a bad connection somehow. .

no machinery. as mentioned, bad connection would lower voltage and make the
bulbs last longer. Other bulbs in same box are good.
Is the threaded part of the base made of brass with the wire from the
bulb soldered? Or is the threaded part made from aluminum and the wire
is just bent over the aluminum? We had a bunch of the latter, and they
didn't last at all.

What does the bottom connection look like? It should have the lamp wire
soldered there and be quite a large contact area for the socket. Might
be clean and bright, but no solder.

Paul

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:55:38 -0700, Paul Drahn wrote:

On 10/18/2012 4:24 PM, Michael Dobony wrote:
On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:35:01 -0400, Twayne wrote:

In ,
Michael typed:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago,
not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went
out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was
burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage and
it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas
what might be going on?

Mike D.

Vibrations, movement of the sockets, theft, Sylvania makes a lot of trash
same as all the others. My bet's on vibrations from people's feet or
machinery running or a bad connection somehow. .

no machinery. as mentioned, bad connection would lower voltage and make the
bulbs last longer. Other bulbs in same box are good.
Is the threaded part of the base made of brass with the wire from the
bulb soldered? Or is the threaded part made from aluminum and the wire
is just bent over the aluminum? We had a bunch of the latter, and they
didn't last at all.

What does the bottom connection look like? It should have the lamp wire
soldered there and be quite a large contact area for the socket. Might
be clean and bright, but no solder.

Paul

I haven't had a problem with these fixtures for years. Now the bulbs are
suddenly burning out quickly in all 4 fixtures. The 2 have been in there a
week and doing ok. Just got to the other 2 today, bulbs from another box.

"Michael Dobony" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:55:38 -0700, Paul Drahn wrote:

On 10/18/2012 4:24 PM, Michael Dobony wrote:
On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:35:01 -0400, Twayne wrote:

In ,
Michael typed:
I just replaced 4 light bulbs a little over 2 weeks ago,
not cheap dollar store ones, but Sylvanias. All four went
out already. I replaced 2 of them last night and 1 was
burned out only 2 hours later! I checked the voltage and
it is 117. The contacts are clean and bright. Any ideas
what might be going on?

Mike D.

Vibrations, movement of the sockets, theft, Sylvania makes a lot of
trash
same as all the others. My bet's on vibrations from people's feet or
machinery running or a bad connection somehow. .

no machinery. as mentioned, bad connection would lower voltage and make
the
bulbs last longer. Other bulbs in same box are good.
Is the threaded part of the base made of brass with the wire from the
bulb soldered? Or is the threaded part made from aluminum and the wire
is just bent over the aluminum? We had a bunch of the latter, and they
didn't last at all.

What does the bottom connection look like? It should have the lamp wire
soldered there and be quite a large contact area for the socket. Might
be clean and bright, but no solder.

Paul

I haven't had a problem with these fixtures for years. Now the bulbs are
suddenly burning out quickly in all 4 fixtures. The 2 have been in there a
week and doing ok. Just got to the other 2 today, bulbs from another box.

Standard household bulbs are made on high-speed machines (several machines
running in parallel porducing hundreds of bulbs/minute), so if something
drifts out of spec, a lot of bad product gets made rapidly. Every bulb is
lighted and tested for operation, gas fill and other things that might
affect performance, but a few bad bulbs always get out and usually they're
in the same package or box. It sounds like the OP has gotten some bad
bulbs. Call Sylvania and ask for replacements. Usually, the bulbs will be
replaced for free along with a couple of extra for your trouble. I worked
for a lamp company in the complaint dept. for several years and a few bad
bulbs were a common complaint and quickly handled; but you do have to write,
e-mail or call. You can always find someone with stories about bad bulbs,
but the number of "bad" bulbs from the major manufacturers, especially if
the bulb is Energy Star labeled, is a fraction of a percent. You can see
how bulbs are made he http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH2nRx9bY6k

Tomsic

Vibration will kill them, we always lost bulbs after the kids had friends over dancing.

Another thing that will shorten the life is screwing them in too far. I think that it damages the rather fragile seal at the base. Contact plus 1/8 turn is all you need.