This isnt a bulb issue...your power has issues. The fact that you dont ha=
ve issues with Fluorescents confirms this, but you said ballasts tend to =
go...the ballasts will regulate power, so the bulbs dont get the spikes.
Have an electrician check out your house. I'm sure that you'll find your =
outlet voltages are too high. I had a problem with this in my college dor=
m, and didnt think much about it, and it destroyed my $3500 computer...
dalecochoy wrote:
For many years now I've used flourescent light racks in my basement for=
tropicals in Winter. Mixed in w/ these I also have some 65W floods that =
direct lites from side. The last couple of years I've noticed that the fl=
oods are lasting increasingly less longer. This is also noted among regu=
lar light bulbs around the house and "vanity" type bulbs in chandeliers a=
nd bathroom vanity lights.(They really don't last long).. It seemed I was=
continually replacing bulbs that were on for a while each day. More ofte=
n and more often.
I first got serious about monitoring this when I was building my outdoo=
r kiln shed. I have a double 150W motion detector flood over the shed on =
top of the garage wall. Now, the two 150 W bulbs in there lasted about 1=
2 YEARS!!. They come on for 15 minutes when someone walks by at night. I'=
d imagine they are only on for no more than 50 hours PER YEAR. One burne=
d out so I replaced them both about 4 yrs ago. Then when I was building m=
y shed I noticed one burned out. These are a pain to get to and I have to=
borrow my neighbors extension ladder and now lean out over the shed roof=
, sooooo, I got the two BEST Halogen flood bulbs they have at the local T=
rue Value. They were rated 90W and were 6,000 hour bulbs. Fairly expensiv=
e. Well, after 9 months one burned out!
The originals lasted 12 years!!
So I began to monitor light bulb lasting time and types. I found one br=
and that is pure junk. These are "discount" types and two brand names tha=
t aren't much better. The 65 W. MISER floods I use in the basement are 25=
00 hr bulbs. They are on for 14 hours a day. Most don't last more than a =
month to 6 weeks.
Regular home light bulbs also burn out increasingly faster. I asked a=
couple friends in this neighborhood AND ANOTHER quite a ways away to pay=
attentioin to it.. ( I did this because the True Value guy says my volta=
ge is probably too high! uh-huh!) Yep, after they started to pay attentio=
n they agreed.
I mentioned it to the sales guy at True Value and told him I was "bring=
ing some back" and I did, with the receipt from the date I bought them. H=
e replaced a whole box full and agreed at least one brand was junk and ha=
d heard complaints of another. I told him if I buy 2500hour lights and ge=
t 350 hours out of them ( or less) I'm bringing them back, and I'd be bri=
nging back my 6,000 hour expensive outdoor flood lites as soon as I can g=
et to them. Well, in the last week I've had 3 bulbs go out in four days. =
All well under the time listed. So, I've got receipts and working on anot=
her box of light bulbs to take back. The store guy says he'll speak with =
reps. And, according to him, American made bulbs have a tack weld on the=
lead attached to socket jacket while Mexican, etc. bulbs are just crimpe=
d. Soooo, I began to monitor this. What did I find...they are all junk =
and don't last! I believe my neighbor is now saving bulbs! :)
BTW, I have NO problems with flourescent lites, in fact I find some bul=
bs will outlast the cheap ballasts in new shop lights.( I have 12 sets in=
my light racks) I never get my flourescent bulbs replaced as often as re=
commended so some are five years old! The trouble is only with "filamen=
t" using bulbs and with spot, flood or home light bulbs.
So, anybody else notice this, or want to start keeping track. I imagine=
this is something most people would never notice.
Regards,
Dale " Too much time on my hands"Cochoy
, Wild Things Bonsai Studio, Hartville, Ohio
http://www.WildThingsBonsai.Com
Specializing in power wood carving tools.
Yakimono no Kokoro bonsai pottery of hand-built stoneware
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