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 floods are lasting increasingly less lon
ger. This is also noted among regular light bulbs around the house and "vanity" type bulbs in chandeliers and 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 often a
nd more often.
I first got serious about monitoring this when I was building my outdoor 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 12 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 burned out so I replaced them both about 4 yrs ago. Then when I was building my shed I noticed one burned out. These are a pain to get to and I have to bo
rrow 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 True Value. They were rated 90W and were 6,000 hour bulbs. Fairly expensive. 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 brand that is pure junk. These are "discount" types and two brand names that aren't much better. The 65 W. MISER floods I use in the basement are 2500 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 voltage is probably too high! uh-huh!) Yep,
after they started to pay attention they agreed.
I mentioned it to the sales guy at True Value and told him I was "bringing some back" and I did, with the receipt from the date I bought them. He replaced a whole box full and agreed at least one brand was junk and had heard complaints of another. I told h
im if I buy 2500hour lights and get 350 hours out of them ( or less) I'm bringing them back, and I'd be bringing back my 6,000 hour expensive outdoor flood lites as soon as I can get 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 another 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 Me
xican, etc. bulbs are just crimped. 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 bulbs 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 recommended so some are five years old!
The trouble is only with "filament" 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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Dale, you might not want to totally discount the "voltage may be too high"
comment. While this *probably* isn't a problem, I can be a real issue.
When we moved into a house (was renting), we had all sorts of problems with
bulbs going out, electronics burning out, etc. Attending the same college
at that time, some of my friends were into electical engineering, and we did
check our electical service and outlets. Various outlets around the house
varied an amazing amount from "standard" 110V. A couple outlets that had
burned out several things measured 130 - 135V! Complaints to the power
company were ignored or the officials we spoke to said that they could
measure the power at the meter, and they were *sure* it would be in an
acceptable range (which BTW was a pretty disgustingly wide range), and that
beyond the meter was a issue to be addressed by the homeowner.

When we moved into a house we eventually bought, we checked the outlets and
found that they were in close to 110V BUT, nearly no outlets were grounded.
After we bought the house the first improvment was to replace an old small
fusebox with a modern circuit breaker panel. We also ran enough new wiring
so that everything is properly grounded.

If you have the equipment, and know how to safely measure voltage at outlets
or at a fixture, that is the way to rule out bad circuits. I am sure an
electrician could also check this if you don't have the meters, know-how, or
safety awareness to undertake this yourself. Better safe than sorry with
something that can kill you.

Sam Crowell
Klamath Falls, OR


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 voltage
is probably too high! uh-huh!) Yep, after they started to pay attention
they agreed.


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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

************************************************** *********************=
*********
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** *********************=
*********
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --=

+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail ++=
+++

dalecochoy wrote:

Value. They were rated 90W and were 6,000 hour bulbs. Fairly expensive. Well, after 9 months one burned out!

Dale

The life rating on of a bulb is usually derived from bulbs that get turned on once and then eventually die. This is the perfect situation. The worst thing you can do to a bulb is turn it on and off. Turning it on and off actually adds a mechanical stres
s to the filament. In other words with each on and off the filament actually moves. Move a wire back and forth too much and what happens? It breaks. So you will see bulbs go sooner in locations where they are consistently on and off. Think about it.
How many times has a bulb just gone off on in the middle of being lit as compared to walking in a room and turning the light on and poof!

As far as the problem with your voltage? The electric company usually regulates both the voltage and the frequency pretty well. At least in the US. I actually have a clock I made that gets it's time base off the 120hz the power runs at. It keeps pretty
good time! I can see the possibility of low voltage but not high. I am not talking about spikes due to motors in your house or nearby or lightning strikes in the area. These can harm items in your house, I agree. A consistently high voltage however is
hard to believe. I am not sure what the gain would come from? If this is the issue then your not going to be the only house on the block with the problem.

Len


PLEASE NOTE MY NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS:

http://www.bonsairi.com
http://www.rhodeislandbonsaisociety.org

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Don't forget about the ballest. Like bulbs they also ahave a life span. As
they get old your bulbs may not last as long.



Alan Zucker zone 6b
You're never to old to learn. You can learn from both beginner and expert.






dalecochoy wrote:

Value. They were rated 90W and were 6,000 hour bulbs. Fairly
expensive. Well, after 9 months one burned out!

Dale

The life rating on of a bulb is usually derived from bulbs that get turned
on once and then eventually die. This is the perfect situation. The worst
thing you can do to a bulb is turn it on and off. Turning it on and off
actually adds a mechanical stress to the filament. In other words with
each on and off the filament actually moves. Move a wire back and forth
too much and what happens? It breaks. So you will see bulbs go sooner in
locations where they are consistently on and off. Think about it. How
many times has a bulb just gone off on in the middle of being lit as
compared to walking in a room and turning the light on and poof!

As far as the problem with your voltage? The electric company usually
regulates both the voltage and the frequency pretty well. At least in the
US. I actually have a clock I made that gets it's time base off the 120hz
the power runs at. It keeps pretty good time! I can see the possibility
of low voltage but not high. I am not talking about spikes due to motors
in your house or nearby or lightning strikes in the area. These can harm
items in your house, I agree. A consistently high voltage however is hard
to believe. I am not sure what the gain would come from? If this is the
issue then your not going to be the only house on the block with the
problem.

Len




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