eco-halogen bulbs - why do they keep breaking?

[Archie_tect]

Are you all fitting the halogens without touching the glass with your hands?

Yes.

 

[gary r]

ive heard that halogen bulbs last longer if they are on a dimmer switch,and its the sudden start from a conventional switch that causes the bulb to blow.not sure how much truth is in that,thats what an electrician told me when i questioned him about our kitchen lights which i had to replace constantly,infact i dont think i ever had all the lights working at the same time!!!

 

[BrumJim]

Black Sheep,
If the chandalier gets a lot of vibration, say from people walking over the floor above, they do seem to go very quickly. Our son used to bounce the floor joists all the time and the bulbs blew within weeks... we replaced the halogen fitting with a low voltage one and it's been fine since.
Always replace fittings with LED now though.... slowly working through the house!

Interesting theory. The 240v ones I had in the lounge kept blowing, whereas the low voltage ones in the bathroom upstairs didn't. Unfortunately I am unable to conduct a strict scientific experiement by moving the lounge upstairs and the bathroom downstairs and seeing if it is the voltage or vibrations that are causing the problem. As I have just moved house and the new one is all very different.

 

[Over The Hill]

I have found halogens go very easily with a slight knock of the fitting. I know this is odd as they are in cars but I put two in two portable lights and both popped when I moved the light.
The light is rather harsh and horrid anyway and i would not have them again. They are only marginally better than the old style bulb and nowhere near as economical as led or other modern energy saving bulbs. So I am happy to not use them.

 

[Leaway2]

I am amazed at how many people have chandeliers. Do you all stand round the grand piano in smoking jackets at night, singing Noel Coward songs?

 

[subaqua]

Lamps FFS Lamps.

Bulbs go in the ground and give you flowers in spring!

Halogen and Low energy flUOrescent are different . best guess is vibration if the halogens are downstairs. the oils from your fingers do etch into the qurtz glass capsule and cause hotspot failure.

LED generally have an external driver unit specific to that lamp range manufacturer or if they are 230V LED then the driver is internal . the difference between car LED and building LED is rather large . G ven the choice would rather have LED as you can get some stunning colour effects. dimmable LED is possible but not cheap.

 

[Archie_tect]

Ours don't, you plug them in and they light up...

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I really don't think it's vibration - after all halogens are what the best front bike lights have been for several years (including the ones used by most overnight endurance MTB racers) and I've never had a bulb blow... ever, when racing over the roughest terrain, or hitting potholes and icebanks and what have you while commuting on the dark nights of winter here in Ontario.

srw's explanation seems the most likely. But in any case, for all kinds of reasons, LEDs are the way to go.

 

[irw]

I've got a feeling heat may have something to do with it- especially with regards to 'recessed' fittings.

 

[martint235]

I found that cost of the bulb really did count. I got some cheap off t'interweb, blew every 3 months or so. I then bought some Phillips ones which last much longer, probably around 9 months. It is like there is a programmed failure on them though. Once the first of the kitchen ones goes I can tell when (the day after) and which one (the opposite end followed by the middle a day after that) will go.

 

[Dan Allison]

I assume when you say eco halogen you mean the new bulb shaped lamps with an internal halogen lamp.

Touching the lamp won't effect it if it is. If you touch the external glass of a capsule type or the long ones you fit in security lights these will cause hot spots.

This can be caused by start up surge especially if your home has a slightly higher voltage.

As suggested on her a dimmer will help control the surge MK make good soft start dimmers.

 

[Archie_tect]

I found that cost of the bulb really did count. I got some cheap off t'interweb, blew every 3 months or so. I then bought some Phillips ones which last much longer, probably around 9 months. It is like there is a programmed failure on them though. Once the first of the kitchen ones goes I can tell when (the day after) and which one (the opposite end followed by the middle a day after that) will go.

Some of the low voltage recessed halogen fittings will be linked to a transformer unit.... once one lamp goes, the surge will cause the others to go soon after.
FM, our 240v halogen fitting blew on the ground floor ceiling... a similar one on the landing first floor ceiling did not- neiither were low voltage recessed fittings. Vibration was the only difference but I take your point about low voltage bike lights...

 

[subaqua]

I assume when you say eco halogen you mean the new bulb shaped lamps with an internal halogen lamp.

Touching the lamp won't effect it if it is. If you touch the external glass of a capsule type or the long ones you fit in security lights these will cause hot spots.

This can be caused by start up surge especially if your home has a slightly higher voltage.

As suggested on her a dimmer will help control the surge MK make good soft start dimmers.

It won't be outside the parameters set out in the ESQCR 2002 230V Uo +10%/-6% ( europe is +/- 10% ) and quality lamps ( philips, Osram etc) will be manufactured to take into account the harmonized ( yes that is correct with a z) voltage acrosss the EU. I am wondering how there is a surge in a resistive circuit such as a halogen on mains Voltage. on a ELV supply very possibly .

MK do indeed make good dimmers.

 

[Archie_tect]

Subaqua, what's the name of the unit you can fit to the incoming main that reduces the voltage down to 220/230 .... an engineer was telling me how we should all have one fitted as they'd save a fortune in running costs and the lower voltage extended the life of electrical fittings...

 

[Over The Hill]

I am amazed at how many people have chandeliers. Do you all stand round the grand piano in smoking jackets at night, singing Noel Coward songs?

Of course dear boy! Doesn't everyone?