Bulb blowing out??

[Teken]

In my master bathroom there is a light fixture which has three T3 incandescent light bulbs.

One of the three light bulbs (middle) keeps blowing out after a week or so. Initially I just went to HD and bought another to replace it.

But, not too long after it too blew out . . .

I took the light fixture off the wall and all three wires are snug and tight. The two pins that hold the bulb is super tight, so its not being caused by a loose connection etc.

The other two bulbs have been running fine for almost two years now with out any problems.

I have two more bulbs in a package but don't want to be wasting light bulbs if there is something causing these bulbs to blow out.

Insight . . .

 

[pattenp]

Sounds like a fluke to me. Try putting one of the two outer bulbs in the middle socket to see if it blows after a short time. Are the new bulbs the same brand as the two outer bulbs? All bulbs are not created equal.

 

[Greatbear]

I had the same problem up to a couple years ago. Bathroom three-lamp fixture, with thee 100W bi-pin bulbs. One on the end would blow out, the other two were at least 15 years old and still going strong. The sockets itself was making poor contact to the bulb, it would flicker now and then, but the extra heat buildup would eventually fracture the bulb base or just pop the bulb filament in a few months time. I tried different brands of bulbs as well. Because of the way the fixture was made, I could not replace the socket. I eventually had to replace the whole fixture after I got fed up in my failed attempt to fish the wires through the fixture itself (I have no idea how this was done at the factory, the metal had to have been bent after the wiring was ran) and I threw the whole mess across the room.

 

[cowboyjosh]

Without seeing it, I'd reckon its a bad socket in the fixture, and or loose connection in the switch box, which doesn't make too much sense since you said its only one bulb. If I had to bet on it, I'd say bad socket but I'd still check the connections at the switch just to be certain.

 

[TOOL MASTER]

right voltage bulbs?

 

[Teken]

Sounds like a fluke to me. Try putting one of the two outer bulbs in the middle socket to see if it blows after a short time. Are the new bulbs the same brand as the two outer bulbs? All bulbs are not created equal.

I was thinking about doing that to be honest. But, was afraid it would blow in short order then I would be on the hook for two bulbs!

Perhaps going this route would at least validate if its the socket and not the cheap aszz bulb I purchased.

I had the same problem up to a couple years ago. Bathroom three-lamp fixture, with thee 100W bi-pin bulbs. One on the end would blow out, the other two were at least 15 years old and still going strong. The sockets itself was making poor contact to the bulb, it would flicker now and then, but the extra heat buildup would eventually fracture the bulb base or just pop the bulb filament in a few months time. I tried different brands of bulbs as well. Because of the way the fixture was made, I could not replace the socket. I eventually had to replace the whole fixture after I got fed up in my failed attempt to fish the wires through the fixture itself (I have no idea how this was done at the factory, the metal had to have been bent after the wiring was ran) and I threw the whole mess across the room.

You and me must have the same builder because that almost describes this POS light fixture. You would figure the amount of money I spent on this house that the most basics of a light fixture could operate out of the box.

Without seeing it, I'd reckon its a bad socket in the fixture, and or loose connection in the switch box, which doesn't make too much sense since you said its only one bulb. If I had to bet on it, I'd say bad socket but I'd still check the connections at the switch just to be certain.

When I have more time I will see if I can tear this thing apart to get a better look at the guts and see if anything is amiss. From there all I can do is ensure that the wires are nutted tight and firm.

right voltage bulbs?

I do believe they are correct and are similar to what came out. These are rated the same for 100 watts, 130 volts. Same T3 two pin style which I really hate !!!

The light fixture looks very sexxy and classy . . . But, in terms of repair very hard to do since its almost completely sealed or rolled and bent SS steel.

 

[rhandwor]

I would check where the bulbs slip into place as you have a loose contact some place.

 

[Teken]

I would check where the bulbs slip into place as you have a loose contact some place.

Just installed another bulb and the two end connectors are very tight. If there is a wiring fault in this fixture its inside of the housing which I can't at the moment take apart to inspect.

I will report IF and when the new bulbs blows . . . Could very well be just a case of a cheap package of bulbs from the vendor.

Sometimes paying more reflects quality, I thought maybe something like this I could get away with some off the shelf bulbs instead of the one's that came from the OEM.

 

[Teken]

UPDATE: 11 days and counting and the new bulb is still going strong. Might have been a fluke that the other bulb blew out so fast.

Will report back if and when it blows . . .

 

[mrb]

doesnt apply to the OPs issue but i had an interesting bulb problem once.

had a light fixture that used standard 60w bulbs. every once in a while a bulb would randomly explode. turns out when the bulbs were replaced they were screwed in too tight, the neck on the ceramic socket was a little too long and it was scoring the glass all the way around where it starts to curve up into the bulb. After a while thermal stress would cause the bulb to break along the score.

 

[Teken]

doesnt apply to the OPs issue but i had an interesting bulb problem once.

had a light fixture that used standard 60w bulbs. every once in a while a bulb would randomly explode. turns out when the bulbs were replaced they were screwed in too tight, the neck on the ceramic socket was a little too long and it was scoring the glass all the way around where it starts to curve up into the bulb. After a while thermal stress would cause the bulb to break along the score.

I had thought maybe on the similar lines that the two ends were also too tight. These things have what appears to be a spring loaded contact points on either end.

Takes quite a bit of effort to retract each end to remove the bulb. Didn't see any way to reduce the tension on these things.

The one thing I did observe was that the last two filaments blew out in the exact same spot which is kind of dumb luck I would think. That little piece of wire could have blown pretty much anywhere in the line but its in the same spot??

 

[mrb]

are these a halogn lamp? youre not touching it with bare fingers right?

 

[Teken]

are these a halogn lamp? youre not touching it with bare fingers right?

Nope, I wear gloves to install them as I often sweat and have oily fingers. I thought maybe the previous bulb was handled before I got to it and the latent oil was causing a hot spot.

So before I installed this bulb I cleaned it with some isopropal alcohol to make sure there wasn't any residue on the glass casing.

Perhaps the reality is that the first OEM bulb just died due to age. While the second one was the result of glass contamination. Lastly, the big picture is that they were cheap ($5.00 for two) so it could be simply just a cheap item with a limited life span.

I just figured in 2011, you really couldn't screw up a light bulb, but at a certain price point, there may very well be a performance / durability issue which reflects the price.

Not sure if paying $21.00 for a OEM bulb from the maker is really the solution since the original one didn't even last 3 months when I moved in.

At that price point I could buy four packages, and have 8 bulbs ready to replace the bad one . . .

 

[Teken]

UPDATE: The replacement bulb is still going strong. Must have been a bad bulb out of the package.

Not too shabby for $5.00 . . .

 

[cowboyjosh]

Thanks for the update, i've had trouble sleeping since your last post back in July wondering if you've solved the mystery of the "blowing bulbs".

Just being a smart ***.

 

[Teken]

Thanks for the update, i've had trouble sleeping since your last post back in July wondering if you've solved the mystery of the "blowing bulbs".

Just being a smart ***.

I posted the update just for you . . .

 

[Falcon67]

UPDATE: The replacement bulb is still going strong. Must have been a bad bulb out of the package.

Not too shabby for $5.00 . . .

LOL - you just had some bad bulb karma. In the old house, both bathrooms had identical 2 bulb ceiling lights. Ones with the square glass and the blubs stick out radially. I put the same wattage (small "60w" ) CFLs in both rooms. Bath 1 would eat one bulb about every 12~18 months. Just one, never both. Bath 2 - never an issue until I changed to a fancy box looking fixture with circular bulbs. That thing ate a bulb and a ballast before the first year was out.

 

[Teken]

LOL - you just had some bad bulb karma.

<--- Prayed to the *Bulb Gods*