My lights are burning out

[iamwiz82]

In the past 24 hours two halogens and a CFL bulb, on seperate circuits, have all burnt out. I am wondering if something is wrong or if it's just an unlucky streak. The voltage tests out as being fine, but I dont have a good way of tracking any voltage drops or anything.

Ack, I dont want to get my ladder, two bulbs are 17 feet up 🙁

 

[heymrdj]

This happened to my parents about 25 years back. Turns out the transformer on the pole went bad, was running high voltage into the house.

 

[Rubycon]

Are the halogens running at line voltage or lower with a power supply? These along with CFL's don't reveal input aberrations nearly as well as naked incandescent lamps. So it would be possible that you're experiencing temporary voltage swings from a loose neutral connection. Not likely but possible.

Or the tall man named Murphy is knocking at your door. 😛

 

[theflyingpig]

Interesting. One of my halogen bulbs went out last month. Perhaps there is some kind of conspiracy going on here. Yes. Yes, there is definitely a conspiracy of some kind. I can feel it in my bones.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: theflyingpig
Interesting. One of my halogen bulbs went out last month. Perhaps there is some kind of conspiracy going on here. Yes. Yes, there is definitely a conspiracy of some kind. I can feel it in my bones.

I think I can safely blame Obama.

Originally posted by: Rubycon
Are the halogens running at line voltage or lower with a power supply? These along with CFL's don't reveal input aberrations nearly as well as naked incandescent lamps. So it would be possible that you're experiencing temporary voltage swings from a loose neutral connection. Not likely but possible.

Or the tall man named Murphy is knocking at your door. 😛

Line voltage.

Originally posted by: heymrdj
This happened to my parents about 25 years back. Turns out the transformer on the pole went bad, was running high voltage into the house.

Could be, maybe the transformer knows I have used my handy-dandy multimeter and is equalizing voltage only when I test the circuits. 😛 😉

 

[Rubycon]

Do you notice flickering or change in brightness?

 

[iamwiz82]

No madam

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
No madam

Probably Mr. Murphy knocking at your door. 😉

 

[thomsbrain]

The human brain is trained to find patterns, even where none exist.

Have any of the bulbs had the face of the Virgin Mary on them afterwards?

😉

Hopefully you just were unlucky.

 

[josh0099]

Call the power company and have them put a recording volt meter on your house if you believe you have voltage problems.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Ack

Syn

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Originally posted by: Atheus

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Ack

Syn

Echo

 

[BrownTown]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: heymrdj
This happened to my parents about 25 years back. Turns out the transformer on the pole went bad, was running high voltage into the house.

Could be, maybe the transformer knows I have used my handy-dandy multimeter and is equalizing voltage only when I test the circuits. 😛 😉

it could just be a very short transient, not a constant high voltage. You might not see it unless you wait awhile.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: heymrdj
This happened to my parents about 25 years back. Turns out the transformer on the pole went bad, was running high voltage into the house.

Could be, maybe the transformer knows I have used my handy-dandy multimeter and is equalizing voltage only when I test the circuits. 😛 😉

You testing the exact circuits that the lights are on or just a nearby outlet? Remember boys and girls, there are two 120V branch circuits in your home.

 

[rezinn]

I had a 3-5 month stretch last year where most of the bulbs in my place died. I lost 5+ ceiling fan bulbs (in one fan with 3 bulbs), 8+ 60-watt bulbs from 4 separate lights, and 5-10 of these 20 watt bulbs in 2 ceiling fixtures. I still have packages of each and I've had to buy multiple ones. It was getting expensive so I just stopped replacing them. Currently only about 1/3 have burned out and I stopped using this one cheap lamp because it killed so many of them .