ECN Electrical Forum
Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals

Are there any possible reasons for what seems like a short lamp life of incandescent and low voltage lamps?
For example a dining room fixture was replaced in part because the incandscent lamps were burning out too often. But now the MR16 lamps in the new fixture seem to be failing too often.

Three leading causes of short tungsten lamp life are high voltage, excessive shock / vibration, and high heat.

Is the fixture on a light dimmer? Turning down the voltage even 10% can double lamp life.

Is there alot of pounding, dancing, or jumping up and down directly above the fixture? Excess bass thumping? All of these can shorten the bulb life.

Are there covers or add on shades that can trap the lamp heat? Are you using the lamps in the correct orientation? Some bulbs require burn base up or burn base down.


Are you using photgraphic bulbs. Many of the special light color lamps only have a limited life of 50 or 100 hours.

Larry has it covered. The 'bargain price' bulbs have short life spans also.

Most of my incandescent lamps home are on dimmers, and I can't complain about burn outs.

Had a local pizza restaurant that was loosing bulbs in wall fixtures because of the kitchen swing door being slightly out of alignment and banging on the frame.

Told the owner (I was a regular customer) tighten the hinge screws and your bulb problem should go away. He did and it was good until the suntan place next door caught fire and burned the strip mall.

130v bulbs will last longer too.

Yes they do and give less lumens at 120 volts which can be perfectly acceptable.
Obviously confirm the voltage is stable and within spec. When all else is good then cheep bulbs are not cheap if you have to change them often. That said, even good quality lamps have defects on occasion.

Planned obsolescence was started with the light bulb.