Halogen bulbs keep blowing

No sooner do I replace the bulbs in my kitchen, do at least 2 or 3 out of the 4 blow. Without fail I'll only have 2 left at best after a couple of days but usually only 1 survives.
 
Granted I do tend to but the cheap ones, but even still! Would I do better buying the LED GU10 bulbs instead?

dirtyvest


No sooner do I replace the bulbs in my kitchen, do at least 2 or 3 out of the 4 blow. Without fail I'll only have 2 left at best after a couple of days but usually only 1 survives.

Granted I do tend to but the cheap ones, but even still! Would I do better buying the LED GU10 bulbs instead?

 
what type are they? 12v or 230v?
 
edited to add, do you have a dimmer controlling them?

Lol the last of ours has just blown. And our light unit in the kitchen holds 4 bulbs. They're always blowing!

reading between the lines it sounds like 230v gu10 bulbs... these are notorious for failing quickly! One thing to be careful of is getting fingerprints on them when you fit them, the oil from your skin from the prints can shorten their life considerably. If you are buying cheapies then switch to Sylvania or Megaman bulbs and be careful fitting them.... then see how long they last. The toolstation Sylvania bulbs are rated for 2500 hours so even if you are pessimistic and half that then its still a fair amount of time. 
 
http://www.toolstation.co...0cd/d220/sd3279/p67214

As above, people get grease on them causing them to overheat I believe, if you get some cloth or latex gloves when fitting them  could make all the difference.

Gu10's are fine for fingerprints as they're protected. It's g4's you need to be careful with (which are basically gu10's without the cover)

If its 12v you're always going to struggle I am afraid. With halogen bulbs you do get what you pay for though

LED's continue to get better, they used to be a horrible white light, but I believe you can get them in a warm white glow now. They're expensive but worth looking into

walkie


Gu10's are fine for fingerprints as they're protected. It's g4's you need to be careful with (which are basically gu10's without the cover)

I disagree! Any literature that I have ever studied regarding these lamps always insists that you should not get prints on them as it can cause a hotspot on the lamp which in turn will cause premature failure. Somthing like "WARNING BEFORE USE - Lamp quartz is sensitive to oils from finger prints, if touched the lamp should be cleaned with a cloth and alcohol." Indeed I recently fitted some from toolstation that came with a little sucker that fitted to the lamp for installation to save you getting your prints on them. At any rate I would play it safe if your having issues and not touch the new lamp.
 
wrt LED lighting... I still havent found any that would be a replacement for task lighting, accent lighting or plinth lighting etc they are fine for but for using to actually see what your doing? Not yet but they will in the future imo.

Klein I think you're getting confused mate:
 
G4:

 
Touch this, you will shorten the life of the bulb
 
GU10:
 

touch this the bulb it will be fine, the glass on the outside is just to reflect the light and protect the halogen inside, which is basically a G4

No idea on voltage etc LOL 230 I think. no dimmer control.
 
TBH, considering how little light I have with just 1 or 2 bulbs, I can handle LEDs not being a good a light if all 4 last more than a couple of days .
 
I've seen some GU10 Halogens at £10-15 per bulb. But even the cheaper ones should be good for 1000 hours, not 10.

I have the same problem, I just thought I had sh1t lights.

I still disagree with you 
 
Not confused bud, your pic of the GU10 is the type that I refer to. Like I say, I have always been very careful not to handle these bulbs as thats the info I have seen written about them in manufacturers datasheets... I see what you are getting at though but if the 'cover' develops a hotspot then it may transfer the extra heat to the internals which will likely shorten its lifespan - not worth the risk IMO and certainly not worth the risk if the OP is having lifespan issues. 
 
 

Maybe I'll give the them one last go but watch how I fit/touch them. If they're blowen by the weekend I'll get some LEDs. They do get fcuking hot I can tell you that much LOL

dirtyvest


No idea on voltage etc LOL 230 I think. no dimmer control.

TBH, considering how little light I have with just 1 or 2 bulbs, I can handle LEDs not being a good a light if all 4 last more than a couple of days .

I've seen some GU10 Halogens at £10-15 per bulb. But even the cheaper ones should be good for 1000 hours, not 10.

 
Those are probably the worst cuplrits for short lifespan. You could change the fittings to 12v which do seem to last a good bit longer (I popped a 12v MR16 fitting last week after over a years usage in a bathroom). I would urge you to try the lamps I linked to (couple of quid but a good brand) and to be careful not to get fingerprints on them (despite what Walkie says )
 
The LEDS should last ages but will provide a terrible amount of light! 

dirtyvest


Maybe I'll give the them one last go but watch how I fit/touch them. If they're blowen by the weekend I'll get some LEDs. They do get fcuking hot I can tell you that much LOL

 
How much are the LED's .. any links?

not buying it sorry klein  

dirtyvest


Maybe I'll give the them one last go but watch how I fit/touch them. If they're blowen by the weekend I'll get some LEDs. They do get fcuking hot I can tell you that much LOL

 
Good idea. I know just how hot they get, I have juggled a molten one in the past 
 
If you want to replace, I would go 12v rather than led as they are fcking expensive for what you get! I have some of these and have run them for over a year with one bulb failure last week.
 
http://www.toolstation.co...ome/d220/sd2721/p98156
 
need a tranny
 
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p55497
 
dont need to buy lamps despite the description - they do come with the fittings. 
 

walkie


not buying it sorry klein  

 
No need for apologies, you continue to handle your lamps incorrectly and see if I care 

ThePluggedOne

dirtyvest


Maybe I'll give the them one last go but watch how I fit/touch them. If they're blowen by the weekend I'll get some LEDs. They do get fcuking hot I can tell you that much LOL

How much are the LED's .. any links?

 
Fill your wellies mate:
 
http://www.toolstation.co...own+Lights/d220/sd3293
 
or something like this if you have the cash and want them to produce some sort of useable light:
 
http://www.tlc-direct.co...._Downlights/index.html
 
http://www.tlc-direct.co....uma_Highlux/index.html
 

klein: changing the fitting to a 12v.... this means doing something to the lamp unit then? This is getting way beyond my DIY know-how LOL
 
plugged: argos do a two pack for £20

As a side note DV - check that you don't have any insulation around the lamps in the internal part of the ceiling, as the extra insulation will cause considerable heat to build up, which will also cause them to blow quicker.
 
A friend of mine was having the same problem and I pulled the fitting out of the ceiling and discovered that the unit was sunk inside a box between the rafters, basically each unit was like that and the heat build up caused them to blow quicker.  I managed to beat the top off a couple and those couple of lights blow significantly less than the others apparently. 
 
The only other thing I was going to suggest was whether they were 12v and the transformer was outputting far too much ampage which would have the same result - but if 240 ignore this thought lol!!
 
I hope you sort it.