- Joined
- Jan 17, 2009
- Messages
- 5,204
- Reaction score
- 1,547
There is a recessed ceiling light that has been out for some time. A month ago, I replaced the old 100 W bulb with a CFL 150W equivalent (equivalent light output to a 150 W incandescent). The next day, I noticed it was out. I removed it, tested in a lamp, and it was dead.
So, a couple of days ago, I finally replaced it with another 150 W equivalent CFL. Next day, noticed it was dead. Yesterday, I replaced it with a 100 watt equivalent CFL. And an hour or two later, I heard a single not-loud pop sound, and saw that the new 100 W CFL was out.
I will note that there are multiple recessed ceiling fixtures exactly like this one in the workshop (for screw-in bulbs), and they do NOT have any problems. Also, they are turned on by a simple on-off which, not a dimmer. And in fact, some are holding 300 W CFL's which have been fine for years, while this particular socket had never had anything bigger than 100W until last month.
So, if anyone reading this has experience as an electrician or otherwise may know…. What the heck could be causing this?
For now I’m just going to that it like it is a bad recessed lighting fixture, for whatever reason, and won’t replace bulbs in it (I considered putting an incandescent 60-75W to mostly see if it lasts or dies early too).
But I am curious to know what it might be that would causes it to blow bulbs. In the past the only issue I had with a bad fixture, like a lamp, is loss of contact so the bulb just would not come on, period. Never had anything that caused bulbs to blow.
And yes I do wonder in case it was a bad fixture, to at least then know that the only fix would be to replace it. The ceiling is higher (10 feet I think) than I’d be comfortable using a stepladder to access and remove the fixture. As it is I used a stepladder to change the bulbs and that was a scary one-hand-on-bulb and one-hand-on-ladder-top-handle situation (Yes, I have a bulb changing pole but it did not work well with the 150 W CFL).
- George Gassaway
So, a couple of days ago, I finally replaced it with another 150 W equivalent CFL. Next day, noticed it was dead. Yesterday, I replaced it with a 100 watt equivalent CFL. And an hour or two later, I heard a single not-loud pop sound, and saw that the new 100 W CFL was out.
I will note that there are multiple recessed ceiling fixtures exactly like this one in the workshop (for screw-in bulbs), and they do NOT have any problems. Also, they are turned on by a simple on-off which, not a dimmer. And in fact, some are holding 300 W CFL's which have been fine for years, while this particular socket had never had anything bigger than 100W until last month.
So, if anyone reading this has experience as an electrician or otherwise may know…. What the heck could be causing this?
For now I’m just going to that it like it is a bad recessed lighting fixture, for whatever reason, and won’t replace bulbs in it (I considered putting an incandescent 60-75W to mostly see if it lasts or dies early too).
But I am curious to know what it might be that would causes it to blow bulbs. In the past the only issue I had with a bad fixture, like a lamp, is loss of contact so the bulb just would not come on, period. Never had anything that caused bulbs to blow.
And yes I do wonder in case it was a bad fixture, to at least then know that the only fix would be to replace it. The ceiling is higher (10 feet I think) than I’d be comfortable using a stepladder to access and remove the fixture. As it is I used a stepladder to change the bulbs and that was a scary one-hand-on-bulb and one-hand-on-ladder-top-handle situation (Yes, I have a bulb changing pole but it did not work well with the 150 W CFL).
- George Gassaway