Why do bulbs burn out often?

Many of us recently very often face the problem of burned out light bulbs. Of course, it’s not scary if they simply burn out after serving their due period, but it happens that such a phenomenon occurs with enviable regularity, and this is an unkind sign. As a result, the question of why bulbs often burn out sounds more and more often.

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How is an incandescent lamp?

Incandescent lamps should last 1000 hours, but in reality they burn out much faster after serving 30-40 hours. And if 10 years ago it was possible to put up with this phenomenon, since they cost a penny, then today this phenomenon is already becoming a real problem, since their prices are rising every day, and their service life is constantly decreasing.

Most often, the problem that bulbs often burn out concerns incandescent lamps. Let's look in order, what is an incandescent lamp, how it is arranged, and what conditions are necessary to extend its service.

Device

An incandescent lamp was invented back in 1840, and since then the design of the invention has not undergone any major changes. The lamp consists of:

• Flasks.
• Filament.
• The gas that the flask is filled with.
• Basement.

Important! The design is quite simple, and it would seem, what is there to break? The main element of the bulb is a spiral, and the life of the incandescent lamp directly depends on the conditions in which it is operated.

Work principles

Of course, it is possible to consider the effect for a long time, but the reason is obvious - the spiral of the bulb is in inappropriate operating conditions. Let's consider what ideal conditions should be, so that the question of why the bulbs in the apartment often burn out does not bother you anymore. For long-term operation of the spiral, the following factors are necessary:

• The tightness of the flask. For the operation of an incandescent lamp, the tightness of the bulb is very important, since it contains an inert gas that creates a comfortable environment for the thread. Without a bulb, a tungsten filament will quickly evaporate. This phenomenon can be observed on burnt out bulbs, in which a white coating appears on the bulb.
• Mains voltage. Most incandescent lamps are designed for operation within 240 V. We do not consider the lower threshold, since it does not affect the operation of the lamp, but rather only prolongs the life of the bulb.
• The quality of the contacts. If the contact in the cartridge is weakened, then the contact area will be subject to increased heat. This, in turn, will lead to their unsuitability. This problem can be noticed if the next time you replace the bulb, look inside the cartridge. A darkening or soot will appear on the base and cartridge. This indicates the direct reason why bulbs in an apartment often burn out.

As you can see, our bulb does not need so much for a long and trouble-free operation, but nevertheless, it burns out and burns out. Let’s figure out what to do about it.

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Why do bulbs burn out often?

Before delving into the more serious causes of the problem of burnout of bulbs, we will analyze and consider the most common.

Marriage

As in everything else, marriage in the production of light bulbs cannot be excluded from the list.Even in ideal conditions, some fixtures work for a long time, and some do not withstand the first inclusion.

For some reason, small bulbs (up to 60 V), which are most often used in everyday life, most quickly burn out. Of course, the quality of domestically produced lamps leaves much to be desired.

Important! If earlier domestic luminaires lost in quality but won in price, today there is no big price difference between local products and products of world lighting manufacturers (Phillips, GE, Osram). Therefore, there is only one advice - in order to exclude such a phenomenon as frequently blown bulbs in an apartment, pay attention to the manufacturer when buying lamps.

Low-quality lamps, chandeliers

Recently, our market is filled with Chinese low-quality products. Such products have an unregulated service life, which means that at the most inopportune moment they can fail for no apparent reason.

Important! As a rule, products from China are disposable, and if a chandelier or lamp is out of order, then they cannot be repaired. You can safely throw them in the trash.

Due to their design features, low-quality chandeliers and lamps also lead to the fact that the bulbs burn out with enviable regularity. The cause of this phenomenon may be burnout of the contacts, and as a consequence - the fusion of the cartridge.

Important! Identifying this problem is not difficult. It is enough to smell the lamp closer to the cartridge, and if there is a characteristic smell of burnt wiring, then everything is clear - the problem of why bulbs often burn out is in a poor-quality lighting device.

Frequency of operation

One and the same bulb, which is turned on only once in your life, and which is not turned off, strangely enough, will burn out much longer than a bulb that you will turn on and off periodically. This is due to the reason that we considered a little higher: when the lamp is turned on, ten times the load on the bulb. This means that the more often they occur, the shorter the life of the device.

Important! During operation, the filament of the bulb constantly evaporates. But not even evaporation itself affects the life of the product, but heterogeneity in the material. In places where the spiral has become slightly thinner due to inhomogeneities, intense heating occurs. As a result, the bulbs in the apartment burn out.

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All other causes of burnout

Before running after a new, but already imported bulb, pick up a multimeter and measure the voltage in your apartment. It is advisable to measure the voltage several times and at different times of the day. This is necessary in order to determine the following causes of continuous burnout of incandescent lamps.

High voltage in the apartment

The life of the lamp depends very much on the quality of the supply voltage. Incandescent lamps are manufactured for specific operating conditions, which means that the manufacturer bears a guarantee obligation only if these conditions are met.

Important! For most lamps, the operating voltage range ends at a limit of 240 V. And if the mains voltage rises, this will cause the incandescent lamp to burn out, since it is not designed to work under such conditions. You will not be surprised if you turn on the 12 V lamp in a network where 220 V is present, you will see a short flash. As a result, you have nothing left to do, as soon as you throw the light bulb into the scrap. So it is in our case.

Based on the reference data, the voltage deviation from the nominal by only 1%, reduces the life of the incandescent lamp by 14%.

Poor connection or poor contact of the bulb base with the socket

Electricity is the science of contacts, and if the contact should be working, then, accordingly, high-quality and reliable. Directly this concerns the contact of the lamp base with the cartridge.

Most of the lampholders of domestic lamps are made of plastic. And very often - low-quality. More reliable ceramic cartridges are used very rarely.

It is because of low-quality cartridges that the bulbs in an apartment often burn out, since the antennae of the contacts of the cartridge, and with frequent change of bulbs and too hard screwing, bend and lose contact with the bulb.

Important! You can easily spot such a problem. Just look at the lamp. In such cartridges, the bulb burns with an uneven light and blinks quite often.

Low-quality circuit breakers

The reason for the constant burning of the lamps may be the poor operation of the switch. Due to poor contact, the light will also blink frequently.

Important! The problem with the switch is also easy to notice: if the switch sparks due to the bounce of contacts and has soot, signs of blackening on the wires, then, of course, it is necessary to get rid of such a switch. Otherwise, the question of why bulbs in an apartment often burn out will be your constant dilemma.

Poor connection in junction boxes

Reliable operation of all electrical appliances in the apartment depends on the quality of the contacts. High-quality junction boxes are the guarantor of trouble-free operation of devices.

Important! In order to make sure that the problem of burnout of the bulbs is in the contacts, it is necessary to diagnose the entire wiring, starting from the point of connection of the bulb to the junction box.

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What to do if incandescent bulbs often burn out?

Having established the reasons for the failure of incandescent lamps, we proceed to the troubleshooting.

Take care of purchasing quality light sources

When choosing, pay particular attention to the maximum operating voltage. This parameter can be seen on the box from the bulb, as well as directly on the bulb itself (base).

Important! Buy a light source with a maximum operating voltage of up to 240 V (Chinese manufacturers usually indicate a threshold of up to 230 V).

Remove power surges

To combat power surges, we offer the following options:

1. Install a voltage regulator. With this device, you will “kill several birds with one stone”: bring the mains voltage into the proper frames and get rid of surges that affect the operation of all electrical appliances as adversely.
2. Install the soft starter. This device can be added to the configuration of the shield or installed directly in the area of ​​the bulb itself. Such a device is sold with a huge variety of types and forms, which allows you to install both individual modules in the shield, or separately - in the socket or directly in the place where the lamp is connected.

Important! The advantage of this device is as follows:

• firstly, you don’t have to buy an expensive stabilizer and figure out where to put it;
• secondly - you will get exactly the version that will be convenient for you and easy to install.

3. Install a dimmer. Using the dimmer, you can smoothly adjust the brightness of the bulb, that is, smoothly turn it on and off. This device has great functionality, but most importantly - it creates favorable conditions for starting the lamp.

Use compact fluorescent tubes

Having given preference to such electrical appliances, thereby, you will increase the illumination of the room several times. Do not exceed the maximum thermal load on the cartridges.

Fix contact problems:

1. Inspect problematic cartridges for poor connections. If necessary, bend the antennae of the cartridge, and if necessary - just replace it.
2. Disassemble the switch and look at the state of its contact elements. If the switch has carbon deposits in the contact area, blackening marks on the wires and in the switch terminals, replace the switch with a new one.When replacing, install a dimmer that will protect the lamp from current surges at the moment of switching on.

Take care of quality wiring connections

Particularly often, burnout of contacts and connections occurs in electrical wiring with aluminum cables. Diagnose all wiring and, if necessary, tighten or redo the contacts. Now there are many different modern connectors on sale that will significantly improve the operation of all electrical wiring in the apartment.

Important! If you do not have a special education and experience with electrical equipment, then lay the diagnosis and replacement of wiring on the shoulders of a familiar specialist.

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What if the lamp explodes?

If the light bulb explodes, then there can be two reasons for this phenomenon:

1. Depressurization of the flask. If the flask is depressurized, then pressure will build up inside it. When you turn on there will be instant heating of the air, which will expand and under its pressure the walls of the bulb will burst.
2. Great power surge. An explosion can occur not only when turned on, but also when the chandelier is already on. With a large power surge, the bulb simply does not withstand a sharp drop and explodes.

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Helpful hints:

• Do not install incandescent bulbs of a higher power than laminated in their passport into the lampholders and chandelier holders.
• If you do not have the opportunity to open the switch, then the cause can be identified by installing a bypass jumper. If after installing the jumper the lamp stops blinking, then the reason is in the contact of the switch.
• If regular vibrations and other mechanical influences are observed near the light bulb, such a lamp will burn out very quickly. To solve this problem, use a different type of lamp (for example, LED or CFL).
• Do not do the work of replacing devices on the inter-apartment electrical panel yourself. This work should be performed only by specialists from the housing and communal services, otherwise, you may have problems regarding administrative violations of the law.
• When carrying out repairs with electrical wiring, never twist wires made of various metals. The explanation for this is simple - in the place of contact of copper and aluminum, a kind of “galvanic pair” forms, which will heat up and weaken. In the places of contact of aluminum and copper, install special connector blocks (terminal blocks).
• When buying a lamp, consider the remoteness of your apartment from the transformer. The farther you are from it, the lower the voltage applied to you, and vice versa.
• Use LEDs instead of incandescent lamps and halogen analogues that are not afraid of frequent on and off processes.
• If there are several light bulbs in the chandelier, then connect them in parallel, since when connected in series, there will be a high load on the connection.
• When replacing halogen lamps, protect your hands with gloves, since any greasy contamination of the surface can cause the bulb temperature to rise in this place, and as a result, destruction.

Important! Only install halogen lamps with clean gloves, and if any contaminants are found, clean the flask with a cloth moistened with alcohol.

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Stock footage

We hope that in our article we answered the question of why bulbs in an apartment often burn out. Remember that it is necessary to identify and eliminate the causes of fast burnout of incandescent lamps immediately, as soon as possible, because in some cases this problem can cause not only a short circuit in the lighting device itself, but also a violation of the integrity of the wiring throughout the apartment.