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Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - Printable Version

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Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - crokett™ - 09-03-2019

I have 5 can lights in my kitchen.  All are on the same switch. I have several other lights, switched separately (and unfortunately some outlets) on the same circuit.   One of the kitchen can lights seems to eat bulbs.  In three years in this house, bulbs fail prematurely in that fixture.  It doesn't seem to matter if they are incandescent, fluorescent or LED.  10 or so days ago I replaced an incandescent bulb in that fixture and one other with LED bulbs.  The second fixture still works.  The problem fixture the LED was out.  I swapped it into another fixture with  a known good, the blown LED didn't work.  I assume an overvoltage situation would occur on the entire circuit, so I'm thinking it would then be some other problem in that fixture.  All I can think of is loose wiring.   The outlets have electronics such as my router and Satellite receiver plugged in, those all work fine.  The other light fixtures on the circuit work with no issues.


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - Charlie - 09-03-2019

(09-03-2019, 08:08 AM)crokett™ Wrote: I have 5 can lights in my kitchen.  All are on the same switch. I have several other lights, switched separately (and unfortunately some outlets) on the same circuit.   One of the kitchen can lights seems to eat bulbs.  In three years in this house, bulbs fail prematurely in that fixture.  It doesn't seem to matter if they are incandescent, fluorescent or LED.  10 or so days ago I replaced an incandescent bulb in that fixture and one other with LED bulbs.  The second fixture still works.  The problem fixture the LED was out.  I swapped it into another fixture with  a known good, the blown LED didn't work.  I assume an overvoltage situation would occur on the entire circuit, so I'm thinking it would then be some other problem in that fixture.  All I can think of is loose wiring.   The outlets have electronics such as my router and Satellite receiver plugged in, those all work fine.  The other light fixtures on the circuit work with no issues.

Check the connections in the junction box. Next thing are you using the correct lamp?  The fixture should have a label that dictates the correct bulbs to use. The next thing to check is insulation covering the fixture and the fixture not being IC rated.


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - JTTHECLOCKMAN - 09-03-2019

First it is not a good idea to have the lights on the same circuit as the outlets to begin with. But as mentioned check connections. You can be having a loose connection and as the fixture heats it can cause some arcing If there is the fine fixture wire spliced to solid feed wire many times that where a problem occurs. Is the fixture properly installed?? If it has insulation laying on top of it it is trapping heat in the can and heat will take out a lamp quicker than if it is allowed to breathe


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - ez-duzit - 09-03-2019

Avoid daisy-chaining the lights. Each set of connections produce a voltage drop. Also avoid cheap imports.


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - Admiral - 09-03-2019

(09-03-2019, 08:08 AM)crokett™ Wrote: I have 5 can lights in my kitchen.  All are on the same switch. I have several other lights, switched separately (and unfortunately some outlets) on the same circuit.   One of the kitchen can lights seems to eat bulbs.  In three years in this house, bulbs fail prematurely in that fixture.  It doesn't seem to matter if they are incandescent, fluorescent or LED.  10 or so days ago I replaced an incandescent bulb in that fixture and one other with LED bulbs.  The second fixture still works.  The problem fixture the LED was out.  I swapped it into another fixture with  a known good, the blown LED didn't work.  I assume an overvoltage situation would occur on the entire circuit, so I'm thinking it would then be some other problem in that fixture.  All I can think of is loose wiring.   The outlets have electronics such as my router and Satellite receiver plugged in, those all work fine.  The other light fixtures on the circuit work with no issues.

Funny, read this and ran into a union electrician doing work at my office on the way to the head, and asked him.  He said the neutral is causing intermittent mini-arcing inside the socket.  Shut off power, and reach in and pull down the center tab just a little bit to reestablish the connection.  Easy enough try at solving the problem if it works.  Otherwise, he said check the hardwire connections.  

EDIT:  He also said free electrical advice is worth what you pay for it!!  :-)


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - crokett™ - 09-03-2019

I didn't wire this house. The factory did a few other interesting things with the wiring. The ceiling is insulated. I can't easily check for insulation around the light since the 2nd floor is finished. I'll check the connections at the fixture. I understand the value of free advice, but the advice at WN is almost always better than advice I have paid for.
Wink


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - Snipe Hunter - 09-03-2019

Maybe not "connected" but are you running incandescent and LED's on the same dimmer?


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - crokett™ - 09-03-2019

(09-03-2019, 04:14 PM)Snipe Hunter Wrote: Maybe not "connected" but are you running incandescent and LED's on the same dimmer?

No.  No dimmer switches.  just normal 3-ways.  On this circuit I have 5 can lights on 1 switch, another can over the sink on another switch, the mudroom light, the den and dining room light fixtures and some outlets.  I'm not happy the factory wired the outlets to this circuit.  This can is the only one with a problem.


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - Robert Adams - 09-03-2019

I have run into old can lights burning out bulbs. On the old ones it's usually the thermal switch on the can. Some tend to add resistance and poor connection causing bulbs to burn out. Like mentioned earlier pulling the center tab out a little will help ensure a better connection as some aren't great. Also the center tab is the hot (safer to have a small hot tab buried in the socket instead of the big easy to touch ring). It also could be just a bad crimp int he socket or connection in the box. I don't use wirenuts in those boxes anymore as they are somewhat unreliable and bulky in small boxes. I use Wago 3 and 4 terminal connectors and they just flat work. The yellow ones with the built in disconnect are the norm in commercial lighting now so lights can be repaired without shutting off power.

                One of the 80s cans in my parents bathroom has a bad temp switch on it but I am going to replace those cans with the newer style LED bulbs that don't use a can. They are cheaper since you don't have a can anymore and they seal super tight to the drywall so there is no air leakage. Way better than even the priciest IC cans.


RE: Recessed Light Fixture is Killing Light Bulbs - crokett™ - 09-04-2019

This house is 3 years old. So presumably the can isn't that old. Any wiring checking is gonna wait until I feel like it, since I have to kill power which will turn off the outlets for internet service, etc. This means that either my family is out somewhere or asleep.