Intermittent lights

[Phil S.]

I have some landscape lights along my stairway that aren't sure if they want to work full time.  There are about 10 fixtures with a copper tone hood over a wedge base bulb like these-
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Feit-Electri.../309603341
The bulbs just insert into the fixture bayonet style.

Just about every time I go up the stairway one or more of the lights will be out.  If I rap on the fixture like knocking on a door it usually starts working again.  The lights are about 10' apart and shed enough light I can usually fumble my way to the one that is out and give it a rap to get it going, but the wife and visitors don't know that trick and just stumble up the stairs in the dark.

Any idea how I can get these to operate more dependably?

[arthropod98]

we've got some lights like yours, and the bulb's the same, and i had those issues.  i replaced all those with LEDs  --  not available anymore, but you can find some others like 'em:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014V4...UTF8&psc=1

when i replaced 'em, i checked all the bulb connectors to make sure they would make good contact.  then, i gave the sockets a bit of a pinch to make sure there was a decent grab on the bulb.

i was replacing those old bulbs what felt like every other day  --  LEDs are just much better.  

[Snipe Hunter]

We had problems with that type of light at the old house within a year or two of installation. Corrosion at the connections and light sockets seemed to be the problem. The LEDs are not in a socket and pretty much sealed from the elements so no corrosion problems. And draw a lot less power.

[MarkSingleton]

I had a similar issue with the old dual pin low voltage lamps in our landscape lighting.

Had. Since switching to LED, no more issues. They just work.

[Phil S.]

So, are you guys saying that I can get wedge base LEDs that will work more reliably in the fixtures I have or am I hallucinating? 

[arthropod98]

So, are you guys saying that I can get wedge base LEDs that will work more reliably in the fixtures I have or am I hallucinating? 

well, probably not really if the lights are good when ya knock on 'em.  that's probably more of a fine-tune-the-connections kinda thing.  i've definitely seen some differences with the bulbs and their connections that need fixed up.  but, if you also have bulbs just blowing (which is definitely what i had), the LEDs are pretty great.