spotlights die too often

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16 Jul 2014
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I have a bunch of spotlights in the kitchen that I access from the loft.
The problem is they die unreasonably frequently, and much more often than other (different type) spotlights elsewhere in house.
I think they are these ones but certainly very similar, with 14W 12V markings.
I have taken some pics of the set up, it seems identical on all of these kitchen ones.
They seem to last a few months tops.
Am I just using the wrong type?

bulb2.jpg bulb1.jpg bulb3.jpg
 
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You sure the lamps are failing? Not the ELECTRONIC TRANSFORMERS that are cutting out due to overheating?

The TRANSFORMERS need moving off the insulation.

And I can't see clearly, but the way the twin and earth cables are attached to the TRANSFORMERS looks a little dodgy.

The other issue is that your TRANSFORMERS are rated 20VA mimimum and the lamps are 14W.
 
well no - once a lamp is dead it's dead from my observation. It does not come back on the next time I switch it on.
Any other thoughts maybe?
 
So larger lamp, electronic transformer rated 0 - over 20 VA rather than starting at 20 VA, and ensure adequate cooling. Or change to GU10 or better still use problem general lighting not silly spot lamps.

So the comments are because the electronic transformer is not a simple transformer although clearly it does transform the voltage, but it also has some electronics which is designed to stabilise the voltage, it does this by rapid switching on and off and varying the ratio between on and off (Mark/space ratio) there is a minimum time it can be on for and if the current falls below that point it can't regulate correctly.

There is a second problem, the output is a higher frequency than 50 or 60 Hz and it can result in it not matching the circuit in the bulb, many bulbs are marked 50Hz. Also you can get spikes which would not worry a quartz bulb but would upset an LED bulb.
 
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There is a second problem, the output is a higher frequency than 50 or 60 Hz and it can result in it not matching the circuit in the bulb, many bulbs are marked 50Hz. Also you can get spikes which would not worry a quartz bulb but would upset an LED bulb.

But they are not LED lamps.
 

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