outside light

[panny300]

any ideas for this problem,an outside light was fitted by electrician,taken from the kitchen light down to a switch then out to a standard 500w halogen security light without pir.
it kept blowing the bulb,the electrician gave up.
another spark fitted a new bulb,this one later burned out the connections so a new fitting was put up and few days later the bulb welded itself to the connection,so the whole of the wire from the kitchen light to the switch to the outside light was replaced including the switch and outside light was replaced by a bulkhead with normal 60w bulb,this bulb lasted a few days.
but the kitchen lights hav'nt got a problem?
any ideas why only the outside light has the problem.

 

[ColJack]

bad placement?
is it in an area where it gets dripped on alot or where the boiler flue etc is?

could also be a **** poor installation..
if the original sparky didn't wear gloves when installing the lamps then they burn out very quickly..
then you put a lamp in that was too big and melted / burned the connections and again in the new fitting that was probably rated to 300W but you put a 500W in...

 

[Taylortwocities]

500watts halogen? Is it the Olympic stadium that you are lighting.??

Throw the fitting away and get a low energy replacement. The lamps last a LOT longer, and you'll help save the planet.

500watts, blimey. Bah humbug

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

you say the light is fitted outside -

to what? a submarine?

this just seems a little odd:

one electrician to install a 500W lamp really? in this age of low energy lighting?

Then a different electrician to change a lamp?

Why two serperate sparkies? what was wrong with the first one?

Or has spark#1 gone on one of the near-permanent holidays that a lot of sparkies seem to enjoy?

Is there more to this little story? (thinking the 'sparky' has connected half a dozen of these together with bell wire bought from QnB on a sunday afternoon?)

some photographs may help you get to an answer and save a lot of guesswork



Dear mr. TTC, may i put another piece of coal on the fire, i cant feel my feet and my face has gone blue

 

[Dave54]

The only things that do bulbs in are mechanical shock/vibration. Bad connection making them turn on and off rapidly or overheat the connections, or too much voltage. (That's all I can think of offhand anyway)

It's odds on that it's one of those, but that's what you've paid an electrician to sort out isn't it. . .

I generally give halogen bulbs a wipe with iso propyl alcohol when I fit one. Any trace of grease, including fingerprints on the glass and they go pop.
The 60w could just be an "infant failure" on the reliability curve (bulbs and lots of other stuff generally either pack in after a very short time or go on for ages)

@mikhailfaradayski I expect he'll let you if you promise to use the low energy coal.

 

[panny300]

it's not my light,it's an old bloke who's a neighbour,i said i would ask on here as they seem to have run out of ideas.
1/ two sparks because the first one got fed up of replacing bulbs so gave up, second one came to replace bulb,that failed,then changed lamp fittings, cables and switch,but still same problem.

2/ bulkhead fitting with 60w bulb fitted to see if it made a difference,it did'nt

3/fitting is not in badly exposed position

3/ whats unusual about 500w security light,

5/i had a look at the installation,it's run from kitchen light above suspended ceiling,down trunking to switch,back up trunking out through wall to light. about a 4mtr run in total,i can't see anything that could cause all these problems and he says he has no trouble with the kitchen lights?
so any ideas anyone?

 

[Steve]

Has anyone checked the voltage at the lampholder terminals?

Householders are no longer permitted to fit outside light fittings totalling more than 300 watts without applying to building control. Yet still 500 watt fittings are sold by the dozen at B&Q. However, they are changing their range to less pwoer hungry models. 300 watt are more common now (I wonder why), with a "claimed" power output of 500 watts.

 

[bernardgreen]

Does the 500 watt light shine on any neighbour's windows ? If so it might be worth looking for dents from attacks on the fitting from annoyed neighbours.

A gentle tap when the lamp is hot is all that is needed to break the filament.

 

[panny300]

thanks again,
not shining on anyone,but a 60w bulb is hardly going to blind anyone,

i would assume the 2 sparks checked voltage,but why would the voltage be any different from the kitchen lighting from where it's taken,and there dos'nt seem to be a problem with the kitchen lights

 

[sparkwright]

Have you checked that the new wiring at the kitchen light is a good connection?

 

[sparkwright]

Why two serperate sparkies? what was wrong with the first one?

Or has spark#1 gone on one of the near-permanent holidays that a lot of sparkies seem to enjoy?

It says he 'gave up'.

 

[panny300]

took the connections out and redid them.
looks like out of the box thinking on this one.

 

[panny300]

have we all give up as well ?

 

[riveralt]

have we all give up as well ?

You have to remember that all we can do is give you ideas of what might be wrong with the circuit based on the information you provide us.

This is a two way thing - we are not there and cannot test the circuit for continuity - insulation resistance etc - the only person who can do that is you.

If you do not have the equipment or do not feel competent to do these tests then I would suggest that your neighbour call the first spark back and tell him to fix it properly or he demands his money back from him.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Why two serperate sparkies? what was wrong with the first one?

Or has spark#1 gone on one of the near-permanent holidays that a lot of sparkies seem to enjoy?

It says he 'gave up'.

indeed it does.

BUT, Would you give up?

Its not the sparks (who is tasked with changing the lamp) fault that they keep going and its money for old rope changing lamps.

Easy life, thanks v much, cherching

It just always makes me suspicious when this pattern of story comes up

No offence to the OP, but read around this site, there are hundreds of similar accounts, 'first spark disappeared/gone on holiday/was cowboy'