Lightbulbs

[Professur]

I've got a guy coming in to work soon to replace a set of the 400W lights on our 25'+ ceiling and that got me thinking. I've never in my life replaced a bulb at home that failed while it was lit. Every single one I've ever changed blew when someone threw the switch. Got me wondering just how long some of those bulbs would have lasted if they'd jsut been left on 24/7.

And then I got to wondering if others had noticed this.

 

[MrBishop]

I remember it happening once or twice. As for how long they'd last depends on the bulb, I'd guess. Those 2500hr bulbs should last 2500 hours, eh

 

[Luis G]

Not that it happens all the time, but it occurs. Anyway, it might be due to a spike in the electricity that causes an already dying bulb to die.

 

[Inkara1]

I've had it happen to me before... haven't seen it happen, though. I turned on the outside light when I left, and I know it was on and lit. But it was dark when I got home, and when I was finally able to unlock the door by feel, I checked and the switch was still on.

 

[BB]

amazes me we don't blow our office up ...

happens all the time -


yeah, Luis, i blame spike an all ...

 

[Gonz]

spike are all evil.

I voted never but it seems that there might have been once....

 

[chcr]

Well, I've had plenty fail while they were on but probably most when switched on. Makes sense if you think about it. The filament is white hot. When you switch it on it goes from room temperature to white hot in well under a second. Surely that's when it's most likely to fail.

 

[chcr]

spike are all evil.

I voted never but it seems that there might have been once....

All your spike are belong to us...

 

[highwayman]

Had em fail while in use, the frorecents usualy fail me when in use and the filiments when flipped on...

 

[Inkara1]

That's the most unique way I've ever seen "fluorescent" misspelled.

 

[BeardofPants]

All your spike are belong to us...

this one's mine.

 

[Luis G]

Well, I've had plenty fail while they were on but probably most when switched on. Makes sense if you think about it. The filament is white hot. When you switch it on it goes from room temperature to white hot in well under a second. Surely that's when it's most likely to fail.

Room vibrations might also be a factor when the filament is already fragile.

 

[tonksy]

I saw a Mythbuster's where they visited this fire station that had a bulb that had been on for over 100 years...of course it had a huge filament but still!

 

[chcr]

http://www.centennialbulb.org/

 

[Professur]

And the company that made it ..... went out of business no doubt.

 

[rrfield]

it's happened before, but usually when turning on or off.

Our front porch light filament used to break all the time (while on), when someone would slam the front door. After the 20th time I got smart and put in one of those fancy low powered compact fluorescent bulbs.