halogen bulb life

[good_egg]

Sometime last year, we replaced three regular interior lights, with multi head halogen units. The units run GU10 halogen bulbs.

The problem we seem to face is that these bulbs seem to continuously blow, it also seems to be particular heads on each unit that blow. My question is, what should the life be of a GU10 bulb? And is it false economy to buy the cheapest replacement bulbs? Or could there be a wiring fault thats causing this problem?

It seems ironic to have gone from old fashioned bulbs that regularly blew, to low energy bulbs that seem to last forever, only to replace them with halogens that seem to last no time at all, and are far from cheap to replace.

[buildersmate]

Halogens do come with different average lives - often 1000hrs, 2000hrs or 4000hrs. Invariably the cheapo ones have short lives - look on the side of the packet before you buy for the little clockface which shows the spec. of that particular bulb - I reckon they are not worth it.
Other issues impacting average life include heat dissipation and whether they are on adimmer or not.
Heat dissipation - have you got them enclosed above - so they run hotter? - move fibreglass insulation away to leave say 100mm all around the unit.
On a dimmer? - these things get their biggest shock at initial turn-on - which is when they blow. Well you would if someone stuffed 240V or 12V straight up your jacksy. If on a dimmer the voltage ramps up less quickly. I have 16 of these things in the kitchen on 2 dimmer-controlled circuits and they rarely blow.
You need a special dimmer to control 12V halogens (that have a Tx incorporated to wind-down the voltage).

[ianmunt]

www.yourlightbulbs.co.uk offer 12 GU10 for �7.99 rated life 2000 hrs.On the only occasion I've had premature failure they have replaced without question.

[ianmunt]

correction,thats 10 lamps not 12 !

[mjwman]

My kitchen light is from Micromark. When installed they blew regularly. I wrote to them and all the bulbs were replaced. Since then They have had long lives. I buy Homebsae value packs and they are fine.