-----Has anyone else's incandescent bulb replacement, s***w-in fluorescent lamp failed far too soon? ---Jim

Question

-----Many of mine seem to fail far too soon. The latest is a GE Helical 20 watt (replaces 75 watt) lamp "Made in China". I bought it in June 2006. It was not used with a dimmer, or in an enclosed or recessed fixture. In fact, I do not think I used it much at all. Of course, they are not cost effective if they do not last. On the outside, it seems well made. ---Jim

Answer 1

The label "made in china" now has the connotation that "made in japan" had fifty years ago.  Complete junk.

I don't have any compact fluorescent bulbs in my home, and I don't know why anyone would use them.  Electricity for lighting is not a significant cost in a home, unless you have have it lit up like a christmas tree 24/7.

So whenever I have to buy something labeled made in china (and almost everything is these days), I automatically cringe and hope for the best.

Answer 2

Yes, i just replaced one that i had installed in Feb 2007 and MAYBE used for 200 hours. I plan on calling GE tomorrow

Answer 3

I've went thru at least a couple of senior mangers who thought that getting the cheaper lighting and lamps (generally made in China) would save the company(ies) a fortune.

Without exception. It eventually  comes to be known that the Chinese imports fail much sooner than the more expensive USA products. End result is you spend much more on replacements and somebody paid to replace them more often. I've found this to be true with both incandescent and flourescent in both commercial and home type applications.

Answer 4

Flourescent bulbs will do that. They are not fool proof, just as an incandesent sometimes lasts a year, sometimes more, sometimes less. I feel the same way as the last poster. I don't like the light spirals put out. I know in a few studies, they cause some individuals to get migraine headaches but yet our government will be forcing us to use them. I wonder what lobbyists paid for this bill.This flouresent scam just cracks me up: conserve a little energy but pollute the earth with mercury. Yea very GREEN! GW Scammers.

Answer 5

The main reason for these to fail after a short time, aside from lousy workmanship or poor quality work and materials, is the low voltage in some circuits or voltage fluctuation present in some area's.

  You already know they cannot be used with dimmer switches, and a low voltage condition is much the same as using a dimmer.

  And of course, we also have the "made in China" factor to contend with, but sometimes they s***w up amd make something right.

  I would check line voltage at different times of day to eliminate that as a cause.

Answer 6

Oh my yes. In an effort to be good citizens (honest) we have been trying these for years.  Every now and then one will last, but most of them do not give the time advertised.  We date the bulb when we install it, keep the packaging and the receipt.  If the bulb blows before we think it should we make contact with the manufacturer.  We believe that this is another high tech rip off. We are most displeased with the government mandate outlawing incandescent bulbs.  It is madness.

Answer 7

Yup I have had two or three fail already.  Yet another Green scam.

Answer 8

yes i have alot of them but seems once or two will stay forever you just have to be lucky. i mean they say 8 years or something like that oh well its life i have lost some but i am too lazy to send them back to the company and i guess they knew this.

Answer 9

The future is in LED's anyway.

Answer 10

I am stocking up on incandescant bulbs.  I refuse to use this flourescent garbage.