Is it common for halogen bulbs to burn out very quickly?

Question

I purchased a track light fixture with 6 lights (they have small halogen flood-shaped bulbs with a GU10 base). The fixture has only been installed for about 2 months now, and 4 of the 6 bulbs are burned out. The ones that are burned appear to have an actual hole burned in the inside glass piece, not the exterior. Additionally, two are burned blue/black, but the others are white/clear. What could be going on?

Answer 1

Halogen bulbs are actually designed to last longer than regular tungsten lighting.  Those bulbs contain halogen, which reacts to tungsten evaporating on the filament, and returns the tungsten to the filament, allowing the bulb to burn longer.  However, the deposit is random, and some areas of the filament get more tungsten than others, and soon, weak spots form.  When one spot is weak enough, the filament breaks in that spot, causing the light to burn out.  The burn out does stain the outer envelope of the bulb.  Halogen lamps should last for about 4000 hours (compared to 1000 hours for regular light bulbs).  

Answer 2

sounds like you might have a short in your circuitry that isn't completely shorted until it gets hot enough to become so...which is why it takes awhile to burn your bulbs

Answer 3

Replace them wearing gloves-halogen burns hot. A little bit of hand moisture can ruin them in short order. If they are on a transformer check the immediate wiring connections.