Burning out light bulbs

AUWing wrote:
I have one pendent light that likes to take out bulbs. I was thinking I'd open a few panels and look for a short but it occurred to me I've yet to blow a fuse . . . Shorts take out fuses not bulbs, right? So help calibrate me, what should I be looking for?

My thoughts would be to check the voltage at the socket, too high of a voltage will easily pop a bulb.

Check the socket and check the connections at the socket. A bad connection at the socket can burn out bulbs. Also check the crimp
or wire nut connection where the socket wires connect to the trailer
wiring (usually about 6" from the fixture). And also check your ground connections. And yes make sure voltage is right 12V-14V. Hope this helps.

Your right, a short is when the pos. and neg. sides touch each other and that won't hurt a bulb.
Bulbs can be damaged by loose connections or too high of voltage though.

I agree that checking the socket and switch for loose connections which generate HEAT and heat will take out a bulb. Normal 12 volt bulbs frequently run at 14 volts when charging and that usually doesn't contribute to a burn out.

Define "taking out"? Does that mean burned out filament? Shorts, loose crimps, and/ or loose or poor contacts on sockets don't burn out bulbs, excessive voltage does. Think about it.. You cannot possibly generate enough heat in a poor connection to burn out a lamp that's already burning white hot. What you will do is cause a fire. Get a volt meter and look at the LOADED voltage at the fixture, with the lamp installed. That means you will need to gain access to the +&- feeds at the fixture.

Or just replace it with a regulated LED and solve several problems.

Please be more specific. What type of bulb is it? What's the number on the bulb? We have a group of G4 20W halogen in our ceiling lights that the filaments are weaker than warm hen piss (urine)!!! It's an ongoing issue and it's not the rigs fault. Just the bulb type. Again more info. rockin'

ryanw821 wrote:

AUWing wrote:
I have one pendent light that likes to take out bulbs. I was thinking I'd open a few panels and look for a short but it occurred to me I've yet to blow a fuse . . . Shorts take out fuses not bulbs, right? So help calibrate me, what should I be looking for?

My thoughts would be to check the voltage at the socket, too high of a voltage will easily pop a bulb.

x2
If the glass on the bulbs are black there is too much voltage and/or a spike of voltage.

All of the trailer installed lights run from 12VDC. I think you should be checking the DC VOLTS coming from the converter/charger units. These units are known to start producing higher DC VOLTAGES from their nominal 13.6VDC level when they are starting to fail.

I have heard of voltage spikes up to 19VDC or more when this occurs.

One must get a simple to operate MULTIMETER to keep in the trailer. With this always available then you don't have to guess about electrical things. These are not expensive and can be picked from many places such as LOWES-WALMART any number of auto parts places and AMAZON from $7 to $25...


All of us RV guys should have one these around...

Roy Ken

Voltage. :)

Some bulbs are just more fragile then others. Ones with long filaments are effected by vibrations more. Carry more spares or fine a LED replacement.

Chris