The THL lamp in my office just went out, and I had another bulb [or whatever they're called for it],but nothing seems to work when these things go. We've had two others go and just thought,"Well, for $20, what do you expect?" Has anyone had a lamp that failed due to the bulb giving out, or do they all fail from shorts or something?

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), March 19, 2002

Answers

I wouldn't think that the bulb caused the entire lamp to fail. Do you see any black or scorched places around where the bulb screws in?

You might want to switch over to a compact flourescent bulb though, they use a lot less electricity and are easier on the eyes. They do cost a little more but last 20 times longer.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), March 19, 2002.

Replacing the bulb worked with ours, but they get way too hot and may be frying the innards in yours. We evacuated the house one night thinking the lamp had burst into flames. It was actually a flaming wasp that had landed on the bulb itself.

-- helen (red@alert.abandon.ship), March 19, 2002.

Never touch a halogen lamp with your bare hands. Wear gloves or hold the bulb in a towel when touching it, the oils from your skin seriously lessen the life of the bulb. Why, I don't know, but it's true.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeeD@yahoo.com), March 19, 2002.

And don't change it too often or you'll grow hair on the palms of your hands.

-- Jack Booted Thug (governmentconspiracy@NWO.com), March 19, 2002.

Unk,

You got that right. We use them for the TV simulcast of our morning show, and not too long ago, someone put their fingers on one of the lamps, then switched it on. A while later it said "boom."

Not a pretty sight. :)

-- Stephen M. Poole (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), March 20, 2002.

"What are your experiences with the Tungsten Halogen Lamps?"

Not much, other than when driving. I've noticed that a lot of the yuppies and soccer moms who want everyone in the world to see them coming are using these things for headlights now. As if the headlights that we've all been using for the last 50 or 60 years aren't good enough, they feel the need to illimunate the entire block with a piercing bluish-colored light similar to that produced when arc welding. This new trend seems to work very well for the person behind the wheel of the offending vehicle, but for everyone else within 500 yards, it sucks.

-- (SUV and Halogen Light Drivers @ selfish. bastards), March 20, 2002.

I believe the issue with touching halogen bulbs is that the oil on your fingers heats up more quickly than the glass on the bulb. This creates hot spots on the bulb which can cause an explosion.

I've had a halogen torchiere (?) type lamp for about 6 years and a halogen desk lamp for about 11 years. I've never had to change the bulb in either of them.

-- (what@i.think), March 20, 2002.

Now that I've felt the bulb from every possible angle and put my oily fingerprints all over it I learn that I shouldn't have touched it with bare hands. Maybe had they had the instructions for the bulb in ENGLISH rather than French, weird English, and German, I might have noticed this? Maybe had they had the print a little bigger?

Here's the English notice on the bulb package:

Buring position must be observed! Do not touh bulbs with bare hands. Remove caused touching stains by alcohol.

That was what it said, and I had to wear two pairs of glasses [still dizzy from THAT experience] to read it. So does anyone think that if I clean off that new bulb with alcohol I can remove my skin oil? I dunno if that's what it said or not. What do YOU think?

No, Capn, there was no burning around anything on the old bulb or anywhere near the lamp. There's some beige stuff at one end of the old bulb...maybe the color of plaque on a tooth. I might try alcohol on that one, as well. I have nothing to lose.

Burned a moth myself, Helen. Poor guy. Immediately turned off the lamp, waited, and then tipped out the scorched body. THAT lamp still works.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), March 20, 2002.

I bought one of those lamps with a 500W bulb. It produced wonderful light, but the bulbs didn't last very long (and they were $5 a pop). The manufacturer tried sending us new bulbs, new sockets, new switches, but no luck. Eventually, we gave up.

A couple years later, they came out with a 350W version, and we bought three of those. Not one lost bulb now, in any of them, for over 5 years. I think they were just overdriving them. (We always handled the bulbs with towels. No help. And even now, we cook moths and wasps pretty regularly. Wonderful aroma, trust me!)

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 20, 2002.

Now that I've felt the bulb from every possible angle and put my oily fingerprints all over it I learn that I shouldn't have touched it with bare hands. Maybe had they had the instructions for the bulb in ENGLISH rather than French, weird English, and German, I might have noticed this?

You mean an instruction like this?

Do not touh bulbs with bare hands.

-- (there@it.is), March 21, 2002.

there,

Anita was commenting on the size and quality of the English.

Reminds me of the car stereo that I bought way back when. The instruction booklet went something like, "install a hole in you dash of car; insort unit and fine quality of sound are yours." :)

Maybe aall us sould talk way this. Understand you no one could.

-- Stephen (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), March 21, 2002.

I agree that the general quality of english in those instructions was less then optimal, but really, other than the spelling error, what part of Do not touh(sp) bulbs with bare hands is too hard to understand?

Understand you no one could.

LOL. Away put your weapon! Help you, I can!! Slimy mudhole?!?! My home, this is!!!

-- (there@it.is), March 21, 2002.