----- Original Message -----From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Kaia LandonTo: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 5:40 PMSubject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Exploding Lightbulbs - cause and prevention?Thanks everyone who has weighed in so far. Our maintenance/facilities guys will be checking into things more in the morning before we open. So far their best guess is some sort of power surge.
To answer some questions:
- No, we've not been in the habit of wearing gloves to change bulbs. We'll definitely start! (Am I the only one who'd never heard of this?)
- The fixtures are rated up to something like 100 watts. We're significantly under.
- The bulbs we've been using are GE Halogen Edison Flood, 60 watts. PAR 30. (Here's the exact bulb, if this helps: http://www.amazon.com/85116-Indoor-Floodlight-Halogen-60-Watt/dp/B00291WZTW/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1330554039&sr=1-5)
- In general, these bulbs have not been lasting the 3,000 hours promised on the packaging. Based on the number of bulbs we've purchased in the past year, I'd say they're lasting, on average, less than half that long, although whether we're replacing bulbs from 10 fixtures monthly or 100 yearly is unclear. We've recently started tracking when we replace the bulb in any given fixture so we can (hopefully!) eventually figure out whether the problem is with our hardware, or with the bulbs themselves.
- We're located in northern Utah - definitely no lightning strikes we could attribute anything to recently. Today's weather is wet and windy. I don't recall the weather the day the other exploded.
- Vibration is a possible concern. We share a building with the Senior Center (we're City funded), and they are upstairs. While things are generally pretty tame, they do sometimes have clogging and/or square dancing classes up there which rattle the whole building quite a bit. Bulbs exploding do not seem to correlate to building vibrations, however.
- We have not switched brands recently.
- There's not a dimmer on any of these.
- No recent construction or additions to the building's electrical system.
Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions. Please keep them coming if you think of anything else.
Thanks,
Kaia
On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 2:11 PM, Regan Brooks <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi Kaia,
Agree with Marc, this problem has several variables that need to be considered – however, I will say (speaking as a former theatre person now in museums) that getting fingerprint oil certain lamps (as the bulb is properly called! ;) ) can and will cause them to explode. First thing theatre techs are taught that I’ve noticed is lacking in museums, depending on your lamps – never ever touch the actual bulb portion!
Regan Brooks
Registrar
Gaston County Museum of Art & History
PO Box 429
Dallas, NC 28034-0429
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From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kaia Landon
Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 3:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Exploding Lightbulbs - cause and prevention?
We've got track lights, and each can holds one 60 watt halogen floodlight. We always use the same lightbulbs. About a month ago, one exploded. Just now another (on a different track/circuit, about 50 feet away) did the same. The explosion is quite loud, and resulted both times in a few small pieces of glass burned into the carpet.
Any suggestions on what might be causing this, or how we might prevent it?
We are now tracking each of our lights to keep track of when the bulbs were replaced, which package they came out of, etc., so at some point we might be able to connect the exploding bulbs, but right now we've got nothing.
Luckily, in both cases, there were no visitors in the immediate area, but there is clearly a possibility that someone could be injured if they were within about five feet of an exploding bulb. (They're far enough away from the walls that there is no damage of art being damaged.)
Thanks!
Kaia
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