Lamps blowing!!

[HappyHippyDad]

Afternoon..

I have been to visit a regular client who has said that some lamps that I fitted having been blowing regularly.

I fitted 11 halogen (ES fittings) outside lamps along a long driveway. SWA along the route sperated with adaptable boxes, from which seperate cable leads up to light.

Approx one blows every 3 weeks and this has been on going for around 9 months.

I am unsure of the quality of the lamp but the client states he has tried various ones with no success.

Voltage is 242V. All connections are well made.

The only 2 things that I can think of are :

1. The set up is the 11 lights come on with a timer OR by one of 2 seperate PIR's (one at top of drive and one at bottom). I cant see how this would be a problem but wanted to give the full picture.

2. I do not like the adaptable boxes, I was using a new type for the first time, they had reasonable reviews but 2 had water inside of them which did not happen with the previous boxes that I am now using again. Poor IR results for L/N-E 0.08MΩ. I have cleared the poor IR results which were due to the water ingress in one of the boxes but wondered if this could be why the lamps are blowing?

Or any other thoughts that I am overlooking?

Cheers all..

 

[NDG Elecs]

Fit junk and expect to get burnt.
I can buy a LAP consumer unit fully loaded for £35 or so. Apparently meets AMD 3. It's gonna be great!

Agree that Lap is crap. Or then again do I?? I have never used any Lap gear so cannot really comment on them. Don't plan to purchase any soon though.

123, the OP did say the IP boxes got reasonable reviews did he not? So why should he be expecting to get burnt??

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Simply fit LED lamps and seem what happens, buying from the likes of screwfix is your first problem. Halogens create such heat which can oftener turn cause condensation. 'Cheap lamps' often don't refer to the purchase price, but the quality.
With a IR of 0.08 after only 9months, I'd be seriously worried about you installation methods and work practices,

Well thought out VX, good on you.

Thought I'd try a fairly well reviewed IP box and it leaked. From that you have deduced all my installation practices are cause for serious concern (or as you have written 'you' concern). Your post seems most intelligent, with good spelling and backed up with good hard evidence.

Well done again VX, even more so with your almost 4 years on this site and having gained the thanks of 2 whole people, you truely are a helpful chap. Keep up the productive posts :smile5:

 

[vxwestie]

I apologise for my spelling, you, was meant to be 'my'.... I don't apologise for my opinion.
I like to think I'd have recognised I was fitting crap and not actually done so.
I'm not also the one questioning whether a low IR result would be causing lamps to blow or the one not checking landholders for damage or poor connection.
As others have said, fit Leds, correct the faults and learn not to fit ****e... With such a low IR when you tested, it may also be worth checking any RCD present for correct operation

 

[vxwestie]

My pleasure to be of assistance too. :smile5:

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Someone else and Tony have mentioned switching, two worst things you can do to an electrical piece of equipment, switch it on, switch it off.

If they're on off on off all day and night they won't last long....[/QUOTE]

Thats a really good point Sparty!! They are on a sensor in the countryside with foxes etc passing by all through the night. I bet they are going on/off all the time.

Plus, they are not blowing quite so often at the moment which could partly be down to the shorter darker hours so less switching. One blowing (out of 11) every 3 weeks, is the same as the same one blowing every 33 weeks, still not great but if it is switched on/off every 10 minutes (perhaps by a moving branch) then they will not last long. I think I will ask them to have a look at the security cameras and get an idea of how often they are switching through the night.

Cheers Spartykus! :smile5:

 

[ipf]

I apologise for my spelling, you, was meant to be 'my'.... I don't apologise for my opinion.
I like to think I'd have recognised I was fitting crap and not actually done so.
I'm not also the one questioning whether a low IR result would be causing lamps to blow or the one not checking landholders for damage or poor connection.
As others have said, fit Leds, correct the faults and learn not to fit ****e... With such a low IR when you tested, it may also be worth checking any RCD present for correct operation

Are them for holding mines........they blow pretty well, too :army: