My elderly mother has an electric coal effect fireplace. She has oil central heating but likes to put the fireplace on in the evenings for the effect. Trouble is it keeps blowing bulbs. It has two bulbs under the plastic coal fitting and I'm using the recommended 40 watt bulbs but they only last on average 2 months. I replaced both of them at the end of July. One lasted a month and the other went last week. I'm concerned now that there may be an electrical problem with the fireplace. Should I replace it for the sake of safety or is there some reason why the bulbs could be blowing?
Electric fire keeps blowing bulbs
- Thread starter Gozoman
- Start date
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Some used to have a light aluminium turbine sitting above the bulb, which rotated due to the rising hot air and thereby produced the flicker effect. However, I would think that would produce any significant vibration. Also,IIRC, those lamps are quite often mounted horizontally - which is probably not the best thing for the life expectancy of an incandescent lamp (and, if they are bayonet fitting, may be longer-lasting 'one way round' as compared with the other).
Kind Regards, John
Yeah as you say they are mounted horizontally and are bayonet fitting.
Would the suggestion of a lower wattage make a difference, say 25 instead of 40?
My main concern really is safety. If the fireplace is dodgy in any way I wouldn't want it in the same room as my mum.
Would the suggestion of a lower wattage make a difference, say 25 instead of 40?
My main concern really is safety. If the fireplace is dodgy in any way I wouldn't want it in the same room as my mum.
As I said, traditional lamps tend not to last so long when positioned horizontally. It could be that 'one way up' (relative to the arrangement of the filament inside) would be better than the other (with a bayonet fitting, you obviously have two options), but you'd probably have to determine that by trial and error.
It might be worth trying. Lower wattage bulbs may have less fragile, filaments.
I obviously can't tell you that it's not dodgy - if you have any doubts, you probably should get an electrician to check it over. However, I doubt that the dying lamps is related to anything dangerous.
Kind Regards, John
I'm sure he could find one which would fit, but goodness knows what it would look like - don't forget that his mother likes to have it on 'for effect'!
Kind Regards, John
You can get energy saving candle bulbs which are only slightly larger than tranditional ones (maybe even the same size these days, if you look around) - I use lots of them.
Kind Regards, John
its a good compromise
reduced consumption so reduced overheat danger
may not look the best who knows but there is a fair chance the mum like any off us with age wont notice how it works or the quality just that it works
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