Why do my kitchen lights keep burning out..?

Question

We have to replace bulbs every week or so, there are 4 light bulbs in the fixture..

Answer 1

Most lighting circuits are designed to be on a 15amp circuit.
If you have 4 - 75W bulbs you will draw about 2.5amps.
If this same circuit is wired to outlets that use kitchen appliances or other appliances in the house you will be placing heavy loads on the circuit which in turn will surge the supply to the lights. This kind of action on a circuit will shorten the life of the appliance that is being used.
A toaster will draw about 8amps; more than half the supplied circuit.
A quick check for this would be to turn off breakers one at a time and check to see what appliances are effected by that circuit.
If this is the problem than you can purchase high efficient bulbs that would have the same lighting capability but draw about 1/4 the current.
There could be underlying problems in wiring in the light fixture or the house wiring. If you are not comfortable working with electricity. have a qualified person check your circuits.
Good luck!

Answer 2

There are several things:

1. There is too much heat up there, so use lower wattage bulbs.

2. Either remove the fuse or switch the breaker of, then turn the light switch off, remove the light bulbs and look into the socket. One the bottom of the socket is a small piece of flat metal spring that is designed to touch the very bottom of your bulb. If you, like 99% of the other people in this world, keep tightening that bulb down too much, that spring has last its tension and is sitting on the bottom of the socket. That means that when you screw the light bulb down, you are either not making a connection, or not making a solid connection. Either will cause a spark gap.

Take a piece of non metallic something and get under that spring and pull it out to where it is about 1/4 of an inch above the bottom of the socket. If you can't do that, replace the socket. Then when you put the lights back in, twist them until they come on instead of sending them home to the bottom.

90% of light failure occurs when you turn the lights on.

The kitchen in my house had a lot of problems because I have a mother in law living with me who, I can assure you, the minute before she dies, will walk around the house and turn all the lights off since she will not be needing them. Kitchen lights were burning out every 14 days because of her constantly turning the lights on and off.

3 The life rating of a lamb bulb may be listed for 4000 hours, but that is contingent on how many times you turn it off and on. To get better lighting, longer life bulbs,etc., you should install a florescent lamp. The bulbs will be nominally more expensive, but will last for years.

Answer 3

If the fixture is a ceiling fan get heavy duty bulbs made for use in a fan. If you buy cheap bulbs get double life or heavy duty bulbs by a different mfg. If that doesn't work you have a short in the wiring. Using bulbs too large (>60 watt) for the fixture may cause the insulation on the wires to melt causing a short. Bulbs should last a month of continuous (24hr) use.

Answer 4

Check for the proper wattage. Some fixtures call for a specific wattage or even a specific type of bulb. Recessed lighting is often the type that has a specific bulb.

Answer 5

if your like my mother in law...she has a ceiling fan with 4 , 100 watt or higher bulbs, on sockets rated for 60 watt or less...on an old set of house wires that needed to be replaced 20 yrs ago..and the fixture wires are burnt and insulation cracked...
my guess is you need tooo many fixes for one answer here...
but first off ensure your bulbs are impact duty bulbs rated at 60 watts or less...

Answer 6

The fixture is poorly designed.
Most likely it over heats.
If you are using for example 60w bulbs, try to replace with 40w, or use low energy bulbs if they can fit in the fixture.

Answer 7

change over to the new bulb type florescent. They are a little more expensive and take a minute to reach full light but they last for years. I have changed out every bulb in my house that I can with these.

Answer 8

could be any number of reasons,
A cheap light bulbs don't last
B faulty wiring
C light bulbs heated up then turned off and turned back on too quickly
If you aren't buying el cheapos or turning them straight back on when hot call an electrician. It may save your life

Answer 9

dont buy cheap bulbs. when it comes to light bulbs you get what you pay for, as for the other awnsers the lights should not be on appliance circiuts, they should be on their own, do you have any air conditioners plugged in on that lighting circiut, it could cause voltage spikes on that circiut because of the motor, (or dishwasher or any motor load?,

Answer 10

There is an electric short id the house, and in good time the house will burn down from an electrical fire. Call an electrician immediately.