HAI UPB Switch killing bulbs?

[Larrabee]

I have been noticing recently a pattern whereby halogen pot light bulbs are dying very prematurely. In particular, the same light keeps burning out. I was passing it off as philips bulbs being cheaply made, however it occurs to me that the PWM dimming on the UPB switches might be killing the bulbs.

This was not a problem originally, so I am theorizing that as the switch has aged, the circuit or caps are aging and its passing more noise to the light.

Anyone hear or this or had similar experiences?

I guess the easiest test is to change switches and see if the problem goes away but I would need to buy a new switch.

 

[pete_c]

Welcome to Cocoontech Larrabee.
 
Anyone hear or this or had similar experiences?
 
I have not had that or similiar experiences.
 
Here had a Halogen Phillips bulb in my brick mailbox and controlled by a UPB switch.  Dimmed every night and it's been going for around 10 years without changing the bulb.
 
I keep UPB hot spares around.
 
Slowly switching over to LED lamps.  For many of the bulbs using clear LED bulbs.  I am impressed with them so far.  Purchased new dimmable outdoor coach lamps.  They do not look as nice as the crystalline ones I was using as they have a large base.  They are dimming fine these days....it's been around a year now.

 

[cobra]

Is it possible you used non-halogen bulbs before? Halogen bulbs get their long life from running at higher temperature, so dimming will shorten their life. Or if you have been dimming them more then they would tend to have a shorter life as well.

 

[Larrabee]

Thanks for the thoughts, and I have wondered about whether they were the same bulbs.  The first bulbs that "came with the house" lasted a long time, and I can only assume they were halogen from the colour and look (GU16 with Medium base).  In recent years the failure rate has increased.  And, it usually appears to be the one closest to the switch.
 
It's definitely true that the light burning out the quickest are dimmed.  Perhaps that is it.
 
Maybe I have to go back to my theory that these bulbs, being somewhat rare, are all made by one source, and they have cheapened the design.