halogen lamp question

ChocolateLab33

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Apr 22, 2004
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Sarasota, FL
I have a halogen lamp that is a number of years old but it is like perfectly new and I never really used it much until I moved to Florida about 3 1/2 months ago. Problem is a few days ago the light started to flicker when I turn it on, high or low it doesn't matter, it flickers. Then last night I turned it on and it is making a low hissing noise from the base. I shut it off, the hissing stops of course. Does anybody know what could be causing this? Is it simply a matter of changing the bulb or something dangerous I should worry about? Anyway, I unplugged it to try to get some answers here.
Much appreciated. :thinking:
 

Diesel_Bomber

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Internet diagnoses is rather vague, but I would WAG that your problem is an intermittent connection that is arcing somewhere. If so, this is a serious fire hazard. Do you smell any burning or hot-plastic smell after the light flickers? Can you disassemble the lamp and inspect the wiring from wall plug to bulb? The problem may even be with the switch contacts. Good luck.

:buddies:
 

ChocolateLab33

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Sarasota, FL
I don't smell anything hot or burning and I am not technical enough to take it apart or anything like that. I got worried and that's why I unplugged it.
 

TedTheLed

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Feb 22, 2006
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Ventura, CA.
I have a 12 volt Tizio halogen that was buzzing a lot.
also the head swivel which also conducts the electricity, was loose.
by placing a strong neodymium magnet at the hinge it tightened the mechanism up and fixed the flicker and buzz. made the lamp top heavy though so I have it on a high shelf with the arm hanging down..
 

Coop

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If it's 'just a regular lamp', don't take the risk, just dispose of it properly. If its some special or high $ lamp, have a professional check it. The only time I heard a lamp hiss was just before its electronics burst into flame. This was a worklight used heavily while working on my car, luckily there was a fire extinguisher at hand :)
 

mahoney

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I agree that there's arcing going on at a conection somewhere. The symptoms you describe are spot on. Pull the lamp and look at the contacts, if one or both are black and crusty, that's the location of the problem. You'll have to replace both the lamp and the socket or the problem will just come back. Otherwise the problem's in the wiring somewhere. A good independent lamp store (if you can find one) should be able to fix it, but at a cost that may be higher than buying a new lamp
 

jzmtl

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Montreal, Canada
And get one that runs off 110 volts so no transformers to deal with, much lighter and slim. You'll have to buy the bulb from home improvement store however, office supply store doesn't have them.
 

ChocolateLab33

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Apr 22, 2004
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Sarasota, FL
If it's 'just a regular lamp', don't take the risk, just dispose of it properly. If its some special or high $ lamp, have a professional check it. The only time I heard a lamp hiss was just before its electronics burst into flame. This was a worklight used heavily while working on my car, luckily there was a fire extinguisher at hand :)

Holy sh**! I think I will toss the lamp and buy a new one!
 
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