New Heat Lamp, bulb dies every few days?

[esat]

So I recently purchased a new heat lamp for my adult female. Shes around 4 years old and my old heat lamp was getting a litle unreliable so I purchased a new heat lamp and 4 100 watt EXO-Terra bulbs. I installed the bulb onto the new heat lamp with no problem, and it worked like a charm and then just a few days later, it stopped working. Most defiantly a problem with the heat lamp and not the bulb as I replaced the bulb again to check if the lamp was working. I am very confused as to why its stopped working, its brand new and has no reason not to work. Unfortunately, I threw out the receipt so I cant return it.

Wondering if you guys have any troubleshooting suggestions or ideas on what to do. I really dont want to buy another one.

 

[PatsyB]

We've been having issues with Zoo Med 100 watt bulbs lately. The response that ZooMed gives is in the fixture itself there is a little flap of metal where the bulb meets the fixture. It's possible that the metal flap is pressed down too far which makes more of an arch between the bulb and the socket, blowing the bulb out. They suggest unplugging your fixture and very gently bend the flap so that it meets the bulb better. I haven't tried it yet but I know some people that have and it helped.

 

[TheFirstKhaleesi]

I've had this happen with my lamp. It's SO irritating. For mine, it ended up being that the bulb would just SLIGHTLY move where it screws in, I mean, to a point where you couldn't even tell it moved. If I take it out, and then realign it just enough for the stupid thing to look it, it works like nothing happened. Sometimes it takes a couple tries to get it just right. Hopefully that helps?

 

[Yvonne G]

Are you saying that it's the fixture not the bulbs that's going bad?

Are you buying a fixture with a ceramic base, or does the fixture have a brown plastic base (the part where the bulb screws in)? The exoterra bulbs get too hot for the plastic fixtures. You need the ceramic fixtures.

Also, the mercury vapor bulbs have a ballast and they don't turn right back on until they've cooled down.