Flickering GE?

[AngryHorse]

As I am in work early this morning, I switched the alarm off and lay there in bed, when I noticed a flickering on the bedroom ceiling.
At first I thought the house behind me had left their Christmas lights on all night, (it was an erratic flicker as xmas lights do), not a constant flicker.
However, getting up I saw it was one of my coach lights on the fence!!, it was my GE one, (installed in August 2012).
I have seen SON do this before, right before they start cycling!, surly not???, could it be on its way out in just 3 years?, a GE at that?
We have a Vectra near me doing the same with a Philips master in, but these are well over 6 years old, so its to be expected, but not a GE at 3 years?

[Kev]

Hmmmm that's not good but about the same amount of time the ones at the school have lasted in 70W GE are obviously putting no effort in to their lamps anymore sadly. I think PIA is the only way.

[Danny]

Is it a new style one or an old stock one?

[AngryHorse]

Its a Hungary one, with the amalgam reservoir, you can`t see the flicker looking directly at it, but if you just look at its light, on the fence and lawn, it dims about 20% then returns to full light, in a flickering motion!

[Danny]

Sounds like it's on it's way out then! That's a bastard!

[AngryHorse]

LOL, its REALLY going at it now, seems to be going faster than it was this morning!
It hasn`t cycled yet though.

[Kev]

Leave it in until it actually cycles rich!

[AngryHorse]

Its had a wild flicker on it since it came on, but hasn`t cycled once yet!