lightbulb removal problems

alafairnadia

okay, another absurd issue:

unfortunately for me, in a bunch of my fixtures, I have lightbulbs burned out where the metal part of the bulb has fused a bit with the fixture and the glass part is barely hanging on. what do I do?

carnivore

Usually gentle steady pressure will get those bulbs turning. If you're really worried that the bulb might break, turn off the circuit breaker for that light (or unscrew the fuse if you have a fusebox) and use a towel or pot holder or something to turn the bulb (to protect your hand from the glass in case it breaks). If it does break, then (again with the circuit breaker cut off) use a pair of insulated needle-nose pliers and firmly open them inside the base of the bulb so that the points are pushing out against the sides. Then slowly but firmly rotate the base of the bulb while keeping outward pressure with the pliers. I've only had to do this once, but it worked like a charm.

alafairnadia

Carnivore wrote: Usually gentle steady pressure will get those bulbs turning. If you're really worried that the bulb might break, turn off the circuit breaker for that light (or unscrew the fuse if you have a fusebox) and use a towel or pot holder or something to turn the bulb (to protect your hand from the glass in case it breaks). If it does break, then (again with the circuit breaker cut off) use a pair of insulated needle-nose pliers and firmly open them inside the base of the bulb so that the points are pushing out against the sides. Then slowly but firmly rotate the base of the bulb while keeping outward pressure with the pliers. I've only had to do this once, but it worked like a charm.

ah. I have like ... 5 bulbs like this. I wonder why I live in the dark. blah. if I don't post for the next 24 hours, someone call daveb and have him check on me, k? thanks.

sweet tea

another good trick if the bulb breaks in place is to cut a potato in half and push the cut end into the broken bulb. the shards stick into the potato, and you can twist it out.

but potatoes conduct electricity too, so watch the current.

(okay, the needle-nosed pliers will work just as well, but who doesn't love vegetable-aided home repair?)

pitu

if you get fed up and want to hire someone, I know a great guy
that does 'lectric handy jobs after work
at the Brooklyn Museum
(nearby is good)

pm me if you need him
he did a fan and some extra outlets for me, ridiculously reasonable $

alafairnadia

pitu wrote: if you get fed up and want to hire someone, I know a great guy
that does 'lectric handy jobs after work
at the Brooklyn Museum
(nearby is good)

pm me if you need him
he did a fan and some extra outlets for me, ridiculously reasonable $

thanks for the info. I may give him a call.