While this may sound like the beginnig of a bad joke, I cannot for the life of me, unscrew one of the burned out bulbs in my bathroom. When we cought the house all bulbs were already in place. Someone must have screwed this particular bulb in slightly misaligned. I've tried, but I am afraid to break the bulb or shatter it in my hand.
Does anybody have any tricks on how to unscrew a stuck bulb?
It's on my wife's side, so no need to hurry :)
Thanks, Chris Nashville USA
The base of the bulb may have corroded a bit from bathroom humidity. Turn off the circuit breaker, not just the switch. Surround the bulb with a thick plastic bag, like a Zip Lock. Tap the bulb to break it, leaving just the base. Using needle nose pliers, bend the metal base inward on two sides, then grab the metal with the pliers and unscrew it. Safety goggles are a good idea, if you're looking up at a ceiling fixture.
On some occassions it happens that you cannot unscrew a light bulb. What I do is gently to break the glass and then use pliers to unscrew it.
In the past, I have pliers or a potato (cut in half) to remove the lightbulb base. Pliers are usually more convenient, but I have found the potato to be more effective in some instances.
All good ideas. However, to avoid the problem in the future, find some silicon grease, and wipe the threads of the bulb LIGHTLY with the grease before putting the new bulb back in. This will keep it from seizing up. You don't need much grease. You can get silicon grease in any good hardware store or automotive supply house.
Others have told you how to get it out. I will make a couple of suggestions to avoid the problem in the future.
Stop by the auto parts store and ask for a small quality of the grease for electrical connections. It is a dielectric grease made for this kind of problem to prevent it.
When you buy light bulbs try to get real brass bases, not just brass colored aluminum or aluminum colored aluminum. Same goes if you replace fixtures.
Would it be a sick joke if both lamp and socket were left hand thread? This happen to me once trying to remove a car wheel.
As long as you brought it up - something from comedian Dat Phan, born here to parents who came from Vietnam. Describing a joke his dad finds funny:
Two Asians walk into a bar. Next day, they own it.
I had a Fiat Spyder --- spindle nuts were left-handed on one side, right on the other. Rotation of wheels was such as that it would tighten them... Also, there was a castelated nut that you dinged a lip into to keep them on -- no cotter pin.
have been switched OFF) Have also heard of an old candle (large0 works too
i bet its a flame bulb, they are junk quality and stick more often. regular bulbs are better if you ask me
Pliers are often much too thick to get into the small gap between the bulb base and the socket. I use scissors, not to cut anything but sideways as thin pliers.
Worked like a charm. I was hoping that I would not have to break the bulb, but I guess not. The zip-lock back worked wonderfully.
I appreciate your help.
Chris
Hi, Be drastic. Turn off the breaker and use a pair of needle nose to deal with it.
They used to sell this in 8 oz cans or something and it was very expensive iirc. Now they have it in tiny foil envelopes iiuc.
There is a series of 5 or so, on their own rack, one for keeping sparkplugs from siezing in their holes, one keep sparkplug wire boots from sticking to the plugs, one maybe to keep disk brakes from squeaking, one with dielectric grease, and I forget the other one.
They were a dollar last time, and one doesn't need much of any of them. I used only half of the brake packet to do two brakes, even though I wasn't trying to use little. I was trying to use the right amount.
Let aluminum be aluminum.
Not a sick joke, but more likely a subway or street car from about 50 years ago.
They used incandescent bulbs for interior lighting which were LH threaded.....to discourage their being pilfered by "bulb snatching" riders.
And, they are still available y'know...
Jeff
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