Incandescent bulbs in my kitchen's ceiling fan seem to sort of get corroded in place, probably due to the moist environment. I've got electrolytic grease for the light bulbs on my boat trailer. Any reason not to use a very fine coating on the threads of the bulbs in the ceiling fan? I realize that conductivity isn't the goal with these bulbs, but the stuff also serves to block moisture, if results on the trailer are any indication.
You could try it, worse that could happen is you have to clean it out with a cotton swab and isoproponol (or denatured alcohol).
I have never had this problem even in range hoods with standard bulbs. There must be something more than steam at hand.
Are you saying the threads of the bulb and socket form a layer of corroded metal which is hard to remove. Perhaps it is too late for the socket and you should obtain a replacement from the hardware store. The materials used for bulb bases and threads should not oxidize (corrode) appreciably but copper or brass parts in the fixture may be suffering. It usually takes more than just water vapor to severly corrode (all but soft iron) usually there needs to be a contaminant like salt present (from the potato to remove the broken base trick perhaps or from your hands). Presence of electricity would likely accelerate corrosion caused by contaminants but not oxidation caused only by water vapor.
Another indication that looks like corrosion is actually pitting caused by arcing in a loose lamp fixture. Can't tell if that is what you are seeing though.
Describe this corrosion better and I can guess better
You can certainly try it. I also suggest you buy quality lamps with real brass threads not aluminum or colored aluminum.
Hi, I never experienced that ptoblem even in a Sauna in the basement. Moisture seeping down from above? Or you must have exessive moisture bulid up in the kitchen. Have venting fan to outside? Tony
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 21:28:22 GMT, "PipeDown" scribbled this interesting note:
I've had similar problems, but with brand new bases in cheap light fixtures made in China. I'm not sure what causes the problem, but in a brand new fixture, new bulbs are difficult to install, hard to tighten sufficiently, and difficult to remove. What I've done in the past is clean the fixture with WD-40 and wipe the bulb base with a little as well. Then they seem to install easily and when burned out, remove easily as well.
Next time I'll go out to the garage and get my tube of electrolytic grease after I clean the fixture. I'm sure this will solve such problems for a longer period of time.
-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)
I have been lubricating all my installed light bulb threads for over
20 years. I've tried wd-40, but it doesn't last. Crisco shortening is great and lasts as long as the bulb. Just apply it thinly and wipe it all off. The only problem is that it is not handy.A good workable substitute for crisco that is always available is ear wax. Or for some of you, oily hair. I won't continue but you get the idea.
You can try it. But what is electrolytic grease? I've heard of electrolytic aluminum and electrolytic zink, but grease? Sorry I just had to say that.
What you really want is silicone grease and all you need is about a match head sized piece for each bulb. Just wipe it on the screw base, don't forget the center and wipe off. Probably WD40 (another poster) will do just as good a job.
Based on recent shopping experiences with light fixtures, you're talking about ALL of them. Apparently, there are no lighting fixtures made here any more.
Enormous fan, actually. I suspect the problem is simply cheap crap fixtures made in China. Since there are no fixtures made here any more, you will eventually own a Chinese fixture and experience the same problem.
Excellent idea. I've also heard of using candle wax. Or the antoxidant stuff that is used for aluminum wiring. "Noalox" is the slang term for the grey stuff.
Dude, what brand of light bulbs are you using, and where can I buy some? By the time a bulb would corrode in my house its blown.
On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 00:50:56 GMT, "George E. Cawthon" scribbled this interesting note:
After thinking about it overnight, it may be that what I'm doing with the WD-40 is just cleaning a couple of dirty sets of threads, thereby making them work the way they are supposed to. But a little lubrication, of the appropriate sort (I wouldn't recommend bacon grease!:~) is a good idea as well.
-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)
Philips Dura-something or other. In this particular case, it's a type that's supposedly intended for ceiling fans and their vibration. At least that's what the package says.
Interesting. I got a bunch of those. I keep the receipts now since they claim a warranty. Im waiting on it to blow again so we can see how well the warranty works :)
Hey, I have had the same problem. Whats the deal with these ceiling fan lights. Dont they make the sockets the right size or what. Ours got so bad we junked the whole thing after several bulbs broke off in my hand.
Thats probably the stuff they put inside an electrolytic capacitor. I had one of them explode once and there was a greasy crap all over the place.
I don't know what the deal is, but thinking back over the years, I don't recall it ever happening with a lamp or fixture in which the bulb is installed with the base down - only with base-up situations.
Probably because ceiling fans vibrate and regular lamps dont. Perhaps the bulbs were not designed for a vibrating environment.
Vibration will affect bulb life, but not the tendency of the bulb's threads to get locked in place. And, the same thing happens with base-up installation in things that do NOT vibrate, like certain light fixtures.
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