Light bulb lube???

[Bill]

That is a good question!

I would think such a "lubricant" would need to conduct electricity for it to work....

If it DID conduct electricity, and you got too much on - going up to the glass portion, then it would be an electrocution hazard (when replacing the bulb the next time and touching the glass and lube). Or if you put too much on between the ring and bottom contact, it could cause a short circuit.

If it DID NOT conduct electricity, the bulb might not light.

If I were a manufacturer (in these days of lawsuits), there is no way on earth I would ever manufacture such a product and advise consumers to use it on light bulbs.

However there is aluminum wiring anti-oxidant "goop" available in electrical departments. I don't know if this would act as a lubricant or as a glue after it has been on a bulb socket for a year or more? Use very little and at your own risk.

[nicksanspam]

No... Mineral oil helps avoid fretting corrosion in electrical connectors.

Nick

[Limey Lurker]

Rub them with a soft pencil.

[Noozer]

I've noticed that when changing lightbulbs that the socket seems quite "rough" and the bulbs don't screw in smoothly. I always wonder if the contact is as good as it could be.

Is there something I can apply to the threads of the bulb to "lubricate" them?

Thx!

[Captain Joe Redcloud©]

Captain Joe Redcloud©

[Jeff]

The tail lights in my car have some kind of grease on them to fight corrosion. I imagine an auto parts place would sell it.

[TKM]

Odd as it may sound, there is a lubricant for light bulb bases. Sign companies are the typical users for signs which have thousands of bulbs that may stay in the sockets for years. The main reason for using a lubricant is to minimize corrosion so that the bulbs can be removed without damaging the socket. Put the words "base lubricant" into the first blank at:

and you should get a hit.

If you don't find something that's specially made for the job, try a silicone-based lubricant. Don't use much and wipe the base of the bulb before putting it into the socket. As I recall, the lubricants are non-conductive since screwing the bulb into the socket will rub a clean metal-to-metal contact. A conductive lubricant (like graphite) could cause a short circuit or set up conditions for an electrical arc. That you don't want since any arcing will make things very hot very fast.

Don't use the usual lubricants like oil. The heat from the bulb can cook the oil into a solid glue.

TKM

[Noozer]

This is what I was thinking, but I don't think that it would be rated for the heat of a 120volt bulb.

[Joseph Meehan]

Actually some automobile lamps get hotter than the ones in your home. The stuff is a dielectric grease and it is easy to find at auto parts stores as well as some electrical departments in hardware stores.

I would also suggest looking for quality lamps with real brass bases not brass colored aluminum or just aluminum.

[Doug Kanter]

Good luck with that. Based on a year's worth of intensive lamp shopping for my new house, I've found 95% of lamps now come from China. The bases are just one step better than Reynold's heavy duty aluminum foil.

[Pat]

If you still have your hair just rub the base over your head.

[Joseph Meehan]

I fear that is why you have to look. I can't see how they could make them cheaper.

[Doug Kanter]

Most of the better lamps I found were "artisan" products. You know: $400.00 because they came with a hand stenciled shade or some such thing. Doesn't matter, though. I don't find corrosion problems in lamps. Seems to occur more with ceiling fixtures.

[George E. Cawthon]

You can find dielectric grease as labeled for sparkplug boots. Sparkplug boots get really hot.

[Joseph Meehan]

Yep, more heat.

[Gideon]

Doug said: Good luck with that. Based on a year's worth of intensive lamp shopping for my new house, I've found 95% of lamps now come from China. The bases are just one step better than Reynold's heavy duty aluminum foil.

===============

You should also discover that 95% of the lamp sockets are also made in China and are equally worthless. Center contacts corrode quickly and the cheap pop rivets that carry current get loose and often melt from the heat from the increased resistance.

[Banister Stairwell]

In the situation you describe, I've used Permatex anti-seize compound with good results.

[BARRY MARTIN]

" I've noticed that when changing lightbulbs that the socket seems " quite "rough" and the bulbs don't screw in smoothly. I always " wonder if the contact is as good as it could be.

" Is there something I can apply to the threads of the bulb to " "lubricate" them?

I haven't tried this with lightbulbs but I put a little heat sink compound one the screw portion of my soldering iron. Before, the tip used to freeze in the iron, requiring replacement of the iron because I couldn't get the old tip out.

Warning: the heat sink compound I have has a warning not to ingest.

¯ ® ¯ Barry.Martin þ at þ QCONline,COM ® ¯ ®

... Unusual gift ideas: Spit wad.

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[kevin]

In sort, I think you have your answer: don't use lubricant, and don't worry about it. Household light bulbs have been functioning fine witout it. And given all the warnings, hazards, caveats, and pitfalls that have been mentioned here, and since you don't indicate that you have any particular reason to use lubricant (you just seem to think it would be useful, which apparently it is not), then don't do it. It isn't useful in your situation, and could make for big problems, like getting electrocuted.

-Kevin

[Suzie-Q]

-> Rub them with a soft pencil.

->

You mean with the graphite?