Accessing recessed ceiling light

[matthew.larkin]

Hi

A bulb just blew in on the recessed ceiling lights in my sons attic bedroom. When trying to swap it out, the bulb feels loose, as if its just attached by cables rather than being secured. The other two lights in the room don't feel like that.

Obviously I'd like to get the fitting down to see what's wrong, but as I didn't fit them I don't know how to access in reverse.

The fitting is a hoop about 2cm thick, diameter about 15cm or so. In the middle is another round bit which holds the bulb (a standard 40w incandescent). It looks a bit like this:

hints as to how to remove it? Would the central bit just screw out, or does the wider hoop bit screw?

Any help gratefully received!

Matt

[Harry Bloomfield]

[e-mail] used his keyboard to write :

Not indicating this is the case for certain, but some of these have a vertical strip of metal which springs out as you push it into place. The lower edge is cut at an angle, so the way to get one out is to pull gently whilst at the same time turning the fitting a if to unscrew. If you release the pull part way out, it will be pulled back up.

[Paul Matthews]

Pull the lot, carefully.

Light fittings like that tend to be "clipped" in, you may be able to see what I mean with one of these:

springs/clips are folded against the body to insert the fitting, and then press down on the top of the board they are fitted to to hold it in place.

It can be a little fiddly.

With something that I did not know who fitted it, I would seriously consider turning the ring off before trying to pull the fitting, as one does not know what one may find behind it.

P.

[matthew.larkin]

these:

thanks, that's exactly the type of light that is fitted. I'm suspicious about the wiring anyway given the play in the bulb, so I will have the ring off while I do it - but thanks for the cautionary advice!

Matt

[stuart noble]

IME the springs tend not to work very well with lath and plaster ceilings, or right next to a joist, but you can normally twist them to a position where the springs have room to snap into place. IIRC you also have to shove them pretty hard into the hole i.e. don't pussyfoot around with them