Broken Oven Light

[Bob Henson]

Small Edison screw 25W 300°C bulb has gone in our oven. The glass bit fell out when we removed the cover, leaving the base firmly (too firmly for my other half with a pair of needle nose pliers) jammed in the threads. I'm too arthritic to get down there, and probably couldn't do any better anyway. Any bright ideas please? I wondered if something like an Easiout might do it, if I could get one. I can't get down there to see what is left inside the thread, although a photo with a phone camera might solve that one.

[Uncle Peter]

On Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:19:45 -0000, Bob Henson wrot= e:

WD40? But don't use the oven shortly afterwards, it's flammable.

-- =

No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced

[Bob Henson]

The flammability (and the smell) is one thing what stopped me trying it. Not being able to get down there easily, I thought that any advantage gained might be offset by having WD40 all over the bit we were trying to grip on to - the bulb is "point upwards", so the WD 40 would tend to run out of the threads rather than into them - although capillary action might persuade it to run uphill. I'll bear the idea in mind though - if all else fails I'll have to try it.

[Mike Barnes]

I had a problem replacing the bulb in the microwave oven and found that shining a torch through the window was the easiest answer. :-)

[Bill]

In message , Bob Henson writes

Would it be possible to jam a large flat bladed screw driver into the remains of it and undo it that way?

[Bob Henson]

It might well be - if only I could get down there myself I could tell. I think we'll have a go at that this weekend, if SWMBO thinks she has the necessary grip. I can't think of anything else that we could fit into it.

[Huge]

I had a similar problem to Bob, and ended up graunching the bulb base into bits with needle nose pliers & wrenching out the bits. Bob's OH just needs to attack it a bit more vigorously.

[dennis]

When that happened on my cooker I phoned zanussi and they sent me a new lamp unit, it was easy to swap.

[Martin Brown]

The other way that may work is a cheap pair of side cutters and effectively nibble a cut into the edge then twist it away from the thread. Basically you have to be pretty brutal if the metalwork is stuck in the socket. Tricky if it is a ceramic socket rather than metal... Bayonet fitting are easier to extract under these circumstances but that isn't a lot of help.

[alan]

make the bit that is left in smaller by pulling in the sides. At some point this will free up the thread and enable you to turn it with ease.

[Bob Henson]

I might be able to use sidecutters to cut a slot in each opposite side, and then fit something across the two slots on which I could get more purchase - thanks for the idea.

[Bob Henson]

I hadn't thought of that - I'll have a look how easy it is to change the whole unit - it has to be something that SWMBO can manage though.

[Uncle Peter]

On Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:40:46 -0000, Bob Henson wrot= e:

rote:

Any grandchildren/younger neighbours with small hands that can get in th= ere?

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A van carrying a dozen movie stunt men on the way to a film location in = the mountains spun out of control on the icy road, crashed through a guardrail, rolled down a 90-foot embankment, turned ov= er, and burst into flames. There were no injuries.

[Roger Mills]

If you *can* get the whole thing out, it will be easier to see what you're doing - and you may then be able to get the bulb out without having to replace the unit.

[stuart noble]

I'd use mole grips.

[Bob Henson]

No, I'm afraid not. SWMBO is going to have another go over the weekend using a couple of the ideas we've got from the group - failing success there we'll od as was suggested and peer in through the door with a torch :-)

[Bob Henson]

Yes, I was wondering about that. From what I've seen so far I don't think that can be done - but I'll dig out the original installation manual and see if it sheds any light on the matter (pun intended :-( ) - I've got it buried away somewhere.

[Bob Henson]

I can't get a mole wrench anywhere near - but if I can jam something into the base I might get a mole grip or a spanner on it to provide the necessary torque.

[Uncle Peter]

On Fri, 07 Mar 2014 18:30:21 -0000, Bob Henson wrot= e:

rote:

ALL your neighbours are old?

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"Boy, will I give YOU a haircut!" said Tom barbarously.

[Bob Henson]

Mostly, yes - nearly all retired round here. There are a few youngsters, but none I know well enough to ask to roll about on my kitchen floor and poke metal things into electrical apparatus.