how on earth do I remove this screwless glass ceiling light dome?

Hi,

Got quite a problem here because I'm moving out of my dorm in 2 days' time, and I need to change my ceiling light bulb before then (otherwise they'll impose some ridiculous penalty charge on me).

Anyways, here's how my domed ceiling lamp looks like:

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As you can see, there are no screws whatsoever. I've googled quite a few places, and tried some of the proposed solutions such as:

1) Twisting the dome (with my hands) 2) Pushing up on the dome, then twisting it, or rocking it like crazy while twisting it with maximum strength 3) Pulling it down (although this is not quite possible since there is nowhere to hold the dome)

Nothing worked. I don't have any tools with me, and it'll be hard to find one at short notice.

Anyone has any other good ideas? Thanks so much for looking!

Eric

Reply to
eric
Loading thread data ...

On 12/13/2011 9:22 AM, eric wrote: ...

Surely there's a dorm resident or other person in campus housing that can answer the question.

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Reply to
dpb

  1. This seems a bit silly. We should expect the person who tells you of the penalty also to tell you how to replace the bulb.
  2. Inventory of trials omits trying to rotate the ring (collar) that holds the dome, in case the whole cover comes off like some smoke alarms.
Reply to
Don Phillipson

re: "Got quite a problem here"

I think that as you gain more life experience, you'll find that not being able to change a light bulb doesn't really count as "quite a problem", but for now, I guess that's OK.

Having 2 kids in college, I seriously doubt that a burnt out bulb in a ceiling fixture is cause for a penalty. In fact, I would not expect the student to be responsible for either the purchase of nor installation of the bulb. I would lean towards it being a safety/ liability issue where they would *not* want you accessing an electrical fixture belonging to the facility. Think about falls from ladders/chairs and/or electrocution due to a faulty fixture or user error.

That said, I can not see the image due to restrictions on my corporate machine, but I'm not sure that it matters. If you say there are no screws, I believe you.

My best un-seeing guess is based on other screwless globes that I've seen.

There are often very wide threads on the globe that screw into the fixture. Due to heat, moisture, texture of surfaces, etc. these threads can often bind in such a way that they are difficult to unscrew. It may be so tight that you wouldn't even know that it could be unscrewed.

If that's the case, I would once again point towards the dangers of doing it yourself. If you apply too much pressure, you could crack the globe and cut yourself. I seriously think that this is a building maintenance issue and should be covered in your room and board.

Of course, if you or a roommate had previously removed the globe and installed a non-standard bulb (e.g. a blue one) and that is the real reason that you need to change the bulb, then I wish you luck...but be careful!

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Ask the janitor or maintenance engineer in charge of dorm upkeep. He/she will know how to remove the bulb.

Reply to
Roy

I did look at the photo, and nothing comes to mind. Only coarse threads, and turn the white ring counter clockwise.

As the others have suggested (which also came to my mind) to ask your neighbor students, and try to find the custodian. Custodians often will work for appreciation, food, home made cookies, etc.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

You may have a spring-loaded ring holding the glass.

Alternately, call the maintenance people for the dorm and ask them how to replace the bulb

Reply to
Attila.Iskander

I would guess that the metal collar unscrews or unclips somehow.

Reply to
Pavel314

Smash the dome and replace bulb.

"Dome? What dome?"

Reply to
Thomas

Does the glass move even a little side to side? If so push to the side and see if it gets enough clearance to drop out. Try a few directions to push.

Reply to
despen

It's possible that the fixture is purposely made to not be opened by students/tenants/office workers. The intent would be to keep people from stealing bulbs, making dangerous extension cord hookups, or swapping in higher wattage bulbs, etc.

Kind of like the restroom panels/fixtures with "one-way" screw heads etc.

As others have said, bulbs should a building maintenance issue anyway, unless you have dorm rules to the contrary.

Reply to
Reed

Speaking of college dorms and dangerous extension cords hookups, both of my daughter's colleges have this rule:

They can not use extension cords or power strips unless they have a switch.

They can put a $2.00 power strip in the most inaccessible place imaginable, like behind the mini fridge that's jammed under their bed, and they can plug that 15 YO energy hog of a mini fridge, the TV, 2 lamps and a curling iron into it, but dammit, that power strip better have a switch or the school can confiscate it.

Strange.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Fall over in the dark. Bruise your toe.

Complain of the unsafe conditions. Threaten to sue. Lie back and wait for the man with a ladder and a screwdriver to arrive.

Reply to
Avery

I have that exact same fixture in my bathroom, push the translucent plastic up a little and then bend it so that it will come down out of the fixture. Just go slowly. Or call the mtc person for your dorm as others have suggested.

Reply to
hrhofmann

Typically a fixture like that, with no obvious attachment would be a counter clockwise turn on either the glass or the collar to remove it for relamping. It is entirely possible especially being in a dorm room, that it is a tamper resistant fixture designed to prevent students from gaining access.

Reply to
RBM

You're an idiot. And this belongs on alt.lite.bulb. Oh, nearly forgot the obiligatory exclaimation points!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a few spares. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Most likely you push up and twist counterclockwise.

Reply to
Metspitzer

What did you say your major is ?

Reply to
Mr. Austerity

Q: How many college pukes does it take to change a light bulb?

Reply to
Nymshifter

"Nymshifter" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news4.newsguy.com:

25 to analyze it, and one underpaid tech to execute.
Reply to
Sjouke Burry

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