On Apr 7, 10:52�pm, wrote:
Hi,
I'm trying to fix a ceiling light with a two light bulb socket and a
simple glass plate that screws on below the bulbs. Both bulbs [2x
tried new flourescent corkscrews] will flicker and fizzle when the
switch is turned on, and so I'm going to start by replacing the
sockets. I noticed that the new socket looks identical to the one on
the ceiling except that it has a ground wire. * On the old one, I only
see a black and a gray wire coming down from the hole in the ceiling.
I think it was installed in the 60's. *Some of the insulation on the
gray wire has cracked. Do I have to run the ground from the new socket
up into the ceiling and find an attachment?

thx,

itchy

If you're not going to replace the whole fixture, you'd better rewire
it. That cracked insulation is not good, and could be the source of
the problem. The ground wire should be attached to the metal box
behind the fixture- asuming _it_ is grounded. You can check-
carefully- by touching the leads of a test light from hot(probably
black) to the box- it should light. This is with the power on. Turn
it on for this test only- all other work with power off.