On 7 Apr 2007 19:52:45 -0700, 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,

The others gave good advice, but I still want to add for the sake of
this and other repairs: There could imo be a problem with both bulbs,
especially if they are from the same lot. I would test it with an
incandescant bulb. They are simpler and won't flicker, except in very
very rare cases where the filament breaks but still makes contact with
the other support.

and so I'm going to start by replacing the
sockets.

Did both bulbs start flickering at the same time, or one first and the
other at a later time? If the same time, it's probably something they
share in common like the switch.

Which is more likely, that both sockets are bad or that the one switch
is bad?

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.

Cracked insulation on a wire is bad, but it won't make a light bulb
flicker. Is there other damage to the sockets, like browning because
too big a bulb was used and it caused overheating?

Do I have to run the ground from the new socket
up into the ceiling and find an attachment?

thx,

itchy