On 10/28/2011 1:47 PM, John Gilmer wrote:


I'm no electrician, but speaking from experience, I'd lay money on the
pull-chain part being corroded. If you decide to take it apart, go buy a
new one first. They are so cheap, probably not worth trying to fix. I'd
also look at buying a weather rated fixture. I'd suggest a plain fixture
and adding a switch, but pretty sure that is beyond your comfort level.

That (corrosion) would be my first guess. Use a pencil eraser to "clean"
the center contact of the light socket. Operate the switch MANY times.
With luck you can cut through the corrosion.

The next step is to pick up "voltage detector." These gadgets "beep" and
and sometimes light when the tip is brought near a hot wire. These are
completely insulated so you can poke them around without risk of shock
or shorting something else.

With the voltage detector at hand, take the cover plate off the switch
and see what's Hot and what's not hot with the switch in it's two
positions. That will give you a clue whether there is corrosion inside
the switch or the wire connection at the switch is corroded.





It's a pull chain fixture. Unless OP hasn't found it, there is no switch
to pull the cover plate off of.

--
aem sends...