Lighting fixture - going out
 

Greetings all:

The lighting fixture in our bedroom has recently started to give us
some issues. It takes two bulbs, and there is a round frosted glass
dome that covers them both, attaches with a nut on a screw. We only use
one bulb in it (the spiral low-energy variety), we find it too bright
otherwise.

Problem lately is, the light goes out. First time it happened we
figured the bulb had gone poof. But no - turn the bulb to take it out
and replace it, and before we can unscrew it a half turn, the light
goes back on. Great. Screw dome back on. Light works for awhile, but
usually the same day it happens again. Repeat.

What could be causing this? Do I have a dangerous electrical situation,
simple loose wires, or a possessed light fixture?

Thanks!

KD

Lighting fixture - going out
 

"KD" wrote in message
oups.com...
Greetings all:

The lighting fixture in our bedroom has recently started to give us
some issues. It takes two bulbs, and there is a round frosted glass
dome that covers them both, attaches with a nut on a screw. We only use
one bulb in it (the spiral low-energy variety), we find it too bright
otherwise.

Problem lately is, the light goes out. First time it happened we
figured the bulb had gone poof. But no - turn the bulb to take it out
and replace it, and before we can unscrew it a half turn, the light
goes back on. Great. Screw dome back on. Light works for awhile, but
usually the same day it happens again. Repeat.

What could be causing this? Do I have a dangerous electrical situation,
simple loose wires, or a possessed light fixture?

Thanks!

KD

Sounds like a loose connection.
Check all of the connections

Lighting fixture - going out
 

if you use a twist flourescent bulb which is not to be enclosed in an
enclosed fixture it will overheat and fail.
also, with the switch off and rubber gloves and a plastic spoon handle
bent the center tab of the socket up a bit to make a better connection
to the base of the bulb.
also you may have a bad switch.
try a working conventional filament bulb awhile to help narrow down the
problem.

Lighting fixture - going out
 

Thanks, I'll try out these things tonight when I get home. The bulb has
been in that fixture for probably close to a year, so I don't think
it's the bulb overheating. Plus, we're not in that room that much - the
light gets left on for maybe an hour or two at most at night. I'm
guessing the bending of the centre tab might just work.

KD

Lighting fixture - going out
 

"KD" wrote in message oups.com...
Thanks, I'll try out these things tonight when I get home. The bulb has
been in that fixture for probably close to a year, so I don't think
it's the bulb overheating. Plus, we're not in that room that much - the
light gets left on for maybe an hour or two at most at night. I'm
guessing the bending of the centre tab might just work.

If that doesn't work, try a different bulb. The bulb could have a problem.

Bob

Lighting fixture - going out
 

"Bob" wrote in message
...

"KD" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks, I'll try out these things tonight when I get home. The bulb has
been in that fixture for probably close to a year, so I don't think
it's the bulb overheating. Plus, we're not in that room that much - the
light gets left on for maybe an hour or two at most at night. I'm
guessing the bending of the centre tab might just work.

If that doesn't work, try a different bulb. The bulb could have a problem.

Bob


This just happened to me. The same type of bulb too. (cheapo CFC discounted
to $1 each by power company)

It was because the contact on the bottom of the bulb is too pointy for many
fixtures, it is not as broad as those on better bulbs. When the bulb was
overtightened in the fixture, it pushed the center contact (in the fixture)
and bent it inside the socket. Now instead of contacting the bulb
perpendicularly at the base, the metal touched the side of the base (I'm not
talking about the threaded contact). When screwed all the way in, the metal
did not touch at all but when slightly loosened, it would make contact again
and light up.

You need to unplug the fixture and use a needle nose plier to bend the
center contact back into place or replace the socket if too damaged. Be
careful inserting that bulb again, thread only as tightly as required to
light the bulb.

Now you know why some bulbs are cheaper than others. Compare the base to a
typical incandescent and you'll see what I mean, the center contact is much
bigger and rounder.

A lamp socket which does not have a hollow area behind the center contact
would be immune to this problem but many do. My problem was on a Halo 6"
recessed cieling fixture, a perfectly good brand.