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Default Replacing light bulbs in a high soffit

I have recessed lights along the exterior soffit every 10 feet or so.
The soffit runs from 10' above ground to about 20' above ground at the
highest point then back down.

There is a light at about 13' up and another one about 18' up, about 3
feet off the wall.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...erior/bulb.jpg

The bulbs are not exposed, they are shielded by a trim with a piece of
glass in the middle, you remove the trim by pulling it down for an
inch or so, then on each side of the trim there is a spring which
"hooks" onto a slot on the inside of the can, only if you unhook the
trim cover can you access the inside of the can to change the light
bulb, so I can't use those 20' long bulb changer.

The springs in the trim require two hands to unhook.

I am not looking forward to climbing a ladder 18' tall, then lean out
3 feet to reach a trim to unhook two spring to change a light bulb.

There must be a better way to do this?

MC
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Default Replacing light bulbs in a high soffit

wrote in news:3ac9109f-add5-4ea5-92b9-e247ff111ba2
@h11g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

I have recessed lights along the exterior soffit every 10 feet or so.
The soffit runs from 10' above ground to about 20' above ground at the
highest point then back down.

There is a light at about 13' up and another one about 18' up, about 3
feet off the wall.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...erior/bulb.jpg

The bulbs are not exposed, they are shielded by a trim with a piece of
glass in the middle, you remove the trim by pulling it down for an
inch or so, then on each side of the trim there is a spring which
"hooks" onto a slot on the inside of the can, only if you unhook the
trim cover can you access the inside of the can to change the light
bulb, so I can't use those 20' long bulb changer.

The springs in the trim require two hands to unhook.

I am not looking forward to climbing a ladder 18' tall, then lean out
3 feet to reach a trim to unhook two spring to change a light bulb.

There must be a better way to do this?

MC


Extension ladder against that wall looks good to me. Just find a good
comfortable placement. Sometimes moving it just a few inches makes a
world of difference.

Many other options $$ impractical. The least of the impractical is hire
someone to change a lightbulb. But if you're just plain not comfortable
doing it, it isn't so impractical. Bet you don't have 9 pins in your
ankle like I do.

That's kinda a fib. I had the screws taken out. The heads were just below
the skin and hurt like hell with high top tie workboots on. Now it only
hurts half the time...every other step.
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Default Replacing light bulbs in a high soffit

It depend how good you are at levitation. You can get ladder standoffs
which will both better support the ladder and get you closer to the fixtures


wrote in message
...
I have recessed lights along the exterior soffit every 10 feet or so.
The soffit runs from 10' above ground to about 20' above ground at the
highest point then back down.

There is a light at about 13' up and another one about 18' up, about 3
feet off the wall.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...erior/bulb.jpg

The bulbs are not exposed, they are shielded by a trim with a piece of
glass in the middle, you remove the trim by pulling it down for an
inch or so, then on each side of the trim there is a spring which
"hooks" onto a slot on the inside of the can, only if you unhook the
trim cover can you access the inside of the can to change the light
bulb, so I can't use those 20' long bulb changer.

The springs in the trim require two hands to unhook.

I am not looking forward to climbing a ladder 18' tall, then lean out
3 feet to reach a trim to unhook two spring to change a light bulb.

There must be a better way to do this?

MC



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Default Replacing light bulbs in a high soffit


wrote in message
...
I have recessed lights along the exterior soffit every 10 feet or so.
The soffit runs from 10' above ground to about 20' above ground at the
highest point then back down.

There is a light at about 13' up and another one about 18' up, about 3
feet off the wall.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...erior/bulb.jpg

The bulbs are not exposed, they are shielded by a trim with a piece of
glass in the middle, you remove the trim by pulling it down for an
inch or so, then on each side of the trim there is a spring which
"hooks" onto a slot on the inside of the can, only if you unhook the
trim cover can you access the inside of the can to change the light
bulb, so I can't use those 20' long bulb changer.

The springs in the trim require two hands to unhook.

I am not looking forward to climbing a ladder 18' tall, then lean out
3 feet to reach a trim to unhook two spring to change a light bulb.

There must be a better way to do this?



Depending on the brand and model housing, you may be able to change the
trims so that the bulb is exposed and thus be able to use an extension pole.

Several years ago I was walking by a house near me and saw a guy using a
small boom type man lift to clean the second story gutters. The base of the
lift was the size of a riding lawnmower plus the outriggers. It was
incredibly compact and I thought that it was perfect for a homeowner. I am
still kicking myself today for not stopping and finding who made that
machine. I have not been able to find it anywhere.



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Default Replacing light bulbs in a high soffit

On Feb 12, 4:53�pm, "RBM" wrote:
It depend how good you are at levitation. �You can get ladder standoffs
which will both better support the ladder and get you closer to the fixtures

wrote in message

...



I have recessed lights along the exterior soffit every 10 feet or so.
The soffit runs from 10' above ground to about 20' above ground at the
highest point then back down.


There is a light at about 13' up and another one about 18' up, about 3
feet off the wall.


http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...erior/bulb.jpg


The bulbs are not exposed, they are shielded by a trim with a piece of
glass in the middle, you remove the trim by pulling it down for an
inch or so, then on each side of the trim there is a spring which
"hooks" onto a slot on the inside of the can, only if you unhook the
trim cover can you access the inside of the can to change the light
bulb, so I can't use those 20' long bulb changer.


The springs in the trim require two hands to unhook.


I am not looking forward to climbing a ladder 18' tall, then lean out
3 feet to reach a trim to unhook two spring to change a light bulb.


There must be a better way to do this?


MC- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -


convert to a very long life bulbs or fixtures.

so how many watts are these lamps?

or add some other wall wash lamps that are ground based and easy to
service.

save the hard to service lamps for special occasions or home resale
time.
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Default Replacing light bulbs in a high soffit

On Feb 12, 6:31�pm, sylvan butler
wrote:
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:23:20 -0800 (PST), wrote:
There is a light at about 13' up and another one about 18' up, about 3
feet off the wall.


Nasty.

I am not looking forward to climbing a ladder 18' tall, then lean out
3 feet to reach a trim to unhook two spring to change a light bulb.


There must be a better way to do this?


Cherry picker (bucket lift truck) or similar hoist.

scaffolding.

rappel down from above.

hire it out.

Whichever way you change those bulbs, I'd suggest putting in compact
fluorescent or extended life incandescent (usually very inefficient and
yellow light, since they are typically designed for a higher voltage and
get their long life by operating under-volted). �You might even want to
"burn in" your replacement CF bulbs for a few days, including several
on/off and rest cycles. �This will reducce odds of infant mortality
necessitating a quick second replacment.

sdb
--
What's seen on your screen? �http://PcScreenWatch.com
sdbuse1 � on mailhost �bigfoot.com


CFs arent good if exposed to sub zero temperatures.

if indascent bulbs you can make them last many times longer by
dropping the voltage slightly by say putting on a dimmer and running
at 90% of rated watts.......

but ground based lamps, perhaps low voltage work fine easy to install
too
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Default Replacing light bulbs in a high soffit

On Feb 12, 8:27Â*pm, " wrote:
On Feb 12, 6:31�pm, sylvan butler





wrote:
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:23:20 -0800 (PST), wrote:
There is a light at about 13' up and another one about 18' up, about 3
feet off the wall.


Nasty.


I am not looking forward to climbing a ladder 18' tall, then lean out
3 feet to reach a trim to unhook two spring to change a light bulb.


There must be a better way to do this?


Cherry picker (bucket lift truck) or similar hoist.


scaffolding.


rappel down from above.


hire it out.


Whichever way you change those bulbs, I'd suggest putting in compact
fluorescent or extended life incandescent (usually very inefficient and
yellow light, since they are typically designed for a higher voltage and
get their long life by operating under-volted). �You might even want to
"burn in" your replacement CF bulbs for a few days, including several
on/off and rest cycles. �This will reducce odds of infant mortality
necessitating a quick second replacment.


sdb
--
What's seen on your screen? �http://PcScreenWatch.com
sdbuse1 � on mailhost �bigfoot.com


CFs arent good if exposed to sub zero temperatures.

if indascent bulbs you can make them last many times longer by
dropping the voltage slightly by say putting on a dimmer and running
at 90% of rated watts.......

but ground based lamps, perhaps low voltage work fine easy to install
too- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


might check LED lamps, suggest stop at lighting speciality store not
big box
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