Always take precautions when removing a light bulb from its socket. Having the necessary tools available, you can always remove even a stuck light bulb and you do not have to call an electrician for this. If you always find it difficult to pull out light bulbs, then our tips will help you solve this problem.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Remove the light bulb
Step 1. Put on gloves and safety goggles
Always wear thick gloves to avoid cutting yourself from broken glass. Better yet, wear them over rubber or protective gloves. This will protect yourself from electric shock, in case the electricity turns on while you are working. The goggles should protect your eyes from small glass fragments. This is especially important if the light bulb is mounted somewhere near the ceiling.
- If the light bulb is mounted to the ceiling, you can wear some kind of headgear to protect your hair and scalp from splinters.
- Be careful. Even if you turn off the electricity that is supplied to your light bulb, there may still be current in it, due to the wrong wiring. Therefore, wear insulating gloves for insurance.
Step 2. Remove the debris from the floor
They can be removed with a broom, rag or vacuum cleaner. Use a scoop to scoop up the pieces and dispose of them in the trash. Smaller debris can be collected using high density paper or cardboard. And if the shards are so small that they resemble dust, you can use duct tape to collect them.
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A warning.
Broken or broken compact fluorescent lamps, also known as energy saving lamps (they come in a twisted shape), give off mercury vapor. Open windows and doors leading to the street, turn off heating and air conditioning. Use a vacuum cleaner only as a last resort.
Step 3. Place an object so that the remaining glass fragments fall on it, and not on the floor
If debris can still fall from the lamp, or if it is fixed to the ceiling, hold this object under it and much less glass will fall to the floor, which will greatly facilitate cleaning.
Step 4. Unplug the luminaire if it is plugged into an outlet
If the light bulb is broken, all you have to do to disconnect the power is to unplug the power cord.
Step 5. If the light bulb is fixed directly to the wall or ceiling, then turn off the power in this part of your house
Find an electrical panel with fuses or circuit breakers and turn off the power in the area of the house where your light bulb is located. If you have a fuse on the panel, unscrew it, and if the switch, then change its position to “off”.
- If the panel does not indicate which part of the house each of the fuses or switches is responsible for, then it is better to turn off everything. Even if you have several electrical panels at home, you should not think that the one that is closer to the room with the light bulb is responsible for it.
- If there is no natural light in the room with the light bulb, find a flashlight in advance.
Step 6. Try unscrewing the base counterclockwise
When doing this, always wear thick gloves to protect you from cuts. And rubber gloves will protect you from electric shocks, which are unlikely, but can still happen even when the power is off due to improper wiring.
- Be careful not to drop the light bulb when you unscrew it, otherwise you will also have to clean up.
- If the bulb does not turn, turn it slightly in the opposite direction (counterclockwise), and then continue turning in the correct direction. If you keep turning the light bulb by force when it is stuck, you can break the socket.
Step 7. Use pointed pliers for extra strength and precision
With them, you can safely grip the plinth. With pliers, you can apply more force when unscrewing the light bulb than if you simply unscrewed it with your fingers. Always unscrew counterclockwise.
- Do not worry if the base begins to deform (tear). On the contrary, it will be easier for you to unscrew it, and in any case, the light bulb will no longer be useful to you.
- If you do not have pointed pliers, borrow them from someone else or buy them from the store. You don't need to invent anything. Read the Warnings section of this article.
Step 8. Try placing the ends of the pliers on the inside of the plinth if you cannot grip the plinth from the outside
Spread the ends of the pliers so that they rest against the inner walls of the plinth and twist counterclockwise.
Step 9. If the above methods did not work, take a screwdriver
Insert the end of a small flat-end screwdriver between the base and the chuck. And with a smooth, gentle effort, bend the edge of the base inward, enough so that you can grab it well with pliers. Try to twist it now.
Step 10. Get rid of the glass without breaking local laws
Your area may have laws and regulations on how and where to throw away unnecessary bulbs. You can ask the representatives of the waste collection services for this. Incandescent bulbs can usually be disposed of in the trash. But in some parts of the world, compact fluorescent bulbs are twisted in shape and need to be transported to local recycling centers due to the fact that they contain small amounts of mercury.
If you vacuum cleaned the glass, throw out the dust bag immediately after cleaning
Step 11. Insert the new bulb while the power is off
For now, you don’t need to take off your gloves, glasses and you don’t need to turn on the power. Twist the lamp clockwise until you feel a slight resistance. Don't twist too hard.
Before screwing on a new light bulb, you can read the second part of the article on preventing light bulbs from getting stuck
Method 2 of 2: Prevent stuck and burned out bulbs
Step 1. If your previous lamp got stuck, then it could press the brass contact to the bottom of the socket, which will worsen the contact later
This contact should be bent 20 degrees from the bottom. If this is not the case, use pointed pliers to correct the contact to the appropriate position.
Step 2. Screw in the bulbs carefully
When you screw in the light bulb, pay attention to the thread in the socket and screw it strictly along this thread, clockwise. Stop twisting as soon as you feel slight resistance. If after switching on the light blinks a little, turn off the power supply and rotate the light bulb another 45 degrees clockwise.
- A warning: Whenever you change a light bulb, it must be disconnected from the current or the power supply must be turned off.
Step 3. Wipe the inside of the bulb socket with a dry cloth
Do this only when you are absolutely sure that the electricity is off. Pull the bulb out of the socket before cleaning it. Wear gloves made of non-conductive material on your hands. Wipe the chuck threads with a clean, dry material. You can also wipe down the thread of the bulb itself before screwing it in.
- By wiping down the cartridge, you will remove rust and other corrosion that may have formed on it. This will reduce the chances of light bulb burnout and jamming.
- If the corrosion persists, try using an abrasive pad or bronze brush.
Step 4. Use a contact cleaning spray to remove more severe corrosion
If there is too much corrosion to remove with a rag, you can use a special cleaner. In this case, use only contact cleaning spray (eg WD-40).
Failure to use a special lubricant can cause the bulbs to burn out faster, interrupt the transmission of electrical current, or cause the bulbs to get stuck
Step 5. If the bulbs burn out frequently, then use bulbs rated for a higher voltage
If your light bulbs have been working for several weeks or a couple of months, then the voltage in your network is probably too high. Overheating or too much vibration can also cause the bulb to wear out quickly. Long lasting lamps rated for higher voltages than your home will last longer.
- For example, in America, the mains voltage in many homes is 120 volts. In this case, you can use light bulbs rated for 130 volts.
- In the EU, other European countries and the CIS, voltages range from 220 to 240 volts.
- Different countries have adopted different standards. If you do not know what voltages are used in electrical networks in your country, you can see the list of countries and pictures with the types of outlets.
Warnings
- Don't listen to advice that recommends using a potato or other object to remove a broken light bulb. This will most likely lead to juice or some foreign objects getting into the socket, which can also degrade the quality of the wires. This, on the other hand, will increase the likelihood of a light bulb breaking.
- If you still want to use an alternative method, do not forget about thick and insulating gloves. Dry the item completely before using it and dry the cartridge.