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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,186 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,186 Likes: 1 |
I had a light bulb break off in the socket on a ceiling light. The glass and filaments are gone but the metal head is still in the socket. I tried turning it out which with finger pressure which has worked in the past but not this time.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get the metal head out? I would rather not replace the fixture as it is perfectly functional and cost more than I wished. Oh, needless to say my wife really likes it, hence the exorbitant price I paid for it. Thanks for any advice.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 490
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 490 |
Make sure the power is off,
Just use a pair of needle nose pliers, grip the edge of the broken bulb and turn CCW or put the needle nose end
into the broken bulb base and open with pressure and turn CCW.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68 |
Needle nose pliers and bend it up on the edges
Or
A potato
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,147
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,147 |
My mother always used an apple or potato jammed into the socket. Works for her. Go figure...
James Pepper: There's no law west of Dodge and no God west of the Pecos. Right, Mr. Chisum? John Chisum: Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,347 Likes: 34
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,347 Likes: 34 |
I had a light bulb break off in the socket on a ceiling light. The glass and filaments are gone but the metal head is still in the socket. I tried turning it out which with finger pressure which has worked in the past but not this time.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get the metal head out? I would rather not replace the fixture as it is perfectly functional and cost more than I wished. Oh, needless to say my wife really likes it, hence the exorbitant price I paid for it. Thanks for any advice. Needle nose pliers on the lip of the bulb base.
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,728
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,728 |
WD40 & the needle nose pliers mentioned.
Life Members SCI & NRA. NRA Instructor & RSO. What have YOU done to support hunting & gun rights?
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45,040 Likes: 29
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45,040 Likes: 29 |
I had a light bulb break off in the socket on a ceiling light. The glass and filaments are gone but the metal head is still in the socket. I tried turning it out which with finger pressure which has worked in the past but not this time.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get the metal head out? I would rather not replace the fixture as it is perfectly functional and cost more than I wished. Oh, needless to say my wife really likes it, hence the exorbitant price I paid for it. Thanks for any advice. Come on man...... P.s. Turn off the switch.
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 8,109
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 8,109 |
Neeslenose pliers work fine. And as you twist, the edge may start curling inwards. If so, it will come out even easier, as the diameter decreases. If the glass center post is still there, it will twist out with your fingers.
An unemployed Jester, is nobody's Fool.
the only real difference between a good tracker and a bad tracker, is observation. all the same data is present for both. The rest, is understanding what you're seeing.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Jun 2017
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2017
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45,040 Likes: 29
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45,040 Likes: 29 |
And don't look up at directly, get chyt in your eyes when ya do it....
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68 |
I had a light bulb break off in the socket on a ceiling light. The glass and filaments are gone but the metal head is still in the socket. I tried turning it out which with finger pressure which has worked in the past but not this time.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get the metal head out? I would rather not replace the fixture as it is perfectly functional and cost more than I wished. Oh, needless to say my wife really likes it, hence the exorbitant price I paid for it. Thanks for any advice. Come on man...... P.s. Turn off the switch. Does this remind you of someone? Lol "Hey uhhh man uhhh my air condishener wont blow cold...i put new AA batts in muh termastat and it still dont cool muh house"  
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 32,130 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 32,130 Likes: 1 |
Remember, righty loosie, lefty tighty.
If that don’t work, call a plumber.
If you put Taco Bell sauce in your ramen noodles it tastes just like poverty
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,186 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,186 Likes: 1 |
Hard crowd but thanks all, I modified the potato suggestion and used a carrot. I would have tried a needle nose but the socket is too small and deep to reach the head with the pliers I have. My little finger would fit in the socket but I could not get the head to turn. I should have mentioned it was one of those boutique fixtures that use 63 bulbs costing $5 each that can only be purchased from a far off land when the workers aren't on strike or vacation. or so it seems as I can only get the bulbs on line. Again, thanks for the suggestions. 
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,671 Likes: 2
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,671 Likes: 2 |
I had a light bulb break off in the socket on a ceiling light. The glass and filaments are gone but the metal head is still in the socket. I tried turning it out which with finger pressure which has worked in the past but not this time.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get the metal head out? I would rather not replace the fixture as it is perfectly functional and cost more than I wished. Oh, needless to say my wife really likes it, hence the exorbitant price I paid for it. Thanks for any advice. Needle nose pliers on the lip of the bulb base. Great way to break a socket and create real problems. Needle nose work if you wrap each side with some two-sided carpet tape.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,671 Likes: 2
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,671 Likes: 2 |
Oh yeah, just jam the jaws in pull them apart while turning.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16,554
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16,554 |
For the really tough ones I'll grab the edge with the needle nose and twist breaking off a little piece of the bulb base. Repeat. Usually about half way around it loosens up and the base can be twisted out. Yes, you can break the socket, particularly ceramic, but you have to be pretty ham-handed.
Always wanted to try the potato trick, sounds better, but never seemed to have one handy.
The key elements in human thinking are not numbers but labels of fuzzy sets. -- L. Zadeh
Which explains a lot.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45,040 Likes: 29
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45,040 Likes: 29 |
Nothing a carrot couldn't fix like the guy said.....
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16,554
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16,554 |
The key elements in human thinking are not numbers but labels of fuzzy sets. -- L. Zadeh
Which explains a lot.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,671 Likes: 2
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,671 Likes: 2 |
For the really tough ones I'll grab the edge with the needle nose and twist breaking off a little piece of the bulb base. Repeat. Usually about half way around it loosens up and the base can be twisted out. Yes, you can break the socket, particularly ceramic, but you have to be pretty ham-handed.
Always wanted to try the potato trick, sounds better, but never seemed to have one handy. As a residential electrician for a number of years I replaced quite a few lights after folks tore them up with needle nose pliers and worse...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,938 Likes: 11
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,938 Likes: 11 |
Oh yeah, just jam the jaws in pull them apart while turning. Beat me to it.
Not a real member - just an ordinary guy who appreciates being able to hang around and say something once in awhile.
Happily Trapped In the Past (Thanks, Joe)
Not only a less than minimally educated person, but stupid and out of touch as well.
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