two prong light bulbs working loose

mark55man

Hi

I have a light fitting (well 3 to be precise) in a row in my open plan kitchen diner.

Each light has 6 spiral arms (like the galaxy but not quite so bright) with a small 2 pronged bulb. They worked fine but now after 5 years despite not much attention they are all coming loose in that the holes the prongs plug into seem to have become less tight and I need to keep jiggling them around to get the lights back on.

As they are quite high this is a step ladder job and I am even more wobbly than the light bulbs so this is no fun

Has anyone got any suggestions for what I could do to tighten the connection - I was thinking a fine tin foil or solder - but I don't want to start a fire or waste my time.

Alternatively my OH was suggesting some nice new fittings would be good.Really need to sort or change this before it gets much dimmer as currently only 4 from 18 are working

Thanks in advance for your help

John_Gray

I rather like the idea of sticking aluminium foil or solder into a light fitting! :eek:
However, I do not think your wife (or the coroner) would be too impressed with the likely consequences. *

I would consult a local, friendly and competent electrician.

* your tag-line refers...

DCFC79

I'd be tempted to replace it with a different light fitting for 1 that's easy to replace the bulbs.

mark55man

John_Gray wrote: »

I rather like the idea of sticking aluminium foil or solder into a light fitting! :eek:
However, I do not think your wife (or the coroner) would be too impressed with the likely consequences. *

I would consult a local, friendly and competent electrician.

* your tag-line refers...

well when you put it that way ....


however I am already sticking two prongs of metal in (and they are off when I do so) + 12V not 240 even if they were on - so not quite sure that its completely dumb idea

mark55man

DCFC79 wrote: »

I'd be tempted to replace it with a different light fitting for 1 that's easy to replace the bulbs.

I think I agree - safest,just a little bit more ladder time to change the unit!!

18cc

What is happening is that the springs that hold the prongs in are becoming weaker I suppose you know this already!

life is too short to be messing around trying to jam stuff in I would replace the light fitting

if you really like the light fitting then it may be possible just to replace the sockets into which the bulbs plug they will probably be quite cheap to buy but may be fiddly to replace I don't know you will have to have a look

you can certainly buy the spares but as I say if I were you for a lot of reasons I would just ditch the light and buy a new one!

NaughtiusMaximus

Also do bear in mind the bulbs you've posted an image of are halogens which won't be around much longer (as of 1st September retailers are not allowed to order new halogen bulbs for re-sale, they can sell off old stock but once they're gone that's it). You can buy LED versions but they are chunkier and depending on the fitting may buzz or flicker, with this in mind I would replace the entire fitting.

mark55man

Thank you all - pretty conclusive advice! We'll start looking for replacements ASAP

Head_The_Ball

Would bending the prongs slightly so they grip better make a difference?

mark55man

Head_The_Ball wrote: »

Would bending the prongs slightly so they grip better make a difference?

HTB you are a genius - I think you literally have had a light bulb moment there