Is it safe to change a pendant light bulb holder DIY?

Wolff

One of the grooves in the lightbulb holder in my bedroom snapped off such that it can no longer hold the lightbulb in.

Was going to get an electrician to swap it out at the same time as installing new plug sockets which I decided after getting a quote wasn't worth it, but then restrictions on non-essential work was imposed anyway.

I'm thinking about doing it DIY as it's not the first time this has happened in my house and probably not the last. I've watched a YouTube video and it looks really simple I'd basically just be unscrewing and removing the two wires from the existing holder and putting them in the new one. The video doesn't show anything about switching the electricity off or using a voltage tester though which concerns me. I would never attempt to do any serious electrical work like installing a mains socket, but swapping out the bulb holder looks simple.

Has anyone done this before? Is it a safe to do DIY?

FreeBear

Wolff said: Has anyone done this before? Is it a safe to do DIY?

Yes, but you must turn the power off at the fuse board (consumer unit). Just pulling the fuse or flicking the breaker off only kills the power to the "live" wire. You can still get a shock from the neutral wire under certain circumstances.

parcival

Very easy DIY job - 5 or 10 mins. Be safe and turn the lighting circuit off at the consumer unit.

GDB2222

And don't forget to loop the wires round any restraints designed to take the weight. You don't want the whole weight taken by the terminals.  And, yes, turn off the main switch.

Ebe_Scrooge

Yup, absolutely a DIY job.

As all the above have stated, you MUST turn the power off at the consumer unit before you start to do anything.  Be absolutely sure you've turned off the correct circuit - turn the light on, go and switch off the circuit breaker that you think it should be, check that the light has gone off.

A straight like-for-like replacement is a simple job, and is permitted (legally) to be DIY'd.

Jeepers_Creepers

Wolff, could you post a photo of the holder you wish to replace? Just in case there's summat odd about it... We can then also guide you more fully if needed.

nofoollikeold

As FreeBear says above, just turning off the lighting circuit at the consumer unit is NOT enough.  There can still be fault situations where the "neutral" has live voltage on it.  For safety turn off the main switch which will cut all electric power within the property.  

Wolff

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Wolff, could you post a photo of the holder you wish to replace? Just in case there's summat odd about it... We can then also guide you more fully if needed.

Thanks. Here are photos of the existing holder and the one I'm replacing it with. I was looking at getting a voltage tester. The cheap non contact ones from Screwfix are all AC only. (Not DC) Is that sufficient? Can't really find anything that explains this in regards to the bulb socket.

Hasbeen

Ensure power is off. Take out Blue and Brown wires from old. Slide top of new holder up cable.

Reconnect Blue and Brown wires.

Ensure wires are around small lugs/restraints. Screw both parts together. Unscrew bottom part. Offer lampshade up. Screw all back together.

Simple job! Total just over a pound. Voltage Tester? 230v?  LOL 

British General Cordgrip Lamp Holder BC | Light Fittings | Screwfix.com

FreeBear

Hasbeen said: Slide top of new holder up cable.

Looking at the pictures supplied, there is a little bit of plastic with "teeth" sitting inside the top of the holder. Make sure this goes over the cable (after feeding the top cap on) and grips the outer layer of insulation when screwing the top cap on.

Hasbeen

Personally I would not have bought the teethed one. Would have went for what I posted, round hole for cable easier to slide up/down and screw back in. My opinion only. LOL