The bulb blew last night. I've been trying to get it out to change the bulb but it's not budging. I got the outer case off but the end covers aren't budging so the bulb won't pull or twist out.
How do I remove the bulb from this fixture?
asked Sep 22, 2018 at 9:59
Add a comment
|
7 Answers
It had clips on the inside of the cover. Managed to get a screwdriver underneath which freed the clips and then would slide off.
answered Sep 23, 2018 at 15:07
I've seen some units where the bulb wasn't designed to be replaced. Based on your photo, that may be the case here. Units with replaceable fluorescent bulbs have a "twist-in" connector on either end that's visible after you remove the cover. You may need to buy a new unit and replace the fixture. I would buy a double bulb unit, since those are almost always replaceable.
answered Sep 22, 2018 at 14:52
Both tubes were really stuck in a fixture with minimal space to grab the bulbs, I tried a strip of Duck Tape on both ends, but still would not budge. I then sprayed the pins at each end with WD-40 and pulled slightly on the Duck Tape again. They Moved! then they easily popped right out. ShaZamm! Duck Tape and WD-40 come through again!
Of course, I was also standing on an upended Drywall Bucket.
-
Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. Thanks for the answer; keep 'em coming. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know the details of contributing here. Apr 14, 2020 at 20:11
Put on safety glasses when you try to remove it. I just broke a circular bulb trying to remove it. It was held by very stiff clips.
Not all fixtures twist some are spring loaded where you apply a light force to one end of the lamp. The spring collapses and the other end will drop out. This kind of fixture is mostly used on single pin tubes but I have seen them on standard lamps also.
My fluorescent tube just would not turn to get it out. I took 2 strips of duct tape and layed them over the bulb near both ends. Couldn't get it around the tube all the way. I then pulled on the duct tape which had a pretty good hold and the tube twisted allowing me to change the fixture.
The duct tape and vaseline works ... IF you do it right. I had a tough time twisting the old tube out over our kitchen sink and was lucky it didn't break in my fingers. The new tube would not twist in, I couldn't get a good enough grip on it and it probably was going to break with my increasing finger pressure. I then put a bit of Vaseline on the terminals on each end of the tube, and ripped two 6" x 1" strips of duct tape. You put in on the ends of the tube so most of the tape is on the metal with a bit on the glass. Here's the key part - - make sure you put it on so that when you pull down on both ends of tape, that the tube is rotating correctly. Also, don't wrap it all the way around the tube because when I did that the tube spun into place then right back out of position when the tape got to its end and pulled off. SO .... put just enough of the tape on that when the pins get to 90 degrees and pop in place, the tape is at its end and pulls off. To get an old tube off, just put the tape on in reverse and pull. ALSO - wear goggles just in case.
