I'm trying to replace the light bulb in this fixture in my washroom. I was able to unscrew the bulb by slowly moving the bulb anticlockwise squeezing my hand through the glass however I'm unable to screw a new one in the same way. Any ideas on what I should try? Should I try to remove the glass fixture and if so how. I tried to move the glass fixture but it wasn't budging.
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2If you got the old one out, then the new one will go in, unless you got the wrong size.– Solar MikeMay 19, 2022 at 5:54
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1It would be helpful if you would use the site's own image hosting.– FreeManMay 19, 2022 at 11:13
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You might also want to include a photo of the actual light bulb in place. All we see right now is the closed exterior of the fixture.– MiGMay 19, 2022 at 11:37
1 Answer
It's likely that there's a set screw on the back side of the metal that holds the glass globes in place. Stick your phone up there in selfie mode so you can see the screen while it sees the back side (or you could use an actual mirror...). You'll probably see a little screw to hold each piece of glass. It's possible that the screw is on top instead of around back - that would actually make your life much easier.
Undo the screw with one hand while holding the glass with the other, gently wiggling and pulling the glass until it comes out. Set the glass down, replace the light bulb, then gently replace the globe and tighten the set screw back down. Note that "tighten" means until it's just touching the glass and that the glass won't fall out on its own.
Here's a bit of ASCII art attempting to depict what the metal frame, glass, and set screw will look like:
METAL FRAME GLASS GLOBE
--------------*--+ +-----------------------
* |
|* |
+--------+
The metal is on the left. The asterisk *
represents the screw going through a hole in the frame, then catching a lip on the glass, which comes in from the right.
There should be some play between the glass and metal so you'll only need to back the screw out part of the way, not completely remove it. Once it's loose enough, you'll be able to angle the glass to get the lip around the screw. Repeat that process on reassembly, and don't tighten the screw enough to break the glass. It's likely that the glass will still be a bit wobbly if you push on it and this is perfectly fine - once you've got the screw just tight enough that it's caught the lip of the glass, gently lower the glass until it's hanging on its own, then leave it alone. The screw will prevent it from falling out and nobody, but nobody, will know it's loose until the next person goes to change the bulb again.
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1Thank you so much for the detailed response. I will give this a try today and get back!– RahulMay 19, 2022 at 13:02
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Unfortunately it doesn't seem like there are any screws holding the glass in place above it or even behind or under it. I did end up unscrewing the entire thing just from the wall and managed to wiggle my hands in easier to add a new bulb after trying a lot but wasn't able to remove the glass fixture still. I added an extra picture of the top– RahulMay 20, 2022 at 3:19
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1That is odd, Rahul. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, as this is the usual method for holding these in place. It could be that there is a spring clip of some sort instead of the screw and you'd have to use something very thin and flat to gently pry the clip up so the glass could come out. I've never seen one like that, but the thought occurred to me this morning. I'm glad you were at least able to get the bulb changed.– FreeManMay 20, 2022 at 11:02
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No problem at all, thanks for the thoughts so far. I might get someone to come look at it if I end up needing someone handy for some other house work and will report back here if I find anything new!– RahulMay 20, 2022 at 15:55