Bulb replacement instructions

Replacing a light bulb - the simplest job at first glance, which is not difficult to carry out any person. But according to statistics, a very large percentage of electric shock in the home occurs precisely when unscrewing or screwing in a lamp. Therefore, it is worth examining the process in detail to understand how to ensure safety and quickly replace a burned element.

The work is simple, but requires compliance with safety procedures.

Replacement Rules

To begin with, it is necessary to learn the general rules of working with electrical equipment, which are mandatory when replacing light bulbs of any type. There is nothing complicated, but nevertheless, most people neglect the simple recommendations:

1. It is desirable to buy dielectric gloves. They last for many years, you can buy them and put them in the closet to use when necessary. You can work in them even if there is no way to cut off the power supply when replacing a failed element.
2. Use cloth gloves if the bulb is unyielding. When you can't move the threads out of the way and need to use a lot of force, it's best to wear sturdy cloth or leather gloves to protect your hand if the bulb breaks.
   The tool must be dielectric.
3. Carry out the work in good visibility. Since the electricity is most often turned off, and lamps burn out mostly at night when they are on, you need to provide lighting. If you have a headlamp is the best option, but you can ask someone to light it with a phone.
4. Get a sturdy stool or other device to reach the light. Very often people are injured when changing a light bulb, not because of electrocution, but because of falling from an unreliable structure. The height should be such that you can work comfortably without having to stretch your arms out.
5. Always check for voltage with a multimeter or indicator screwdriver. After removing a light bulb, do not reach into the socket with your fingers without making sure there is no current. It takes a few seconds to check, but it will prevent any problems.

For the record! Do not work with wet hands, especially if the voltage is not turned off.

Replacement Process

If properly prepared, you can quickly and safely change any type of lamp. In this case, the set of tools and devices may differ, it all depends on the specifics of the work. General recommendations are as follows:

1. If possible, wear dielectric gloves. If they are not available, use any rubber version that is on hand, or at least a cloth one.
2. It is desirable when you buy a screwdriver, pliers or round pliers to choose the varieties with dielectric handles designed for 220 V. They are always marked, and it is also indicated on the packaging. But even with such a tool is worth working with caution.
3. It is worth wearing safety glasses. They are inexpensive, but useful for different purposes. For example, when working with your head up, it prevents glass splinters from getting into your eyes, as well as small debris and dust that often fall during disassembly of a light bulb or bulb replacement.
4. Turn off the power in the entire apartment or in the part where you need to make repairs. It is best to clarify in advance what each of the circuit breakers in the switchboard is responsible for, so as not to mix up anything and disconnect the light. Usually it has a separate node, so the other consumers of electricity will not be without voltage.
5. If the house is an old-style switchboard, it is enough to unscrew one of the plugs to de-energize the room. But even after turning off you need to be careful and be aware of the residual current that may remain in the network. Even that is enough to severely injure a person.
6. Set up a chair, table, stepladder or any other device to make it easy to work. It is important not only to choose a reliable design, but also to ensure a stable position to prevent tipping. This should be checked in advance, not by climbing up.

What you can do and what you can't do.

Important! If the lamp is located at a high altitude, you can work only on a reliable stepladder, ensuring safety. Be sure to back up a second person below and support the ladder.

Which way and how to unscrew

This seemingly simple action causes a lot of difficulties for those who carry out the work for the first time. Therefore, you need to follow a few simple recommendations in order to change the bulb correctly and minimize the risk of damaging it:

1. If the surface is hot, it is better to wait until it cools down. Take your time, as the risk of damage is much higher.
2. Wrap all your fingers around the bulb and distribute the load evenly over the surface. If you press from one or both sides only, the probability that the flask will burst increases many times. Hold it in such a way that you have to hold it from all sides.
3. If the plafond interferes with the work, it is better to remove it beforehand. Here it all depends on the design of the chandelier, you need to act according to the situation. The main thing is not to damage the fixtures and the plafond itself and not to drop it.
4. Use gloves, preferably fabric gloves with a polymer coating. First, they allow you to safely grasp the slippery glass surface. Secondly, even if the flask breaks when unscrewing, the glass fragments will not hurt your hand and you will avoid severe cuts.
5. Always unscrew counterclockwise or from right to left. All light bulbs have the same thread direction, so you need to turn them in the right direction right away so you don't screw in even more and make your job harder.
   Unscrewing counterclockwise.
6. If the base is burned from overheating or is unyielding, you must work with extreme care. First, firmly grasp the bulb and gently rock it from side to side, pushing it slightly inward. Often after such manipulation, the bulb comes off. You should tear it with a sharp and precise movement without pressing hard on the glass so that it does not break.
7. If the socket is collapsible, it is easiest to unscrew the lower part together with the bulb. In this case, the upper may also rotate, in which case it should be held by hand or any suitable device.
8. To remove the removed bulb from the socket, it is better to pre-treat the threads with a liquid wrench and leave for a while. And then try to unscrew the base. If the bulb broke, follow the instructions in the section below.

Advice! To avoid the bulbs sticking, you should put some grease on the cap before installation. Lithol or solidol will do. Then you won't have any problems even after a few years.

Subtleties of replacing damaged bulbs

If during operation or when unscrewing the bulb burstthen replacing the bulb is much more difficult. The part left in the socket must be removed. There are several ways, you need to choose the appropriate one based on the situation:

1. If the bulb completely fell out, you can try to unscrew the metal element with the help of small pliers or round pliers with long jaws. It is necessary to gently grasp the edge of the base, it can be bent a little with a screwdriver, so that it is convenient to work. Swinging, unscrew counterclockwise, the main thing - to pull it out of place, then the work will go much easier. During the work, it is worth taking care not to damage the threads in the chuck.
2. You can use a small plastic bottle. To unscrew the base from the cartridge with it, you need to heat the neck with an ordinary lighter so that the plastic becomes soft. Then insert it into the cartridge, pushing it inward so that it hardens in the base and, once cooled, sticks securely. Then unscrew counterclockwise by grasping the bottle.
   The bottle can be used to quickly remove the base remaining in the cartridge.
3. If you have a champagne cork with a thickening on top, you can use it. If necessary, the thin side should be trimmed with a knife so that it fits into the base. If there is a shtengel left inside (the stem on which the tungsten filament stands), it must be removed with a pair of pliers beforehand. Insert the cork to the stop, so that it is well fixed and unscrew the remaining part.
4. When there are small shards of glass and a stem left in the base, you can try to unscrew the bulb with a potato. To do this, you can cut the potato in half, there should be a piece left that will be comfortable to hold in your hand. Press the half into the bulb so that it is well fixed on the splinters, then gently twist the base.
   Example of unscrewing a light bulb with a potato.
5. If you can unscrew the lower part of the socket, it is better to do it, it is more convenient to work with the element removed. Again, you can treat the threads with a liquid wrench to make it easier to unscrew.

In the most difficult cases, it is necessary to replace the part of the cartridge with a new one, and if it is non-disassembled, cut the wires and attach a new one. Do not forget that the glass must be carefully cleaned, it is best to use a vacuum cleaner.

Video: Dangers of replacement, common breakdowns

Installing the new bulb

After the burned out element is unscrewed, it is necessary to properly insert the bulb to ensure its secure attachment and long operation. There are no special difficulties, it is enough to follow a few tips:

1. Check the condition of the threads and the absence of fouling on it, if the base had to be torn out of place. If there is damage or dents, it is better to replace the outer part of the cartridge, it can be bought as a complete unit.
2. Be sure to bend the contact on the inside so that it presses well against the base. You just have to pull it out a little, because over time the spring steel loses its elasticity and the contact deteriorates, which often causes the bulb to burn out.
3. First, screw the outer part of the socket all the way in, it should not dangle. Then carefully screw in the bulb clockwise. If it does not go in easily, rock it gently or unscrew it and screw it in again, but do not force it in.

After screwing in, be sure to check that the bulb works.

When you are finished, turn on the power and check that the bulb works. If everything is okay, you can put away the tools and devices.

Read also

How to replace a fluorescent light bulb

 

Disposing of the bulb

It all depends on the type of bulb here, so you need to break down the basic options to understand how to properly dispose of them:

1. Incandescent light bulbs can be thrown away with normal household waste. But they are dangerous because they can break and cause injury or damage the bag. It is best to take them out at once to avoid problems.
2. Halogen bulbs also don't need to be disposed of separately. They are an order of magnitude more durable, so they pose no danger.
3. LED options are made of plastic, there are no hazardous substances in the composition, you can dispose of with household waste.
4. Energy-saving fluorescent lamps contain mercury vapor, so they cannot be thrown away as usual. They should be Take them to a specialized recycling center. You should throw them away at a specialized recycling center or in special containers available in many cities.

Fluorescent lamps should be disposed of in special containers.

While simple, changing a light bulb requires some knowledge and basic safety precautions. It is important to turn off the power before starting work and protect your eyes and hands in case the bulb is damaged. And if the bulb bursts, use one of the methods described to remove it.