any clever ideas for inserting new overhead bulb in kitchen

[kaneohe]

bulb is in reflector in kitchen ceiling. bulb was not working so easy enough to remove......did not rotate so just pulled straight down and it was out.

then to the lamp store to try match the bulb.......the connecting pins are 2 on each side for a total of 4. in principle there are some mechanical guides to help
you align..........and of course I can't be sure that the new bulb is exactly matches the new. and you can't see the pins because the bulb blocks your
view when you are trying to insert the bupb


long story short...........have not been able to insert the new bulb............the good news, I guess, is that I haven't been able to insert the old bulb either.

btw the bulb side is 3 fluorescent bulbs that show up as a triangle

any clever ideas??

 

[SnowballCamper]

This is a reason to be a renter, although I am not. Good Luck!

 

[Jerry1]

It's a touch/feel operation. If you've confirmed that the connectors on the new bulb match the old bulb, then you just have to stick it in the socket and move it around gently until you get the pins to align. If you get a flashlight, you should be able to see the socket and get the new bulb closely aligned before you start, but it's just something you have to take your time with and go easy.

 

[zinger1457]

Sounds like a similar fixture that I use to have. Is the issue that the bulb won't slide all the way in the receptacle or it slides in but won't stay in? From what I recall there are two small metal spring clamps in the receptacle that hold the bulb in place. It's possible the clamp(s) broke or got bent when pulling the old bulb out, if it broke you might have to replace the receptacle.

 

[latexman]

Pictures please.

 

[calmloki]

Fluorescent tube. The two pins go straight up, then bulb is rotated 90 degrees. Both ends go in at the same time. A help might be to put a couple felt marker spots in line with the pins, then another mark at the 90 degree point. Just a suggestion, I haven't had to do that. Old landlord.

This part is scary "...to remove......did not rotate so just pulled straight down and it was out." Did you move the lamp hangers away from each other? This what you have? https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Levit...HRZiVOaa9woX3ItUu1hoCmLwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[mountainsoft]

btw the bulb side is 3 fluorescent bulbs that show up as a triangle. any clever ideas??

Personally, I would replace the fixture with a new LED fixture instead of trying to locate and install an old technology fluorescent bulb.

 

[JoeWras]

For future reference... Sometimes the bulbs have faint printing on them. You can cross-reference these with a google search to assure you get the correct one. (Some bulbs have multiple designations.)

It gets tricky, too. Some bulb types have the same base, but a different shape. For example, a PAR16 and PAR30 have the same base, but very different shapes, such that it won't fit in the fixture.

Try an image search on "bulb types" and you'll see some really good charts presented by various on-line bulb companies.

 

[donheff]

Personally, I would replace the fixture with a new LED fixture instead of trying to locate and install an old technology fluorescent bulb.

+1 I have one fluorescent left. I have changed everything else in the house to LED. I'm hoping they outlast me.

 

[target2019]

Looked at triangle fluorescent bulbs. Until I saw pictures it made no sense. Probably something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/10-PLT-42W-4...ent+tube+triangle&qid=1608300247&s=hi&sr=1-21

It looks like you could guess wrong as to which way to turn it before pushing. Need to shine a flashlight up there to see the pin receptacles orientation.

 

[pb4uski]

Is the bulb number on the new and old bulbs the same?

I replaced a flourescent a while ago... as I recall, it inserts with the pins vertical, and then twists 90 degrees until seated. I did have to wiggle it slightly to get it to fit in.

I also am concerned with the notion of whether you might have damaged the receptacles that the light goes into when you pulled it out.

See video below... bulb installation starts at 1:35.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rep...me&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_ArjcX--6IILJ5gKPxZfQAQ13

 

[zinger1457]

Looked at triangle fluorescent bulbs. Until I saw pictures it made no sense. Probably something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/10-PLT-42W-4...ent+tube+triangle&qid=1608300247&s=hi&sr=1-21

It looks like you could guess wrong as to which way to turn it before pushing. Need to shine a flashlight up there to see the pin receptacles orientation.

That's the type of bulb base I was referring to, there is no twisting when installing, just push in and two metal spring clamps in the receptacle hold it in place.

 

[latexman]

How to change a fluorescent light bulb

 

[FDC319]

LED is definitely the way to go. So many great option there.



Another benefit of LED is when purchasing a portable generator for the house, you really don't need to factor in lighting to your requirement.

 

[mountainsoft]

+1 I have one fluorescent left. I have changed everything else in the house to LED. I'm hoping they outlast me.

The only fluorescents I have left are the tube lights in my garage. I don't turn them on all that often, so I haven't bothered trying to switch them over to LED. Maybe it can be a retirement project some day.

We do have a couple of incandescents in our bedroom and bathroom that are on dimmers. Again, we don't use them enough to justify switching to LED compatible dimmers. Someday maybe.

Otherwise I've installed LED fixtures throughout the house. They are dedicated fixtures, not LED bulbs in a fixture made for incandescent bulbs. The downside, of course, is if they fail I have to replace the entire fixture. No problems so far.

As for LED bulbs, I've had several fail over the years. The first Cree bulbs simply fell apart, the plastic bulb came unglued from the base. Others started flickering or otherwise failed. Still, they produce equal or better light, use less energy, and don't put off any heat.

 

[Scrapr]

+1 I have one fluorescent left. I have changed everything else in the house to LED. I'm hoping they outlast me.

Same. I moved into a new (to me) home recently. The entire kitchen is incandescent/CFL/LED base....except one fixture over the sink. No idea why that one is different. Likely a Green energy program deal from long ago (2007) I have an electrician coming out for some other stuff & he/she will change the entire fixture

 

[kaneohe]

Looked at triangle fluorescent bulbs. Until I saw pictures it made no sense. Probably something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/10-PLT-42W-4...ent+tube+triangle&qid=1608300247&s=hi&sr=1-21

It looks like you could guess wrong as to which way to turn it before pushing. Need to shine a flashlight up there to see the pin receptacles orientation.

thanks to all for the helpful comments.

target2019..............yes the base on this looks like what I have .....2 contacts
on each side for a total of 4 that need insertion. easier said than done about the flashlight......can view but as soon as you try to insert your view is obscured. too bad they can't design it so it self aligns.

 

[Time2]

thanks to all for the helpful comments.

target2019..............yes the base on this looks like what I have .....2 contacts
on each side for a total of 4 that need insertion. easier said than done about the flashlight......can view but as soon as you try to insert your view is obscured. too bad they can't design it so it self aligns.

Looking at the Amazon pictures, it seems you only have 4 choices, it's square! I suspect out of those 4, two of them will work, I think it's symmetrical on two sides. You should be able to feel when the square fits in the hole, if you can't just push i in, then rotate 90* and push again.
All bets off if you're on a 10ft ladder and the bulb is at 15 ft.

 

[target2019]

thanks to all for the helpful comments.

target2019..............yes the base on this looks like what I have .....2 contacts
on each side for a total of 4 that need insertion. easier said than done about the flashlight......can view but as soon as you try to insert your view is obscured. too bad they can't design it so it self aligns.

You'll get it. I think once you know which way to rotate it that center piece hits first, so you'll know it's in.

Are you near the high school? Maybe the basketball center guy can swing buy for a reach!

 

[zinger1457]

thanks to all for the helpful comments.

target2019..............yes the base on this looks like what I have .....2 contacts
on each side for a total of 4 that need insertion. easier said than done about the flashlight......can view but as soon as you try to insert your view is obscured. too bad they can't design it so it self aligns.

This is what the receptacle looks like, the protrusions on the side of the bulb base slide into where the metal clips are on the receptacle, should go in/out easily unless the receptacle is damaged.

 

[ncbill]

Personally, I would replace the fixture with a new LED fixture instead of trying to locate and install an old technology fluorescent bulb.

I replaced my 4' fluorescent tubes (twin-tube fixture) with LED tubes...the fixtures with built-in non-replaceable LEDs didn't have the best reviews for longevity.

And the tubes cost only around $8 each (4-pack) off Amazon.

I bypassed the ballast since the LED tubes I used run on line voltage...for those in the U.S. using 120VAC that's black (hot) to one end, white (neutral) to the other for "double-ended" LED tubes.

Power consumption dropped from ~90W (including the ballast) to ~40W with slightly more light output than the old fluorescents.

 

[kaneohe]

This is what the receptacle looks like, the protrusions on the side of the bulb base slide into where the metal clips are on the receptacle, should go in/out easily unless the receptacle is damaged.

thanks for the pic zinger............the metal clips sure look larger than reality!

 

[kaneohe]

You'll get it. I think once you know which way to rotate it that center piece hits first, so you'll know it's in.

Are you near the high school? Maybe the basketball center guy can swing buy for a reach!

Wife hired handyman for variety of tasks. done

 

[KenZ71]

Was thinking masking tape on the bulb with dots showing needed alignment.