!@#$%&* Wedge Base Lamp Socket

[Jim Thompson]

I've got outdoor lights (12VAC) that use wedge base sockets. Only
problem is the lamps seem to disintegrate in the heat and break off
when you try to change the bulb.

(1) Any Tricks to get the !@#$%&* glass out of the socket?

(2) Alternative socket and bulb style that's small like that?

...Jim Thompson

 

[Louis Bybee]

I've got outdoor lights (12VAC) that use wedge base sockets. Only
problem is the lamps seem to disintegrate in the heat and break off
when you try to change the bulb.

(1) Any Tricks to get the !@#$%&* glass out of the socket?

(2) Alternative socket and bulb style that's small like that?

...Jim Thompson
--

I have experienced this issue a multiple of times on exterior landscape type
fixtures. My first impression was that it would be near impossible to
construct the sockets, or the fixtures, out of a lower quality material.
:-]

The solutions I've tried that appear to work are:

1) Changed from an 11 watt lamp to a 7 watt lamp to reduce the heat issues.

2) Buffed & coated the contacts on the lamp with a silicone spray to reduce
corrosion, and the resulting removal difficulty.

3) Gently move the burned out lamp from side to side (helps to break the
lamp loose from any welded, or seized contacts) before attempting to remove
it.

4) Replace any of the sockets with loose, or low tension contacts, that
allow arcing to take place.

Since taking these actions it's been years since I've had a lamp break on
removal.

For the lamps that broke on removal I constructed a pick to help remove the
broken lamp base. It consisted of a thin piece of flat spring steel (street
cleaner brush) with a short hook bent on the end, and ground down to fit
into the socket. This allowed the hook to be slipped in along the side of
the lamp, and pull it out. A small pair of Hemostats (like a medical person
would use) also works.

Louis--
*********************************************
Remove the two fish in address to respond

 

[Jim Thompson]

I've got outdoor lights (12VAC) that use wedge base sockets. Only
problem is the lamps seem to disintegrate in the heat and break off
when you try to change the bulb.

(1) Any Tricks to get the !@#$%&* glass out of the socket?

(2) Alternative socket and bulb style that's small like that?

...Jim Thompson
--

I have experienced this issue a multiple of times on exterior landscape type
fixtures. My first impression was that it would be near impossible to
construct the sockets, or the fixtures, out of a lower quality material.
:-]

The solutions I've tried that appear to work are:

1) Changed from an 11 watt lamp to a 7 watt lamp to reduce the heat issues.

2) Buffed & coated the contacts on the lamp with a silicone spray to reduce
corrosion, and the resulting removal difficulty.

3) Gently move the burned out lamp from side to side (helps to break the
lamp loose from any welded, or seized contacts) before attempting to remove
it.

4) Replace any of the sockets with loose, or low tension contacts, that
allow arcing to take place.

Since taking these actions it's been years since I've had a lamp break on
removal.

For the lamps that broke on removal I constructed a pick to help remove the
broken lamp base. It consisted of a thin piece of flat spring steel (street
cleaner brush) with a short hook bent on the end, and ground down to fit
into the socket. This allowed the hook to be slipped in along the side of
the lamp, and pull it out. A small pair of Hemostats (like a medical person
would use) also works.

Louis--
*********************************************
Remove the two fish in address to respond

Aha! Got out the hemostat (used normally to hold small objects while
soldering) and literally removed the wedge end of the bulb bit-of-glas
by bit-of-glass :-(

Now, what kind of silicone spray do you recommend?

Thanks for your pointers! I was dead-ending trying to find
replacement sockets.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Ken Taylor]

How about trying a small piece of surgical rubber tubing, like the
lamp extractors for the old telephone style wedge base lamps used in the
old 1A2 W-E PBX systems? It slid over the glass as far as possible, and
you gently wiggled the lamp out of the socket.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Or use a pen body - cut the end off to leave a hole of size 'x', where 'x'
fits the bulb. Used one of these to remove small bulbs from equipment
in years gone by.

Ken

 

[Louis Bybee]

I've got outdoor lights (12VAC) that use wedge base sockets. Only
problem is the lamps seem to disintegrate in the heat and break off
when you try to change the bulb.

(1) Any Tricks to get the !@#$%&* glass out of the socket?

(2) Alternative socket and bulb style that's small like that?

...Jim Thompson
--

I have experienced this issue a multiple of times on exterior landscape type
fixtures. My first impression was that it would be near impossible to
construct the sockets, or the fixtures, out of a lower quality material.
:-]

The solutions I've tried that appear to work are:

1) Changed from an 11 watt lamp to a 7 watt lamp to reduce the heat issues.

2) Buffed & coated the contacts on the lamp with a silicone spray to reduce
corrosion, and the resulting removal difficulty.

3) Gently move the burned out lamp from side to side (helps to break the
lamp loose from any welded, or seized contacts) before attempting to remove
it.

4) Replace any of the sockets with loose, or low tension contacts, that
allow arcing to take place.

Since taking these actions it's been years since I've had a lamp break on
removal.

For the lamps that broke on removal I constructed a pick to help remove the
broken lamp base. It consisted of a thin piece of flat spring steel (street
cleaner brush) with a short hook bent on the end, and ground down to fit
into the socket. This allowed the hook to be slipped in along the side of
the lamp, and pull it out. A small pair of Hemostats (like a medical person
would use) also works.

Louis--
*********************************************
Remove the two fish in address to respond

Aha! Got out the hemostat (used normally to hold small objects while
soldering) and literally removed the wedge end of the bulb bit-of-glas
by bit-of-glass :-(

Now, what kind of silicone spray do you recommend?

Thanks for your pointers! I was dead-ending trying to find
replacement sockets.

...Jim Thompson
--

I use LPS brand available at the local electrical supply.

I suspect that if you were very careful in placement, and amount used, an
anti-oxidant (no-ox) compound would work also.

The silicone has always worked for me so I haven't tried anything else.

Louis--
*********************************************
Remove the two fish in address to respond

 

[Bill Garber]

Hell if I know. ;-)

Bill @ GarberStreet Enterprizez };-)
Web Site - http://garberstreet.netfirms.com
Email - [email protected]
Remove - SPAM and X to contact me

 

[EEng]

I've got outdoor lights (12VAC) that use wedge base sockets. Only
problem is the lamps seem to disintegrate in the heat and break off
when you try to change the bulb.

(1) Any Tricks to get the !@#$%&* glass out of the socket?

(2) Alternative socket and bulb style that's small like that?

...Jim Thompson

Jim, to get the glass out, cut a potato in half and shove the cut end
into the socket then unscrew as if the potato were a bulb.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Jim, to get the glass out, cut a potato in half and shove the cut end
into the socket then unscrew as if the potato were a bulb.

It's *wedge* base ;-)

But I've used the potato trick on some ceiling floods that decided to
come out minus the threaded part.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Mark Jones]

In news:[email protected] (EEng):

Jim, to get the glass out, cut a potato in half and shove the cut end
into the socket then unscrew as if the potato were a bulb.

No, to get the glass out, cut a potato in half, shove the cut end into the
socket, twist for about 2 minutes, then bury the potato and forget about it.
Problem solved!

: )

 

[Jim Thompson]

I've got outdoor lights (12VAC) that use wedge base sockets. Only
problem is the lamps seem to disintegrate in the heat and break off
when you try to change the bulb.

(1) Any Tricks to get the !@#$%&* glass out of the socket?

(2) Alternative socket and bulb style that's small like that?

...Jim Thompson

Made myself a tool to handle this kind of problem. See picture at:

Newsgroup: alt.binaries.schematics.electronic
Subject: !@#$%&* Wedge Base Lamp Socket - BulbExtractor.gif
Message-ID: <[email protected]>


...Jim Thompson

 

[James Meyer]

In news:[email protected] (EEng):


No, to get the glass out, cut a potato in half, shove the cut end into the
socket, twist for about 2 minutes, then bury the potato and forget about it.
Problem solved!

: )

I tried that once and all my warts went away!

Jim

 

[Tekkie]

James Meyer posted for all of us....

I tried that once and all my warts went away!

Jim

Genital?