Chandelier lights and rusted sockets?
AaronRosenthal
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
I am responsible for a building with 1948 hanging chandeliers housing 10 bulbs on the bottom row, and 6 bulbs in the neck.
The electrician who replaced the bulbs last time told us the sockets were getting rusty and needed to be replaced – naturally, it was not done then, and it’s too late to do it this time, too.
He installed “long life” bulbs, most of which are now burned out.
I asked my lighting supplier the best way to approach this, and she told me that putting in compact flourescents would be best. She said they would burn cooler, and be better for the sockets.
Any truth to this?
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
Replies
that's a LOT of chandeliers..........
your supplier may be right, but the sockets won't be getting any better.
the whole fixture should probably be rewired and by deferring the repairs... you are just asking for real problems later....
inspecting one fixture may give you a better idea of what needs to be done
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.Wer ist jetzt der Idiot
?
The CFLs will last probably 5x longer than the "long life" bulbs, and use 1/4 the electricity. Won't fix the sockets, though. Also, they can be slow starting in cold temps (sometimes it can get cold in high ceilings).
But when changing the bulbs, put a dab of petroleum jelly or (better) silicone grease on the threads (just a match-head size dab -- it'll spread itself around). This will keep the threads from seizing and improve the connections. Put another even smaller dab on the center contact.
(I know someone's gonna object that grease will insulate the connection and make it worse, but I know whereof I speak.)
> .... petroleum jelly or (better) silicone grease ....
Better yet, some of that molybdenum disulphide anti-sieze compound that we used to use on spark plugs back in the Volkswagen days. I still have some from 30 years ago, not sure if they still make it.
-- J.S.
I use a dab of that anti-oxidant grease formulated for aluminum wire connections in Service panels.
It's black and can be messy, but it only takes a dab....
This was discussed in a thread a couple of years ago and I remember some folks posting that the big box stores sold a product specifically for light bulb bases, if one wants to get something that says it's made for the purpose
Heat does accelerate oxidation in sockets. Try some copper antisieze, maybe it is conductive, but at any rate, it's good stuff. Loctite copper antisieze comes in a paste and a stick.
And here's some that says its good for lamp sockets. http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=94769F
Edited 9/8/2006 7:30 pm ET by MarkH