Kitchen spotlights - popping regularly

[bornlivelife]

I can put a spotlight in one day, and the next day it is blown. Some of them dont work at all, and some only work if I twise the bulb in a certain distance. It seems the whole thing has loose connections etc

Not my wokr but previous owner of this house

Is it easy to check the wiring? It seems they are so sunk into the kitchen roof. Do I have to take the floorboards out from upstairs, or can the bulb sockets be pulled down?

Cheers

 

[333rocky333]

It sounds like the lampholders maybe dodgy, possibly due to the lamp heat over the years.
May be time to consider new replacement fittings

 

[bornlivelife]

Yes could be you are right - do you pull the sockets down into the kitchen, or get to them from first floor by taking flooboards out?

 

[333rocky333]

Depends what fittings you have, most fittings would be removed from the room there in, if downlights a majority would just pull out carefully, so as not to damage the ceiling.

Unless the lampholders are replaceable theres not much you could do with the fittings when you do get them out

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes there is.

Best place for them.

 

[bornlivelife]

seems weird that normal lampholders last for decades / you never change them - i just checking one now having pulled it from the ceiling

 

[pjcomp]

Are these spotlights the "modern" dwonlighters with GU10 halogen lamps,. or the older, larger spotlights with screw-in lamps? I suspect the latter from your description.

At the base of these fittings are two copper contacts, one for the stud on the base of the lamp and the other to contact the screw thread at the side of the lamp. Over time these contacts lose their springiness and cease to press outwards, so stop making decent contact with the lamp.

Make sure the lights are switched off (preferably disconnect the circuit to be on the safe side), remove the lamp from the fitting. Now you can look inside the fitting for the contacts, and using a screwdriver or long-nosed pliers gently bend the contacts out so they will make proper contact when you put the lamp back in. NOTE: THESE CONTACTS CARRY THE POWER SO BE VERY SURE THE LIGHTING CIRCUIT IS DEAD!!!

If you overdo the bending you may well break the contact, so be prepared to go out and buy a new light fitting if it goes wrong .....

PJ

 

[bornlivelife]

HI - you know what - I just did this - the contacts have bent away

They now working fine

cool beans

Thanks