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Thread ID: 62690	2005-10-15 20:59:00	Unable to unscrew screw-type bulb - what can I do?	Renmoo (66)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
396691	2005-10-17 02:55:00	The "Edison Screw" bases for light bulbs can be problematic. I have had several where I have needed to resort to smashing the glass and attacking the metal base with pliers, in extreme cases the entire fitting has needed to be replaced. As above the light MUST not be alive, the power needs to be off. This thread should be merged with Billy T's jammed drill chuck one ....	godfather (25)
396692	2005-10-17 03:27:00	Quite a few years ago I read (in Scientific American ?) about an original Edison carbon filament bulb still going in a factory in New York after about 100 years. It had never been turned off, which must have contributed to its long life. I wonder how easy it would be to remove it from the socket.	Graham L (2)
396693	2005-10-17 03:44:00	I read the solution to this problem years ago and since it is so strange I never forgot it: 1. Break the bulb with a hammer or whatever, probably best to wrap it in a towel first so that you don't have to deal with broken bits everywhere. 2. Push a potato into the broken stub that remains and simply unscrew. Might be best to use a large and firm potato so that you can get a good grip. 3. If, in a small number of cases the potato method does not work, turn off the power and use a pair of pliers. Before I knew about the potato method I did just this. BTW, it is always best to stand on dry wood or other insulating materials and use gloves and an insulated pair of pliers, just in case you flipped the wrong fuse or did the wrong switch. What is the explanation behind this claimed-effective method? Thanks for your suggestion, Steve Cheers :)	Renmoo (66)
396694	2005-10-17 03:58:00	If you get a sizzling sound when you push the potato in, the power is on. Leave it for 20 minutes of so, and it should be properly cooked. Eat the potato, and the carbohydrates will supply you with more energy to remove the remnants of the bulb base.	Graham L (2)
396695	2005-10-17 04:45:00	This thread has now achieved immortality. :cool: The Google-spider was looking at it at 5:37 p.m. and it's findable now.	Graham L (2)
396696	2005-10-17 04:54:00	Nearly all bulbs in America are the screw type. Americans have a simple method of dealing with them. First break the bulb - then push a new potato of the right size down onto the bits left. You should now be able to turn it using the potato as a holder. Believe me this really does work - well it has with me when I needed to. Why we see so many of this type of bulb when the bayonet is obviously superior beats me. Tom	Thomas01 (317)
396697	2005-10-17 04:57:00	The potato growers own the lightbulb companies.	mark c (247)
396698	2005-10-17 05:15:00	Why we see so many of this type of bulb when the bayonet is obviously superior beats me.I've had to perform surgery on a bayonet light bulb as well. When I went to remove it, the entire glass bulb parted company with the metal base. Had to use pliers to remove it which was tricky as you had to push up and twist at the same time. It was completely munted by the time I got it extracted. :rolleyes:	Jen (38)
396699	2005-10-17 05:40:00	Eat the potato, and the carbohydrates will supply you with more energy to remove the remnants of the bulb base. With a tasty dose if silica no doubt. :p	bob_doe_nz (92)
396700	2005-10-17 05:43:00	And before Jameskan asks, "munted" is not a real English word either. But has made its way into the slang dictionaries. munted (adjective) : Extremely battered or damaged Perfect description Jen The problem in the Edison Screw bases is that there is a metallic strip on the ceramic threaded socket (or the entire thread is metallic) and corrosion between the metallic base and the socket can often mean they are a "permanent fixture" I would consider just selling the house and moving to another that has BC lighting sockets.	godfather (25)
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