[Insert obligatory lightbulb joke]

February 21, 2009 6:28 PM

Three of our lights have burned out, and it's about time I replaced them. Thing is, I have no idea where to start.

Here's a picture of the light fitting with the cover removed.

I'm pretty sure it's an R7S halogen bulb, and I'm hoping to just pull it out and take it with me to the shop to get the right replacement.

But where do I start? What should I touch, what should I avoid?

posted by robcorr to home & garden (4 answers total)

Remove the clips holding in the glass shield. underneath is a halogen bulb that you can remove just by pulling away from the clips. You can't really hurt yourself unless you start touching bare wires. Double check your switch is flipped off just to be safe.

You can touch the old burnt out bulb, but don't touch the glass of the new bulb with bare hands. I believe it has ceramic edges that you can hold it by. If you do get fingerprints on the new bulb, clean with an alcohol pad and allow it to completely dry before reinstalling.

You can wash the glass shield while you're at it - it's probably pretty grubby. Allow to dry before reinstalling.
posted by drmarcj at 6:32 PM on February 21, 2009

Great! I've got it out now, and I can see how it all fits together. Thanks.
posted by robcorr at 7:08 PM on February 21, 2009

How many AskMeFi answers does it take to change a light bulb?
Just one (in this case, the first!)
posted by exphysicist345 at 10:08 PM on February 21, 2009

Handy tip: Wear disposable latex/nitrile gloves when installing the new bulb. It's a lot easier than trying to not touch the glass.
posted by chairface at 12:38 PM on February 22, 2009