Mysterious Puzzle!

October 1, 2006 8:30 PM

Light fitting appears impossible to remove! Any ideas?

I need to change the light bulb in my room but the fitting seems impossible to remove! Check out a photo of the light HERE and let me know if you have any ideas.

There are no screws or external protrusions of any kind. I have tried turning the glass dome, and also the silver rim. They won't budge although they do wobble a bit. I have also tried pushing it in every direction.

HELP! :-)

posted by pablocake to home & garden (7 comments total)

Many fixtures have tension springs that hold them up. You can pull straight down on the metal frame and it will come down.
posted by lee at 8:41 PM on October 1, 2006

Well, I came into this thread expecting to tell you that something was spring-loaded in some way (I've been caught like that before!)

In your case though, I suspect that the silver rim is mounted to a fitting on the ceiling that holds the light and needs to be turned to dislodge it. My experience is that these things can sometimes be a bit stiff, so try giving it a good hard turn both ways and see what happens.

I can't see any other way it would work........ *ponder*.....
posted by ranglin at 8:43 PM on October 1, 2006

Lots of lights have backets requiring the same partial turn as is required to remove many smoke detectors. The metallic ring might be reverse threaded (i.e. CCW to tighten, CW to loosen) onto its bracket.

I've also seen lights whose globes are held in place by metal outward-expanding springs. You just need to pull directly down on those. The curvature of this globe seems like it would make that difficult. Sometimes those springs can require an impressive amount of force.

Also, this light might require a removal tool. The gap between the ceiling and the metallic ring might admit something akin to a feeler gauge which could trigger a release tab or something.

Best of luck!

[And since I'm kind of obsessive compulsive, please post how you do eventually get it open.]
posted by KevCed at 8:43 PM on October 1, 2006

Tension spring. There will be two paperclip-like springs, 180 degrees apart, under the silver rim. Slip a screwdriver or something under the silver rim, pry straight down. Eventually the whole thing will pop out, and drop about one inch. Then you need to reach in on opposite sides, grab the two springs, and squeeze them, which will free the whole fixture and you can remove it entirely.

To reinstall, reverse the procedure - squeeze the springs, slip them into the two slots in the ceiling, then just press the whole thing up until it settles flush against the ceiling.
posted by jellicle at 8:52 PM on October 1, 2006

Have you tried pushing the white dome inward a bit, then turning it? Maybe it's like a childproof lid and has to be lifted over a barrier and then will come free.

(If you're renting, obviously call the landlord if MeFi can't help.)
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:54 PM on October 1, 2006

Thanks for the quick responses guys. Turns out KevCed was right about the removal tool. Just pushed a ruler in and it released a latch!
posted by pablocake at 9:43 PM on October 1, 2006

Holy cow. Matt posted a photo a while back asking the same question. And it's a very similar looking light fixture.
posted by Plutor at 6:32 AM on October 2, 2006