Let there be light!

November 17, 2010 10:30 AM

CluelessHomeownerFilter: How do I remove a fluorescent tube from a fixture?

I have a fixture with two 48" fluorescent tubes that need to be replaced. These are the sort with two pins on each end, and it looks like they slide into the fixture sockets and then rotate. All the online directions I have found say basically "turn tube until it slides out of fixture." OK.
Right now the pins are lined up horizontally
. .
and it looks like I need to line them up vertically
:
to get them out of the fixture. So I should just turn each tube 90 degrees (a quarter turn) right? But I can't get the tubes to go more than 40 degrees in either direction. I really don't want to break the tubes and end up with mercury-contaminated shards all over my bathroom.

(Eventually the tube light fixture will be replaced with something more pleasing, but I can't do it now. I just want to get it working....)

What's the trick that I'm missing here?

posted by philokalia to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

Usually you push in on one of the ends (the sit in spring-loaded fasteners), and then slide it out.

-> [===========]

the arrow attempts to show the direction of the push
posted by colin_l at 10:32 AM on November 17, 2010

Best answer: No trick, 90 degree turn, takes a little force.
posted by Gungho at 10:33 AM on November 17, 2010

Rock the tubes back and forth...or push them a little, lengthwise.

The basic idea, though, is to rotate 'em 90.
posted by notsnot at 10:33 AM on November 17, 2010

Read, or Watch.
posted by timsteil at 10:35 AM on November 17, 2010

Rotate the tube until the pins can clear the guides at each end of the light fixture, then gently pull the tube out.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:36 AM on November 17, 2010

Response by poster: Hm. Yes, I'm trying to rotate them (that's been the idea all along) but they aren't going around far enough to get the pins lined up with the vertical slot. Doesn't look like they are spring loaded either. I'll go back and try again.
posted by philokalia at 10:47 AM on November 17, 2010

Response by poster: Aha! This task requires a "to hell with it I don't care if I break the d*mn thing" level of force. I had not previously associated this with lightbulbs, but once I got to that point, it worked like a charm.
posted by philokalia at 11:01 AM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

If all else fails, tape the crap out of one of the tube, break it near one end (being careful not to spill the insides all over the place, and preferably with no spillage at all), and just pull it out. Then inspect the sockets and see how you can remove the other bulb(s) in the future.

I actually learned to remove these bulbs by accidentally shattering one and replacing it. It created a pretty horrific mess.
posted by coolguymichael at 11:03 AM on November 17, 2010

And on preview - congrats!
posted by coolguymichael at 11:03 AM on November 17, 2010

Not a good idea to break a fluorescent tube deliberately - the phosphor powder in them contains mercury, which isn't something you want to be exposing yourself to.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 11:12 AM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]