Can I fix this?

May 7, 2018 5:25 PM

I was trying to change a lightbulb on an overhead light (a recessed light fixture I think it's called? With the string hanging down to turn it on) and the entire thing fell out of the ceiling and is now dangling by a wire. Yikes.

Here is a picture.

First things first--is this a fire hazard? The wires aren't sparking or anything and they don't look like they're fraying but they're hanging down right by the insulation so I don't know? I called my landlord today and he never called me back or came out. It seems like a potential fire hazard but I really have no idea? Like how much urgency should my landlord be treating this with?

It looks like I could just take the screws out, put them through the insulation, then screw them back on. But it came off incredibly easily so that seems like a bandaid fix. I was reading about it and the gist of what I read said that if the light falls down like that it was never wired up there correctly to begin with and the entire thing needs to be redone after shutting off the electric. But I don't know? Is this something I could fix quickly like that or should I wait for the landlord? A friend suggested I glue it back up but that seems like an especially bad idea. It won't stay up there no matter what I do.

If my landlord comes out to fix it, what should I expect him to do? He has a history of being lazy with repairs--I have a mild unfixed ceiling leak, and now this. I can see him trying to just screw it back quickly and leaving it. Is that acceptable or potentially hazardous?

Thanks in advance.

posted by Amy93 to Home & Garden (20 answers total)

Kill the power, remove the entire thing and tape off the ends of the 3 wires, restore power. Looks like a $20.00 problem in any event and a much better device would be easy to find..........anywhere. Do it yourself, that's what YouTube is for.
posted by Freedomboy at 5:31 PM on May 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I wasn't clear. I'm not able to turn off the power because I'm in a big apartment building so I don't have access to it, nor do I feel comfortable trying because I have 0 experience with these things. I'm asking if I can fix it while leaving the power on.
posted by Amy93 at 5:33 PM on May 7, 2018

Are you sure you don't have access? Every apartment I've ever lived in had its own electrical panel. Check in closets and whatnot to see if there's a panel you've never noticed?

Can you - someone with no electrical experience - fix this safely with the power on? No.
posted by brainmouse at 5:36 PM on May 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: Sorry I'm not trying to threadsit, I'll stop after this! I just can't edit the post apparently? I do actually have access but I have no idea how the thing works. It's nothing like the fuse box my family had growing up, so I wouldn't be comfortable trying (potentially unsuccessfully) to turn the power off and fix it. The only way I would fix it is if I didn't need to do anything with the electric or wires at all.
posted by Amy93 at 5:43 PM on May 7, 2018

Can you post a picture of your circuit breakers? (I’m assuming breakers...)
posted by Weeping_angel at 5:45 PM on May 7, 2018

Don't touch it while the power is on. I wouldn't touch it without checking it first with a voltage tester, personally, especially if that particular electrical panel was new to me.

Is the panel in your unit? Is there a sheet taped inside that indicates which breaker goes to what?
posted by hydrophonic at 5:47 PM on May 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Here is the circuit breaker..... it's really old.
posted by Amy93 at 5:51 PM on May 7, 2018

In its current state, it’s probably not a fire hazard as long as you don’t see bare metal wires. It looks like it’s hanging from one of the wires, though, so strain relief will become problematic eventually. Don’t turn the light on til you either figure out how to fix it or get your landlord there.
posted by Weeping_angel at 5:51 PM on May 7, 2018

It doesn't *appear* as though the wiring has been disturbed at all, the wires seem to be intact at the wire nuts, up inside the ceiling.

You should be able to poke those two screws back through the fixture. Back them out first a couple turns so they're longer. They'll then fit through two large holes in the fixture designed to take those screws, then turn the fixture so the screw can't come back out. You then gently tighten down the screws so the fixture stays put.

All of this of course implies that the electricity hasn't been loosed from its wires, and that the electrical connections are solid. If those wire nuts let the electrons out, there's no way I'd touch it.
posted by sydnius at 5:52 PM on May 7, 2018

You said it's dangling by a wire, but it looks from your picture that both wires might still be attached to the fixture. If that's the case, it's probably safe to just leave it alone and wait for the landlord.
posted by hydrophonic at 5:55 PM on May 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Ooof. Just saw your circuit breaker thing. I understand your reticence, and anyone telling you to just flip the appropriate switch needs to go look at your picture.
posted by Weeping_angel at 5:56 PM on May 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

What is most likely is that there are keyhole slots in the light fixture that the screws go through (for easy assembly), and you’ve twisted the fixture so they come out. It probably will twist right back in if it’s lined up right, then just re-tighten the screws.

Agreed that you should have your big building’s professional work on it, even though that fuse box says “safe to fuse”!
posted by Huffy Puffy at 6:02 PM on May 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

First, don't touch that fuse box. Please.

Second, the power and the mounting of the fixture are independent. If one breaks, it doesn't mean the other does too.

The black and white coated wires are the ones bringing power to the fixture. If you can see that they are not pulled out of where they're screwed or attached (but don't touch these to check), then go ahead with what sydnius says about trying to remount it.
posted by Dashy at 7:01 PM on May 7, 2018

So, you have a fuse box (old-fashioned thing with removable fuses), not a circuit breaker panel (the more modern thing with toggle switches).

Here's a nice little video that explains the round and rectangular old-school fuses. They're meant to be handled by homeowners, so -- unless there's something I'm not realizing about this setup -- you should be able to just unscrew both of the round fuses (they unscrew like lightbulbs) and pull out the rectangular cartridge one, and that would cut all the electric to your apartment.

I fully understand if you don't want to mess with it! Just wanted to say, the mere fact of these being fuses isn't something to be extra scared of.
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:28 PM on May 7, 2018

Things don't look too bad to me. The wires coming from those orange murettes (twisty things that connect the lamp wire to the main building wires) seem to be connected still. The two silver bolts coming down out of the cieling look like they held the fixture....are there a pair of holes on the fixture that those bolts would fit into? Usually, it's a pair of holes on either side that have narrower slots coming off them. If you just lift the fixture, and can get those bolts through the holes, you can twist it to lock them into the narrower slots. For safety's sake, I'd first turn the light on, then try counter clockwise unscrewing one or the other of those orange fuses until the light goes out.
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:20 PM on May 7, 2018

While technically a fire hazard the connections don't appear to be lose and you are probably in more danger everytime you cross a street. I'd just leave it like that for the land lord to deal with though you could takesydnius approach if you are feeling handy.

PS: Nothing wrong with your fuse box. If you ever do need to cut power to a circuit you accomplish it by twisting the round plug fuses on the top out like a light bulb (no danger of electrocution) or, if it is your range that needs disconnecting, very firmly pull out the fuse cartridge on the bottom by the handle.
posted by Mitheral at 9:00 PM on May 7, 2018

Nthing that sydnius probably has the right answer. If you want to take a picture of what it looks like from the underside, that would help confirm it, but I agree, it looks like it should be kept in place by the screws in the ceiling. Do not glue it back in place.

That said, I totally understand if you don't want to do it and would rather get the landlord to deal with it. I suspect that if you mention that the wires got pulled out with the fixture that might motivate them more than a leak.
posted by Aleyn at 12:22 AM on May 8, 2018

Judging from your two photos your wiring is seriously not up to code, and some of the wiring you can't see may also be dangerous. Your landlord really really needs to come fix this light fixture immediately. If he doesn't come today, call your local building code enforcement office. If you tell us where you are we might be able to help you more.
posted by mareli at 8:28 AM on May 8, 2018

Response by poster: Landlord came and informed me he cant fix it and gave me the name of an electrician. I am in Buffalo, NY--do you think i can wait until the electrician comes out?

Thanks.
posted by Amy93 at 9:33 AM on May 8, 2018

Yes.
posted by Mitheral at 6:16 PM on May 8, 2018