View Full Version : Screw Off


spence
12-15-2013, 12:37 PM
Can someone explain why the light bulbs in my basement bathroom ceiling light keep unscrewing themselves? The vent fan is an inline and not even in the room so I don't think vibration could be a factor.

Jokes are welcome.

-spence

Tagger
12-15-2013, 12:57 PM
Haunted ... I'd move ..

ProfessorM
12-15-2013, 01:06 PM
probably because you didn't have the correct amount of Italians screw it in.
5 is the recommended quantity if you intend on remedying your predicament.

Redsoxticket
12-15-2013, 01:14 PM
The magnetic field from the current in the wires.
The current surge upon turning on the lights could be turning ever so slightly.
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Redsoxticket
12-15-2013, 01:36 PM
Could be that the expansion of the bulb threads when hot then the cool air passing by the bulb is causing a large clearance between the bulb threads and socket threads thus causing the bulb to loosen.
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spence
12-15-2013, 01:47 PM
probably because you didn't have the correct amount of Italians screw it in.
5 is the recommended quantity if you intend on remedying your predicament.

HA! Awesome.
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Redsoxticket
12-15-2013, 01:55 PM
One to hold the bulb and four to turn the house.
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spence
12-15-2013, 02:17 PM
Could be that the expansion of the bulb threads when hot then the cool air passing by the bulb is causing a large clearance between the bulb threads and socket threads thus causing the bulb to loosen.
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Could be. It uses a smaller base and the threads aren't that precise.
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Raven
12-15-2013, 04:37 PM
perhaps your drinking something Australian
and it's trying to go down the toilet backwards
setting up a quantum exclusion.

Nebe
12-15-2013, 05:43 PM
Foot steps upstairs could do it too
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Jackbass
12-16-2013, 06:27 AM
Check the wattage of the bulb/lamp compared to recommended. If your wattage is too high it could be expanding the metal in the socket particularly if the lamp base and the socket are dissimilar metal. Couple that with slight spring tension on the positive contact of the socket it could be pushing the lamp out slightly during use and then after use the metals shrink eventually you lose contact with the positive contact.
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Nebe
12-16-2013, 08:56 AM
^ very valid idea. I bet it is a combination of everyones suggestions.
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RIROCKHOUND
12-16-2013, 09:15 AM
Jokes are welcome.

-spence

Not a joke.
Either Grif of Dana is just screwing wirh you....

Jackbass
12-16-2013, 10:13 AM
^ very valid idea. I bet it is a combination of everyones suggestions.
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I only play a master electrician on TV
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Raven
12-16-2013, 12:46 PM
then again when you over torque something
it causes it to loosen up at least in engines
that is.... might be a factor ...or your
home is built on top of a fault line

Saltheart
12-16-2013, 12:56 PM
When you install it try turning it to the right next time! :)

I would put it in , turn it on , let it get hot , then tighten it snug again (to the right!) . See what happens.

If that doesn't work , hire the 5 Italians.

Raven
12-16-2013, 07:26 PM
write SANTA a Letter LOL

RIROCKHOUND
12-16-2013, 07:31 PM
Jeff...
ask Paul about the owl figurines

Nebe
12-16-2013, 08:02 PM
Jeff...
ask Paul about the owl figurines

I know about those. Whoa
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spence
12-16-2013, 10:22 PM
Jeff...
ask Paul about the owl figurines

Didn't he tell the story in front of both of us?

I'll check on the specs of the light when I get home.
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Jackbass
12-17-2013, 06:54 AM
When you install it try turning it to the right next time! :)

I would put it in , turn it on , let it get hot , then tighten it snug again (to the right!) . See what happens.

If that doesn't work , hire the 5 Italians.

I am a 3rd gen Italian electrician. If I got my father his brother and two of his uncles we could handle the job. It would cost you close to 1000 dollars to install the lamp
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RIROCKHOUND
12-17-2013, 08:07 AM
Didn't he tell the story in front of both of us?

I'll check on the specs of the light when I get home.
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Probably, but there was a lot of bourbon flowing that night....

The Dad Fisherman
12-17-2013, 08:19 AM
Got Kids?

Guppy
12-17-2013, 08:08 PM
You stop using that bathroom and see if the abnormality ceases. 🚽🚽🚽 😷😷😷

spence
12-17-2013, 11:06 PM
Probably, but there was a lot of bourbon flowing that night....

Could have been on the ferry.
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spence
12-17-2013, 11:06 PM
Got Kids?

You think they know how to open a light fixture???
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Pete F.
12-18-2013, 08:19 PM
I think you got a batch of bad electricity

The Dad Fisherman
12-18-2013, 09:10 PM
You think they know how to open a light fixture???
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You never know.....but I was thinking more along the line of a whole lot of running around.....vibrating it loose
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Jenn
12-24-2013, 07:43 AM
Did you remember to use the locktite?

Raven
12-24-2013, 09:00 AM
after you break the bulb shove a potato on there
and then you can turn it

Raven
12-24-2013, 09:01 AM
I think you got a batch of bad electricity

ha ha ha the nuerons misfired lol

piemma
12-24-2013, 11:03 AM
Probably, but there was a lot of bourbon flowing that night....

:hidin:

Rockfish9
12-30-2013, 01:49 PM
then again when you over torque something
it causes it to loosen up at least in engines
that is.... might be a factor ...or your
home is built on top of a fault line

it's called bolt stretch...that's why every grade bolt has a torque value...then there are single use stretch bolts.. subject of discussion for another day.

bulbs will loosten over time from repeated heating and cooling... location and surroundings have alot to do with it..... eventualy to the point where the contacts corrode and the light no longer functions..

FishermanTim
01-06-2014, 01:42 PM
Could have used the "5 Californians" version.

1 person screws in the lightbulb and the other four "share the experience"! :biglaugh:

Stewie
01-23-2014, 11:04 AM
When you sleep, does the house rotate clockwise or counterclockwise as seen from above. Mine goes clockwise, so the bulbs in the ceiling get tighter, and those in the table lamps eventually fall out.

spence
01-23-2014, 12:04 PM
So this weekend my 3 year old hands me the glass part of a bulb he just picked up off the floor. I look up and one of the recessed R20 Halogena's just broke cleanly at the base and fell to the floor. Good thing it hit the rug and didn't break.
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RIROCKHOUND
01-23-2014, 02:05 PM
So this weekend my 3 year old hands me the glass part of a bulb he just picked up off the floor. I look up and one of the recessed R20 Halogena's just broke cleanly at the base and fell to the floor. Good thing it hit the rug and didn't break.
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Clearly, your house is haunted.

basswipe
01-26-2014, 10:25 AM
One of the weirdest things I've seen on a job site was hinge pins working their way out of the hinge without the door actually being moved.

spence
01-26-2014, 10:31 AM
One of the weirdest things I've seen on a job site was hinge pins working their way out of the hinge without the door actually being moved.

That would be a slick trick if you could do it on demand.

-spence

CaptRandy
02-01-2014, 02:34 PM
The mice are stealing them for their Easybake oven

spence
02-01-2014, 02:48 PM
The mice are stealing them for their Easybake oven

The mice are dead, so are the rats. Varmints.

-spence