Bulbs won't screw in!

I would say that I have been proficient at screwing in lightbulbs my entire life, but I was attempting to fix a friends light problem, but could not manage to get the new bulbs to screw in. I am assuming that the bulb base may be too large, but they are the correct style and wattage for the fixture.

I should add that I could get the bulbs to begin threading slightly, but I could barely get them past 1/4 turn or so. Now I am having difficulty getting them back out. This is on a 3 piece spotlight fixture. Any help would be great since she is attempting to sell the house and will probably have walk-throughs in the next few days.

 

Do you have the old bulb? Have you tried it to see if it fits loosely in another fixture. Have you tried the new bulbs in a different fixture? Are we talking about a standard Edison base (medium base) bulb? Have you tried a bulb from a different manufacturer? Please fill in your location. Are you in the USA?

 

yes, the old bulb went back in perfectly fine in the two other fixtures. I had taken out one of the working bulbs and tried it there and it fit fine. Alas, I could not get new bulbs into either socket. And yes, it is a standard sized socket.

 

Try bulbs from a different manufacturer.

 

Standard size socket?...that all depends on what is considered standard. Is it possible the fixture is from overseas? Not that I know if that matters..but I've seen complaints in that area.

Also..they do make "bulb grease"...lol...no really they do. Its to prevent bulbs from getting stuck and breaking after years of use.

After all that..yeah..you might want to try a name brand bulb if you didn't already...see what happens.

 

Well, she had just bought a new pack of Phillips, but she is pretty sure she used to use GE. Do you think there would be a difference?

She somehow managed to get one in (the one i happened to remove, but could not get back in), but I was unable to do so and ended up getting them stuck partially in.

I guess I will try to get them out again and try a different brand. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

This is a pretty common complaint with more and more fixtures and fixture parts coming from China and being made of aluminum. The socket is aluminum and so is the base on the bulb. Aluminum on aluminum doesn't slide very well once it has aged and become slightly galded. What I would do is spray a very small amount of WD-40 on the threaded aluminum base of the bulb and then wipe it completely dry with a clean rag. Then, try to install the bulb in the socket. I think it will go right in for you. Beer 4U2

 

I guess that E28 would be considered a standard bulb/screw size.

E = Edison
28 = millimeters

fred

 

A standard lamp base would be called a medium base. The next larger size is a mogul base. Some decorative lamps have candelabra bases. I have never heard of a E28 base. If you are referring to ED28, that would be a shape of some HID lamps.

 

E28, Ed28, now you have heard of 'em.
A mogul base would be 39 mm (E39)

 

Actually, the number refers to eighths of an inch, not millimeters, and the letter refers to the lamp envelope shape. So, an E28, means Elliptical, 3 1/2" diameter.
Andy

 

From Wiki:

The designation Exx refers to the diameter in millimeters, even in the U.S., where the bulb glass is listed in eighths of an inch. (For example, E12 has a diameter of 12 mm.

 

I am not aware of standard lamp types being described in millimeters in this country.

Lamp Guide: HID

 

Well, that's one internet company's designation: I've seen half a dozen in the past hour. I give up searching!
Obviously there is no standardization.
fred

 

More on bulbs:

Incandescent Lamp Specifications


•Lamp Base Types <br/><br/> : Lumicrest LED Lighting Solutions, Architectural LED lighting products

 

Not an internet company, a wholesale distributor who sells Sylvania lamps.

 

THOSE are internet companies.

I see where you are getting the dimensions, but the dimensions mean very little. If I ask for a medium base lamp, the lamp will fit a medium base socket. If I ask for a mogul base lamp, it will fit a mogul base socket.

 

Let me step in here for the minuite Due I do live in France at the moment so I am used to the European sized bulbs and for the HID bulb size it follow the same thing as Americians bulb size but the base no it will follow in mm not in 1/8 th inches

so typical European bulbs will have M17 or M18 which it means meduim base bulb and the last number will destanged in MM's


Merci,Marc