Removing frozen light bulbs?

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

I have several bases in which I cannot remove the 40w bulb. In some, it is stuck tight; in others, I can unscrew it about a quarter-turn before it stops and can only be tightened a quarter-turn again. These are in 32oz. bases, so there isn't much room to get in there and get a grip on them.

 

So how do I get them out? The ones that will turn slightly, I've twisted and untwisted countless times and they still won't come out! Every bulb I put in now, I lube the base with graphite from a pencil to make sure it won't freeze in there, but these are thrift-store finds and I really want to get 'em out so I can use 'em again!

 

Any suggestions? I've tried everything I can think of...which, admittedly, isn't much since there's so little wiggle room in there...!

[Chow]

Unplug it. Break the bulb. Use needle nose pliers on metal screw part of the bulb (I bend the metal part slightly so its not so close to the edges). It's the only way that I can get those bulbs out. Hope it helps.

[Tim Gill]

Yea thats probabley the only way.

Also note that when you have the bulb (or whats left of it) out then check the bulb holder for sings of why the bulb was stuck in the first place.

Chow said:

Unplug it. Break the bulb. Use needle nose pliers on metal screw part of the bulb (I bend the metal part slightly so its not so close to the edges). It's the only way that I can get those bulbs out. Hope it helps.

[medicated goo]

 

Ditto.  I have had to break the bulb and use needle nose pliers on many occasions as well to extricate stuck bulbs.

[kiramarie]

Well as i thought my method was quite unconventional.. as Chow and Tim both agree... this is what i do too..

its best or trying to force it could cause bulb to break in your fingered grip  

the casing on bulb base will very easily bend and then just start un screwing

 

[Erin]

Yep. I've had to do that. It works. 

Chow said:

Unplug it. Break the bulb. Use needle nose pliers on metal screw part of the bulb (I bend the metal part slightly so its not so close to the edges). It's the only way that I can get those bulbs out. Hope it helps.

[LampHead]

Use as little pressure as possible when trying to get out a stuck bulb. Hold the base upside down and as lightly as you can keep trying to turn the bulb, the less pressure the better. I have never had to break a bulb to get it out using this technique. Use brass base bulbs only and they will always come out easily, I have never seen a brass base bulb stuck only the silver based ones.

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Agreed on brass bases... but I'm still stuck, as I have failed to break a single bulb. The upside-down trick is doing no good, sorry LampHead - the ones that will turn will only go a short ways before locking up. The ones that won't turn, it seems, will absolutely NOT budge a millimeter. Attempting to break bulbs,  the most I can do is bang the bulb with something hard or smack it with the end of a screwdriver, and whatever I hit it with... get this... bounces off! Every time. It's like I'm hitting a rock. I know it's said that spheres are strong, but... yeesh... I'll keep tryin'.

[wizard of ooze]

I have had success removing a stuck bulb by first unplugging the lamp, then spraying some WD40 on the top of the bulb so it runs down the neck of the bulb and makes its way into the socket threads. Then after the bulb is out, I just wipe out the socket real good.

[EngineerSkinny]

Yup, break it. Then needle nose pliers. Works every time.

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

I'll try the WD-40. Then I'll try to break bulbs again.

 

...now if I can only find a cheap source of lots of 40-watt bulbs...

[Erin]

http://www.lightbulbemporium.com/bulbrite_104040_40a15f.asp

I've placed a couple of orders here. Decent prices. 

Jonas Clark-Elliott said:

...now if I can only find a cheap source of lots of 40-watt bulbs...

[Dr. WHAT?!]

I do what Lamphead said and that usually works for me. They get tricky to get out and the harder you try to get it out the harder it becomes. If all else fails do what Chow does.