Need an electrician or not?

y0ssar1an22

I need to replace the below light fixture as seen below:





The little groves that secure the bulb in place have rusted away. I have tried unscrewing the plastic sleeve but that doesn't move. Think i will need to remove the 2 screws and go from there.
Should i get an electrician for this job as I'm pretty clueless, or any tips?

Thanks

bunderoon

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

I need to replace the below light fixture as seen below:





The little groves that secure the bulb in place have rusted away. I have tried unscrewing the plastic sleeve but that doesn't move. Think i will need to remove the 2 screws and go from there.
Should i get an electrician for this job as I'm pretty clueless, or any tips?

Thanks

Pretty clueless and electricity don't mix very well.

It's a straight forward job if you knew what you were doing. As you don't, play it safe and call an electrician or a family member/ friend that's a good diy-er.

GreeBo

You don't need an electrician, but if you've never done this or similar before, get someone who has to show you how.

aido79

GreeBo wrote: »

You don't need an electrician, but if you've never done this or similar before, get someone who has to show you how.

I would agree with this. First step would be to turn off the power at the fuse board and then remove it from the ceiling. If there are only 2 wires(live and neutral) then it's an easy swap. If there are more cables then either seek advice or take a picture of the connections and replicate them in the new light fitting.
If you want you could use it as an opportunity to put a nicer light fitting there but that would come down to personal preference.

y0ssar1an22

thanks guys for the tips/advice. need to get a plumber in to do a few jobs so i'll suggest to him if he fancies it

cletus

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

thanks guys for the tips/advice. need to get a plumber in to do a few jobs so i'll suggest to him if he fancies it

I'd be surprised if he does, to be honest

aido79

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

thanks guys for the tips/advice. need to get a plumber in to do a few jobs so i'll suggest to him if he fancies it

Why would you ask a plumber to do it??? Would you ask an electrician to fix your toilet?

dodzy

OP, if you can use a screwdriver and you can see, this is an easy swap out.

Kill power at consumer unit (fuse box)
Open the 2 screws holding unit to ceiling
Take note of the wiring before undoing
Install new unit.

But....If anything above even slightly worries you, leave it alone.

garv123

Take a picture, go into an electrical shop and show them the picture and they'll give you the fitting. Go home, kill the power to the house. Undo the 2 screws, take another picture of the 2 wires and where they go. Disconnect the 2 wires, and fit them into the same connectors on the new one. Reinstall the 2 screws. Turn back on the power to the house and job done.

Sit back and admire your handy work, hopefully not in the dark.

aido79

dodzy wrote: »

OP, if you can use a screwdriver and you can see, this is an easy swap out.

Kill power at consumer unit (fuse box)
Open the 2 screws holding unit to ceiling
Take note of the wiring before undoing
Install new unit.

But....If anything above even slightly worries you, leave it alone.

I was of the opinion that the op could do this job themselves too....until they mentioned asking the plumber to do it. Now I'm not so sure.

Cerco

Op,
If you are going to do this yourself make sure to switch off all the power to the house at the main switch on your consumer. Do not rely on switching off at circuit breaker, since you have no easy way of ensuring the light socket is not live.
It is a simple job but if you are unsure then get a competent person to do it, as already suggested.

stratowide

I don't touch any electrics without testing it first with a voltage light/tester.

Don't trust the MCB to break the circuit.Test for current before and after you trip the breaker.

A fluke voltage light or similar is a good investment.

gibgodsman

I had to do the same last month, I had no idea how or what to do as I have never done it before, went to a lighting store and they basically explained it, that coupled with a handy youtube video and I had it done in 10 minutes

thomas anderson.

Lick the metal part to see if theres some spare electricity in it

dodzy

stratowide wrote: »

I don't touch any electrics without testing it first with a voltage light/tester.

Don't trust the MCB to break the circuit.Test for current before and after you trip the breaker.

A fluke voltage light or similar is a good investment.

If you’ve still got juice after turning off your main CB, then you’re in someone else’s house

LenWoods

I changed some ceiling lights up stairs and encountered seven cables inside;
One earth feed
Two in from the switch board
Two for the light switch
Two out for the next ceiling light upstairs

I also relocated one ceiling light; I've documented it all here you may like to view: https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/80864-living-room-project/?do=findComment&comment=766329

The Mulk

LenWoods wrote: »

I changed some ceiling lights up stairs and encountered seven cables inside;
One earth feed
Two in from the switch board
Two for the light switch
Two out for the next ceiling light upstairs

I also relocated one ceiling light; I've documented it all here you may like to view: https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/80864-living-room-project/?do=findComment&comment=766329

https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting-Circuit-layouts

It's commonly known as the 3 plate ceiling rose method.
There's some good diagrams attached here,

Seth Brundle

aido79 wrote: »

I would agree with this. First step would be to turn off the power at the fuse board and then remove it from the ceiling. If there are only 2 wires(live and neutral) then it's an easy swap. If there are more cables then either seek advice or take a picture of the connections and replicate them in the new light fitting.
If you want you could use it as an opportunity to put a nicer light fitting there but that would come down to personal preference.

dodzy wrote: »

OP, if you can use a screwdriver and you can see, this is an easy swap out.

Kill power at consumer unit (fuse box)
Open the 2 screws holding unit to ceiling
Take note of the wiring before undoing
Install new unit.

But....If anything above even slightly worries you, leave it alone.

Just to add something to the two above posts that may not be immediately obvious to a beginer: once you turn off the power at the fusebox/board, check that the light does not come on when you flick the switch on the wall (or have the light on before you turn off the mains and then check that the light actually went off).
Assuming that it doesn't then start unscrewing the fitting from the ceiling.

tom1ie

dodzy wrote: »

OP, if you can use a screwdriver and you can see, this is an easy swap out.

Kill power at consumer unit (fuse box)
Open the 2 screws holding unit to ceiling
Take note of the wiring before undoing
Install new unit.

But....If anything above even slightly worries you, leave it alone.

You forgot, check for loss of voltage.

tom1ie

dodzy wrote: »

If you’ve still got juice after turning off your main CB, then you’re in someone else’s house

Or your main 63a has been bypassed, or you’ve some sort of illegal bypass of the esb meter that you might not have known about as you’ve only moved into the house......always check for loss of voltage. Always.

stratowide

dodzy wrote: »

If you’ve still got juice after turning off your main CB, then you’re in someone else’s house

Don't care whose house I'm in.I'll still be checking for voltage regardless whether the main CB is on or off.

Cerco

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Just to add something to the two above posts that may not be immediately obvious to a beginer: once you turn off the power at the fusebox/board, check that the light does not come on when you flick the switch on the wall (or have the light on before you turn off the mains and then check that the light actually went off).
Assuming that it doesn't then start unscrewing the fitting from the ceiling.

The reason op wants to change socket is because it is broken and will not hold a bulb. Hence it is important to kill all power at the board.

Seth Brundle

Cerco wrote: »

The reason op wants to change socket is because it is broken and will not hold a bulb. Hence it is important to kill all power at the board.

My point was more to alert them to double check there was no power to the light *after* turning off the mains.
I did forget that the light socket wouldn't hold a bulb though!