Lighting

Was thinking about going LED bulbs.. but the modules just look a lot better. 
 
Never thought changing light bulbs can be so stressful, first 10 or so is easy, step ladder, unscrew old, screw in new, done, repeat.  Then I get to my tricky one:  single can over stairs but vault ceiling.  I unpack my extension bulb changer/duster/wiper thingy.  It can extend up to 16 feet.  Plus me, that should get me around 20+ feet of extension.  Fully extended, the extension arm becomes too skinny and unstable.  And thats without loading it up with a heavy LED bulb.  Ok, scrap changing bulb from stable ground downstairs.  Go upstairs and I can use the extension arm by reaching over stair railing, but now I'm offset 90 degrees and can't do a straight screw in.  My injured knee starts to ache.  The metal claw that grabs onto the bulb also is now too wide for it to fit inside the can as it expands out.  I take some pliers and straighten the claw out so it can fit in the can while holding the bulb.  First attempt, bulb popped out but luckily the claw hung on and I was able to reel it back in.  Remember I'm on the 2nd floor with about a 20 foot free fall for the bulb if it comes loose.  Second attempt, same issue, looks like the claw comes loose as I try to twist the bulb into place.  This time not so lucky, claw is fully disengaged from said bulb except for one teeny tiny claw.  I'm jamming the extension stick against the bulb in the can to prevent it from falling.  Now what?  Call wife?  What if bulb slips as she comes over?  Let it drop and with my Bruce Lee reflexes, reach out over the railing and snatch it from mid-air?  10 seconds of pondering, weakly call out to wife to come help.  Before she gets here, the bulb finally slips from the slippery claw, and I watch in slow mo as it descends.  Some how in the middle of the descent it caught something and flew at an 45 degree angle downwards, straight onto my couch!  I think my inner chi came to life during the slow mo descent and I hadoken'ed it across the room onto a soft landing. 

I inspect the well traveled $8 BR30 LED bulb from Costco and noticed the grooves at the metal contact end are not aligned and damaged.  Not sure if I damaged it as I try to screw at an uncomfortable angle, or my hadoken damaged it or my sofa cushion laid some smackdown on it, but I'll return it to store tomorrow and claim that it is damaged.  Hopefully they won't notice that I scratched the crap out of it with my metal claw thingy. 

I will not give up, to be continued........
 
ps9 said:
Never thought changing light bulbs can be so stressful, first 10 or so is easy, step ladder, unscrew old, screw in new, done, repeat.  Then I get to my tricky one:  single can over stairs but vault ceiling.  I unpack my extension bulb changer/duster/wiper thingy.  It can extend up to 16 feet.  Plus me, that should get me around 20+ feet of extension.  Fully extended, the extension arm becomes too skinny and unstable.  And thats without loading it up with a heavy LED bulb.  Ok, scrap changing bulb from stable ground downstairs.  Go upstairs and I can use the extension arm by reaching over stair railing, but now I'm offset 90 degrees and can't do a straight screw in.  My injured knee starts to ache.  The metal claw that grabs onto the bulb also is now too wide for it to fit inside the can as it expands out.  I take some pliers and straighten the claw out so it can fit in the can while holding the bulb.  First attempt, bulb popped out but luckily the claw hung on and I was able to reel it back in.  Remember I'm on the 2nd floor with about a 20 foot free fall for the bulb if it comes loose.  Second attempt, same issue, looks like the claw comes loose as I try to twist the bulb into place.  This time not so lucky, claw is fully disengaged from said bulb except for one teeny tiny claw.  I'm jamming the extension stick against the bulb in the can to prevent it from falling.  Now what?  Call wife?  What if bulb slips as she comes over?  Let it drop and with my Bruce Lee reflexes, reach out over the railing and snatch it from mid-air?  10 seconds of pondering, weakly call out to wife to come help.  Before she gets here, the bulb finally slips from the slippery claw, and I watch in slow mo as it descends.  Some how in the middle of the descent it caught something and flew at an 45 degree angle downwards, straight onto my couch!  I think my inner chi came to life during the slow mo descent and I hadoken'ed it across the room onto a soft landing. 

I inspect the well traveled $8 BR30 LED bulb from Costco and noticed the grooves at the metal contact end are not aligned and damaged.  Not sure if I damaged it as I try to screw at an uncomfortable angle, or my hadoken damaged it or my sofa cushion laid some smackdown on it, but I'll return it to store tomorrow and claim that it is damaged.  Hopefully they won't notice that I scratched the crap out of it with my metal claw thingy. 

I will not give up, to be continued........
Click to expand...

I had the exact same problem and ended up leaving the incandescent bulb in. :p
 
woodburyowner said:
ps9 said:
Never thought changing light bulbs can be so stressful, first 10 or so is easy, step ladder, unscrew old, screw in new, done, repeat.  Then I get to my tricky one:  single can over stairs but vault ceiling.  I unpack my extension bulb changer/duster/wiper thingy.  It can extend up to 16 feet.  Plus me, that should get me around 20+ feet of extension.  Fully extended, the extension arm becomes too skinny and unstable.  And thats without loading it up with a heavy LED bulb.  Ok, scrap changing bulb from stable ground downstairs.  Go upstairs and I can use the extension arm by reaching over stair railing, but now I'm offset 90 degrees and can't do a straight screw in.  My injured knee starts to ache.  The metal claw that grabs onto the bulb also is now too wide for it to fit inside the can as it expands out.  I take some pliers and straighten the claw out so it can fit in the can while holding the bulb.  First attempt, bulb popped out but luckily the claw hung on and I was able to reel it back in.  Remember I'm on the 2nd floor with about a 20 foot free fall for the bulb if it comes loose.  Second attempt, same issue, looks like the claw comes loose as I try to twist the bulb into place.  This time not so lucky, claw is fully disengaged from said bulb except for one teeny tiny claw.  I'm jamming the extension stick against the bulb in the can to prevent it from falling.  Now what?  Call wife?  What if bulb slips as she comes over?  Let it drop and with my Bruce Lee reflexes, reach out over the railing and snatch it from mid-air?  10 seconds of pondering, weakly call out to wife to come help.  Before she gets here, the bulb finally slips from the slippery claw, and I watch in slow mo as it descends.  Some how in the middle of the descent it caught something and flew at an 45 degree angle downwards, straight onto my couch!  I think my inner chi came to life during the slow mo descent and I hadoken'ed it across the room onto a soft landing. 

I inspect the well traveled $8 BR30 LED bulb from Costco and noticed the grooves at the metal contact end are not aligned and damaged.  Not sure if I damaged it as I try to screw at an uncomfortable angle, or my hadoken damaged it or my sofa cushion laid some smackdown on it, but I'll return it to store tomorrow and claim that it is damaged.  Hopefully they won't notice that I scratched the crap out of it with my metal claw thingy. 

I will not give up, to be continued........
Click to expand...

I had the exact same problem and ended up leaving the incandescent bulb in. :p
Click to expand...

Same issue here with my previous house.  I have no idea how I'm going to replace the light bulb if it every goes out so we rarely turn these light on.  It has been 20 years and the original incandescent light bulb still works. 

Don't give up PS9 and please be careful.  We need to hear the second half of the story.
 
I never tried the claw.  I had one that used a suction cup.. worked pretty well.  pulled it out nicely.  When I put it back on.. I attached a string on the suction part (had a hole there) and peeled it off. 
 
i have a canned light that kind of sits over the middle of the island, it hasnt gone out, but the kitchen lights are always on, due to the size of island the only way to change it out would be to get on the island, im pretty sure if i get on it ill probably break the slab - perhaps a kitchen island can hold the weight of a woman?
 
So this morning my wife asked why all these attachments are scattered on her sofa.  She then noticed a suction cup attachment with a string like jmoney said above.  Huh?  I didn't see that last night.  Can it be that simple?  I ripped open the instructions and of course the suction cups are for removing floodlights (if you heard a loud smack this morning in Irvine, that was my hand traumatizing my forehead).  My dream burns anew tonight!

To be continued
 
Granite island?  I stood on mine all the time to change out bulbs..  I'm 150LBS though. 
 
jmoney74 said:
Granite island?  I stood on mine all the time to change out bulbs..  I'm 150LBS though. 
Click to expand...

yeah, its granite. ok good to know it can handle 150, i wont dare to get on there but that can definitely handle my wife. thanks.
 
I'm about 210 I used to stand on my granite countertops to reach the top of my cabinets.  The last couple times I had an eery feeling that the counter was going to give way so I probably won't be doing that again.  I can only imagine the wrath that would have come down on me if that happened from the wife :)
 
lnc said:
woodburyowner said:
ps9 said:
Never thought changing light bulbs can be so stressful, first 10 or so is easy, step ladder, unscrew old, screw in new, done, repeat.  Then I get to my tricky one:  single can over stairs but vault ceiling.  I unpack my extension bulb changer/duster/wiper thingy.  It can extend up to 16 feet.  Plus me, that should get me around 20+ feet of extension.  Fully extended, the extension arm becomes too skinny and unstable.  And thats without loading it up with a heavy LED bulb.  Ok, scrap changing bulb from stable ground downstairs.  Go upstairs and I can use the extension arm by reaching over stair railing, but now I'm offset 90 degrees and can't do a straight screw in.  My injured knee starts to ache.  The metal claw that grabs onto the bulb also is now too wide for it to fit inside the can as it expands out.  I take some pliers and straighten the claw out so it can fit in the can while holding the bulb.  First attempt, bulb popped out but luckily the claw hung on and I was able to reel it back in.  Remember I'm on the 2nd floor with about a 20 foot free fall for the bulb if it comes loose.  Second attempt, same issue, looks like the claw comes loose as I try to twist the bulb into place.  This time not so lucky, claw is fully disengaged from said bulb except for one teeny tiny claw.  I'm jamming the extension stick against the bulb in the can to prevent it from falling.  Now what?  Call wife?  What if bulb slips as she comes over?  Let it drop and with my Bruce Lee reflexes, reach out over the railing and snatch it from mid-air?  10 seconds of pondering, weakly call out to wife to come help.  Before she gets here, the bulb finally slips from the slippery claw, and I watch in slow mo as it descends.  Some how in the middle of the descent it caught something and flew at an 45 degree angle downwards, straight onto my couch!  I think my inner chi came to life during the slow mo descent and I hadoken'ed it across the room onto a soft landing. 

I inspect the well traveled $8 BR30 LED bulb from Costco and noticed the grooves at the metal contact end are not aligned and damaged.  Not sure if I damaged it as I try to screw at an uncomfortable angle, or my hadoken damaged it or my sofa cushion laid some smackdown on it, but I'll return it to store tomorrow and claim that it is damaged.  Hopefully they won't notice that I scratched the crap out of it with my metal claw thingy. 

I will not give up, to be continued........
Click to expand...

I had the exact same problem and ended up leaving the incandescent bulb in. :p
Click to expand...

Same issue here with my previous house.  I have no idea how I'm going to replace the light bulb if it every goes out so we rarely turn these light on.  It has been 20 years and the original incandescent light bulb still works. 

Don't give up PS9 and please be careful.  We need to hear the second half of the story.
Click to expand...

I actually replaced the old CFL bulb with a LED bulb a couple of weeks ago in the same stairwell location in my house, so had to use the aluminum extension ladder.  It was a bit tricky since the crappy socket housing came loose and I had to jiggle it a few times to tighten it so I can securely screw in the new heavier LED bulb.  Now the stairs are very well lit with a warm glow every time.  :)

... oh yeah, and I had to touch up paint the spots where the ladder scratched up the wall.  Otherwise, it was an easy job...  ;D

That bulb better last the 20 years they claim...

 
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$20 at Costco District, 3 lumens, stainless steel body, rubber stake.  Similar to previous models but this year the glass is skinnier looking.  The ones I got a year ago still work, and my sprinklers go to town on them every other night.  Got some more to put down in my itty bitty Irvine front yard. 
 
Went to the TR Costco Sunday and they had the Luminous LED retrofit kit (1200 lumens) for $15 after $5 rebate.  Picked up four, easy to install, very bright, great deal.  Go get 'em!

I only saw a couple of cases there, so might be sold out, or maybe they're just getting the shipment in now.  I didn't see a price tag, so had to ask the front desk.  The price was right!

 
jmoney74 said:
I never tried the claw.  I had one that used a suction cup.. worked pretty well.  pulled it out nicely.  When I put it back on.. I attached a string on the suction part (had a hole there) and peeled it off.
Click to expand...

This won't work with an LED light since the suction won't take. I found this out when I had the service guy try to install it. He is going to come back with his claw and we'll see if that will work!
 
I keep forgetting to post this:

ps9 said:
Before she gets here, the bulb finally slips from the slippery claw, and I watch in slow mo as it descends.  Some how in the middle of the descent it caught something and flew at an 45 degree angle downwards, straight onto my couch!  I think my inner chi came to life during the slow mo descent and I hadoken'ed it across the room onto a soft landing. 
Click to expand...

2nb7tqd.jpg
 
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