Friday, December 4, 2015

Bright Idea From A Dim Bulb


Even if it's not my money I'm loathe to spend $20. If you care for reptiles or invertebrates you're probably familiar with Zoo Med lamps and probably familiar with the problem of bulbs buzzing or lamp fixtures intermittently working. It's the easiest thing to fix so don't toss it, tweak it.





The lamp is a pretty simple device and there's not much to break. If it's broken you'll really know because of the sparks and burning and fires and incident reports. None of that? Then let's help complete the circuit again.

First, UNPLUG the lamp or you'll end up trying to weld your multi tool to the socket (ask me how I know!) That little piece of copper at the bottom is the hot contact and touches the bottom of the bulb. When you screw a bulb in too far you squish this down and create the problem of a temperamental bulb that only works in certain positions like the intro GIF, though hopefully not to the same extreme.

Pry it up with a screwdriver and the rest of the way with needlenose pliers. Not too hard or you'll snap it off. Too late? Toss it all, you thought this was broken anyway.


If you're still having lighting problems it's related to that discoloration you're seeing on the copper. Like the Statue of Liberty it's gotten covered in F̶r̶e̶n̶c̶h̶i̶n̶e̶s̶s̶  copper oxide over time which is now insulating the conducting copper underneath. Take a tiny bit of sandpaper and scratch that off..


Reassemble and you should have a working clamp lamp again!


No comments:

Post a Comment