The lamp on the back of our sofa flickers way too often. It is almost like something is wrong with the inside of the bayonet base into which the bulbs are inserted.
My fear is that there is no way to take this lamp apart without removing the sofa. Does anyone have any suggestions for fixing the problem of flickering bulbs? There is no way I want to remove the sofa.
Hi George,
Presuming the problem is a loose bulb...shut off the power to the lamp, remove the shade then carefully use a small, hooked instrument to bend the tab(s) in the bulb socket upward to about 30 degrees. That should tighten the bulb to stop the flickering. :)
Thank you, Jim. I will do as you suggest tomorrow morning. Fingers are crossed.
George,
A more permanent solution is to buy small rubber O-rings. When the light switch is off, carefully fit an O-ring below the the contacts in each lamp. It will keep the contacts from deforming.
I have done 2400 miles in a day.
But it was in a C130 doing 290 knots TAS
oops, wrong post !!
I have had the same problem, believe it or not it was actually the light bulb contacts were worn. New light bulb solved the problem.
Joe
George, you can definitely take this fixture apart without removing the couch.
Remove the shade, then remove the tube that the shade mounts on by turning the tube which is threaded into a bracket hidden by the round brass base plate. You will now see the wiring.
I had three like yours with two contacts on the bottom of each bulb. These two contact bulbs do not maintain electric contact very well.
I took them apart, cut off the crimped wire connectors, and drilled out the rivets.
I then took the bulb holder apart and bent the contacts to use a single contact bulb and case ground. I now use LED single contact bulbs, 0.130 amps which do not flicker.
Thank you. This solved my problem. I could not get all of the O-ring under the two contacts, so I cut 1/4 inch sections of O-ring and placed each segment under a contact. The downward pressure of the properly seated bulb keeps the O-ring segment in place. The flicker is gone. I am very grateful to learn of this trick. A long-standing and very annoying condition is gone. I am continually amazed at how much knowledge is available on FF for the asking. Without FF, I am sure many of us would spend needless hours and hundreds of dollars for repairs that can easily be done by ourselves.
George,
That's terrific that you were able to fix the flicker...Huh? That rhymes... ;D
Just kidding, I was going to suggest the non-electric approach to fixing the problem...candles... ::)
What do you think of these ? One day I was bored and scuffed and painted the brass to up date them . They look like they are oil rubbed bronze . Art & Teri