Bulbs - expendable materials, which, depending on the quality of production and operating conditions, have a certain period of "life". This "life" ends at the moment when, after the next switching on of the lamp, you still remain standing in a dark or partially lit room. Sometimes lamps are so complex in execution that replacing them results in a whole event. This is especially true for built-in LED and halogen devices with non-standard models.

In this article, we will consider the types of socles found in everyday life, as well as ways to remove various light bulbs from any lamp and replace them with new ones. Separately, it is worth considering the issue of replacing them in a false ceiling. Including find out how to change the halogen lamp.

Plinth types

A base is a thread or another type of connector with which a light bulb is attached to a socket or lamp. In the base there are contacts that, when interacting with the contacts of the lamp, conduct current.

In everyday life, the following types of socles are found:

• E27 - the most common type, screwed into almost all chandeliers and floor lamps. It has the form of a thread with a diameter of 27 mm.
• E14 - the second most common base, thread with a diameter of 14 mm. It has low-power models that are installed in floor lamps, night lamps, wall decorative lamps.
• In the picture below, in the second row, tubular plinths are shown. fluorescent lamps found in long ceiling and wall lamps.
• In the third row you can see the bases of light bulbs that are built into the ceiling lamp.

How to unscrew a light bulb with your own hands

Each type of luminaire and lamp has its own replacement instructions, but the first steps are the same for all cases.

• Completely de-energize your house at the shield or meter. In this case, you can not be afraid of electric shock.
• To access tall chandeliers and stretch ceiling spotlights, find a stable ladder or stool. When working with such fragile parts, you need to be sure of where you stand.
• We carefully stand on a stool (or stay on the floor if the light bulb can be reached without effort), we work only when the switch is off with dry hands.
• Further steps for replacing lamps depend on their type. If these are threaded bases, then with one hand we take the bulb itself (attention, it may still be hot), and with the other we hold on to the cartridge. With gentle movements, we begin to unscrew counterclockwise. Don't squeeze the glass too hard - remember, it's thin. When unscrewing the halogen lamp, remove it only with clean and soft gloves.
• If the light bulb does not lend itself to twisting, you need to try to loosen it, then it will succumb.
• If it burned out because it burst, then it will be quite difficult to unscrew it. How to change a broken light bulb in this case? There is nothing to take on - only sharp fragments of glass stick out of the cartridge. An ordinary potato will help you. Cut it in half, carefully place it on the protruding fragments with a cut, and then unscrew the remnants of the bulb with gentle counterclockwise movements.

• Even if the fragments do not stick out, but the base is firmly seated in the cartridge, it can be unscrewed using an ordinary plastic bottle. Using a match or a lighter, melt the neck of the bottle a little, and while the plastic is hot, insert it into the empty base. Wait a minute for the plastic inside to harden, then unscrew the rest. The E14 base can be removed with a wine cork. This method is not suitable for replacing light bulbs in a luminaire in a stretch ceiling.
• Long tubular fluorescent lamps have their own way of fixing. To remove, grasp the body of the lamp with both hands and gently turn it along its axis in any direction. In the process, there will be a few characteristic clicks along the edges of the lamp - as it should be, these are click fasteners. After turning approximately 45 degrees, the lamp contacts will show at the edges of the mount, and it can be easily pulled out of the grooves.

• How to change a light bulb in a spotlight? With built-in lights, the situation is a little more complicated. The lamps in them are fixed with the help of special springs made of hardened metal. To interact with them, special levers are provided on the case, by pressing on which, you will release the light bulb from the mount, and it can be removed. The main thing is not to overdo it with pressing the levers - they are quite fragile, they are very easy to break. In addition, if the light bulb is suddenly released, it can slip out and fall to the floor, which will lead to the formation of a large number of dangerous fragments and damage to the floor covering - not The best way replacement of a lamp in a false ceiling.

• If you can't find any levers, but you can hold the device with your hands, try gently turning it 90 degrees counterclockwise. How to remove a spotlight? There are fasteners that, after turning the light bulb and a quiet click, allow it to be removed. After removing the lamp, put it in a safe place.

How to install a new

Installation is usually the complete opposite of withdrawal in terms of technology.

• The threaded versions are screwed into the chuck clockwise until the sensitive stop. Do not be too zealous with screwing in so that the light bulb does not burst or the socket does not crack. We also replace halogen bulbs.
• Long lamps are inserted with contacts into the slots from which the old lamp was removed. After that, the lamp is rotated by hand along its axis by 90 degrees until a characteristic click is heard.
• Bulbs in ceiling and other recessed fixtures are usually simply inserted back until the spring clicks, no levers need to be pressed to do this. With the help of such mechanisms, spot ceiling lights are replaced.
• After installation, make sure that the lamp is securely fixed in its socket and does not hang out in it, this is especially true when replacing it in a spotlight.
• Try to turn on the LED or other installed lamp - be sure to turn away from it, and for all those present, give the command "light" so that they also do not look. Take care of your eyes when you turn on new lamps - there have been cases when they, defective, burst with the first inclusion.

Conclusion

Despite the abundance of models that can be found in everyday life, you can replace them all with your own hands. The main thing is to follow the safety precautions as when removing old lamp, as well as when screwing it in. Be careful, do not squeeze the glass and do not be zealous with thin and fragile parts of lamps and halogen lamps– the damage caused may be hazardous to your health.

Before looking for an answer to the question - how to change a fluorescent lamp, it is necessary to determine what burned out in it. The throttle, the starter, and the lamp itself, the light source, can fail. To do this, it is necessary to remove the external light diffuser (in some types of lamps) and examine all the components of which it consists. If the throttle and starter have external deformations, emit the smell of burnt wiring, then they are out of order. The fact that the lamp will soon stop burning is evidenced by the blackening of its edges.

What is required to replace

Screwdriver, current indicator, spare parts - a set of tools directly depends on the cause of the malfunction:

• throttle;
• starter;
• lamp (one or two).

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Specialist in the repair, maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.

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Before starting work, you must first disconnect the device from the power supply. Under no circumstances should you attempt to carry out any work under voltage. Without experience, you can get an electric shock. The consequences of a blow can be unpredictable.

When carrying out repair work, you must use work gloves so as not to injure your hands on the sharp edges of the lamp itself or the elements that make up its composition. All spare parts must be disconnected carefully so as not to damage the device - efficient units.

Varieties of plinths and their features

The plinth is constituent part this lighting device, which is designed to ensure its fastening in the cartridge and supply electric current. Fluorescent lamps are equipped with the following types of base:

• E14. They call him a minion. It is threaded.
• E27. The plinth is medium in size. Like the previous one, it has a thread. The only difference is the size of the base.
• G5. Designed to equip a lamp with a bulb diameter of 16 mm.

Sequence of actions when replacing lamps

How to pull out a fluorescent lamp? After the appliance is disconnected from the mains, you need to remove the reflector, if it is installed in a particular product. Next, turn the lamp clockwise and pull it out of the socket in which it is placed. After that, you need to insert a new lamp into the connector intended for it and turn it in the opposite direction. After it is already in the lighting fixture, you need to check if it works. If not, you can simply press it in the socket, perhaps there is no contact.

How to remove the lamp

Recessed luminaires

Fluorescent lamps can be installed in different types of lighting fixtures. One of the most common types of them are built-in - they do not protrude above the bearing surface of the ceiling or wall, the installation of fluorescent lamps is done inside the surface. They are used for arranging lighting in spacious rooms. These luminaires are ideal for suspended ceilings. They can be easily and securely fastened.

All of them are equipped with special reflectors, which determine how the lighting in the room will be, what light the device will emit and in what spectrum. They can be used to organize the lighting of plants, providing them with the light radiation necessary for growth and development.

Built-in fluorescent lamps in kitchen set

Overhead lamps

They protrude above the bearing surface of the ceiling or wall - superimposed on top. These luminaires are ideal for entryways, hallways, apartments, warehouses and other spaces with limited space. Suitable for organizing lighting in rooms, the height of the walls in which reaches 4 meters.

Lighting devices based on tubular fluorescent lamps are still in demand in office, warehouse and industrial premises. Without a doubt, such light sources have large dimensions, buzz during operation and do not shine as stably as their counterparts, but is there any point in replacing if the lamp can last a very long time? You can simply replace the fluorescent lamp, and everything will return to its place.

The bottom line is that the whole principle of operation of ionized light sources does not depend on the size and shape, and the price of such a lamp is quite low. How to change a fluorescent lamp? First you need to get acquainted with the main principles and methods of connection.

How does the lamp work?

Let's see how exactly this type of device works. Inside the “lamp” a discharge glows in an atmosphere of inert gases, including mercury impurities. All the “chemistry” provides a fairly bright glow in the UV (ultraviolet) spectrum, which is converted into the usual visible light with the help of a phosphor, which is applied to the inner wall of the glass bulb.

Important! To start an electrical breakdown, during which the gas is ionized and becomes a conductor of electric current, a high voltage pulse is needed between the cathodes of this low pressure lamp.

To start such a lamp, use the two most common connection schemes that involve the use of:

• EMPRA and starter. EMPRA is an electromagnetic ballast.
• Electronic ballast - electronic ballast.

How to change the fluorescent lamp in the lamp for EMPRA? Instructions are provided below.

Electromagnetic apparatus

To be honest, the launch principle is the same for both cases, but in this diagram you can see all the nuances more clearly. We apply voltage, thereby heating the cathodes of the device, then a sharp voltage jump occurs, which activates an electrical breakdown in the gaseous medium, through which electrons begin to move.

The starter just provides heating of the electrodes of the device. It is connected in series to the filaments of each of the cathodes. The circuit is also equipped with an EMPRA choke.

A closed glass bulb with bimetallic contacts is built into the starter. A glow discharge occurs between these contacts, which is formed due to the supply of voltage. This discharge heats the plates and the contacts close. After that, the current begins its movement directly along the filaments of the lamp, also warming them up.

After a short period of time, the contacts on the starter cool down and open, resulting in a sharp voltage pulse, which provides the inductance of the throttle. After all the processes, the lamp starts to glow.

Scheme with electronic ballast

Electronic ballast provides the occurrence of electric current with high frequencies. The entire triggering algorithm is “programmed” by this circuit.

Important! It is this technology that allows for a cold instant start of a fluorescent lamp. This activation technique can reduce life, but is great for extending life if the lamps are burned out or the cathodes are damaged, which can be indicated by blackening at the ends of the tube.

Cold start and the whole way it is carried out according to the rules must be described in the device passport. A diagram with an electronic device must be drawn on the body of the device. If you follow this scheme, then you can connect the lamp yourself. But it's no secret that this technology has long been supplanted by the use of electromagnetic components.

We figured out the principles of work, but how to change the fluorescent lamp in the office? Now we will answer this question.

Changing a burnt out lamp

If the whole problem is only to replace the lamp, without any inclusion of electronic parts, then you just need to follow these recommendations for replacement:

1. Disassemble the lamp. With extreme care, rotate the tube along its axis.
2. When you rotate the glass tube 90 degrees, it can be lowered down so that the pads pass through the holes in the holders.
3. The new lamp must be positioned so that the contact connections are in a vertical plane and easily enter the slots. After that, the tube is screwed in the opposite direction.
4. Start the power supply and make sure that the lighting device is working, return the diffuser cover to its place.

Important! The defective lamp must be disposed of in an appropriate container for such waste.

Is it possible to check the functionality of the components?

If you are going to connect the lamp, then you must be sure that it is working. To do this, you need to get a tester and measure the resistance of the filaments on the cathodes. Resistance should be no more than 10 ohms.

Is your tester showing infinite resistance? Take your time to get rid of the light bulb, because it can be used a little more, thanks to the cold start mode.

Usually, the contacts on the starter are open at rest, and the capacitor plates do not conduct D.C.. This means that when measuring resistance, the device must output up to a hundred MΩ. When you touch the tester probes to the inductor leads, the resistance values ​​​​should gradually decrease to a constant within a few tens of ohms.

Important! Unfortunately for everyone, an ordinary ohmmeter does not allow you to identify a problem in the inductor winding, but if your multimeter is equipped with an inductance meter and you know all the parameters of the EMPRA, then it will be possible to identify the defect.

Also, a malfunction of the throttle is indicated by the instantaneous burnout of a newly installed lamp. Unfortunately, here with the help of a multimeter, well, you can’t do it.

Fluorescent lamps have become widespread over the past few decades. Although more advanced light sources have appeared on the market, fluorescent light bulbs are still popular due to their cost-effectiveness and quality lighting. However, any technique breaks down, so over time, you will need to replace fluorescent lamps. How to change the fluorescent lamp, will be discussed below.

Required Components

To replace the light source, you will need the following set of components and tools:

• throttle;
• starter;
• 1-2 light bulbs.

Turn off the power before changing the lamp. Work under voltage is unacceptable, as it is life threatening. Repairs are recommended to be carried out in protective gloves - this will prevent injury to the skin of the hands on the sharp elements of the device.

Types of plinths

An integral component of the lighting device is the base. This part is used to fix the light bulb in the cartridge and supply electricity to it.

In luminescent light sources, the following types of cartridges are used:

1. E14. These threaded cartridges are called minions.
2. E27. Medium size threaded plinths. Differ from E14 only in size.
3. Pin base G. There are several types of cartridges (they differ in the distance between the contacts) - G5, G13, G53. Also, the name sometimes contains a second letter indicating specific model(for example, GU10).

Lamps with G5 and G13 base

The most popular bulbs in ceiling fixtures are equipped with G5 and G13 sockets. These bases are especially often used for kitchen and bathroom lamps, local lighting (for example, mirrors).

The most common cause of fluorescent lamp failure is the lamp. Sometimes the cause of the breakdown is the throttle or starter. A burned out light bulb is easy to identify by the dark ring around the bulb.

Replacement instructions:

1. We purchase a lamp of the right size and power. If you have any difficulties with determining the characteristics of the lamp, we take it with us to the store. This will help the seller to choose the right light bulb.
2. We turn off the electrical appliance. To ensure safety, it is recommended to completely de-energize the room by turning off the electricity in the shield.
3. We dismantle the ceiling (lighting grille). The plafond on the ceiling is attached to the luminaire body with latches or screws. Sometimes the ceiling rests on the lamp itself. To dismantle the cover, just pull on any of its edges.
4. Unscrew the light bulb. We cover the lamp with both hands (closer to the edges of the bulb) and turn it 90 degrees along the axis. We pull out the light bulb carefully, but with a little effort, so that the contact pins come out of the cartridge guides.

1. We mount the lamp in the lamp. We put it into the cartridge until it stops, and then turn it around the axis by 90 degrees. The direction of screwing does not matter.
2. We check the operation of the lamp. If everything is done correctly, we return the ceiling to its place. If the light does not appear, turn off the lights and gently move the light bulb (turn it slightly). If these attempts are unsuccessful, we pay attention to the throttle or starter - most likely the problem is in them. Replacing the throttle and starter is a rather complicated operation, and it is better to entrust it to a specialist. In this case, it is recommended to install a new lamp, since the cost of repair work will cover the cost of buying a new lighting device.

Lamps with G23 base

Socles of subspecies G23, 2G11 and GX23 are most often used for local lighting - in table and wall lamps. The bases differ in size and shape, but the principle of contact between the bulb and the cartridge is the same everywhere.

Lamp replacement is carried out in the following order:

1. We buy a light bulb.
2. We turn off the electricity.
3. We unscrew the lamp from the cartridge. Gently pull it by the edge of the flask towards the ceiling. The movement must be bending in order to remove the bulb from the retaining clip. This must be done carefully, without damaging the retainer bracket. When the light bulb is released from the clamp, pull it out, slightly swinging in the direction opposite to the cartridge.
4. Installing the light bulb in the lamp is done in the reverse order. It is necessary to insert the lamp into the socket and press the end of the bulb to push it inward. The click of the locking mechanism indicates the success of the installation. Movement should be confident, but careful. It is important not to damage the plastic retainer, as it wears out over time and breaks easily.

Note! A fluorescent lamp contains 3-5 milligrams of mercury. This element is extremely toxic. Unacceptable to throw away luminescent sources light along with other debris.

Replacing a fluorescent lamp is the simplest operation that even a novice home master can handle. To complete the task, you only need care and accuracy.