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Ceiling light fixture died

Cardinal

Cardinal

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I have a ceiling light fixture in my studio, and it went *pop* and died after I removed a bulb from one of the sockets. This was done while the light was on. I know that wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but in my defense I’ve done this not-smart thing countless times in the past and never had this problem. I’ve gone through the house with a fine tooth comb and reset every breaker I could find, and nothing works. Every other outlet in the room is working -- not a single other thing anywhere isn't working. A voltage tester shows electricity going to the light switch, though the tester was unclear concerning the light fixture itself. The fixture works with six led gu10 mr16 bulbs. I swapped out the bulb with a new one, but that didn't do the trick.

I don't have anything against removing the fixture itself if I have to poke around in there to look for frayed or loose wires, but it's sort of a pain in the ass and I was wondering if there was something I could do first before going to that step.

This is the bulb:

The fixture is a NOMA led track light, but I can't link to it because it's no longer being produced. I've been using it on a daily basis for over two years, but it really didn't like me removing that bulb while it was on.


iu


And this is the voltage tester I'm using: https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/electrical-testers/non-contact-voltage-tester-70-1000v-ac

Is there anything I can do before I have to drop a hundred bucks or so on an electrician?
 
Cardinal said:
I have a ceiling light fixture in my studio, and it went *pop* and died after I removed a bulb from one of the sockets. This was done while the light was on. I know that wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but in my defense I’ve done this not-smart thing countless times in the past and never had this problem. I’ve gone through the house with a fine tooth comb and reset every breaker I could find, and nothing works. Every other outlet in the room is working -- not a single other thing anywhere isn't working. A voltage tester shows electricity going to the light switch, though the tester was unclear concerning the light fixture itself. The fixture works with six led gu10 mr16 bulbs. I swapped out the bulb with a new one, but that didn't do the trick.

I don't have anything against removing the fixture itself if I have to poke around in there to look for frayed or loose wires, but it's sort of a pain in the ass and I was wondering if there was something I could do first before going to that step.

This is the bulb:

The fixture is a NOMA led track light, but I can't link to it because it's no longer being produced. I've been using it on a daily basis for over two years, but it really didn't like me removing that bulb while it was on.


iu


And this is the voltage tester I'm using: https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/electrical-testers/non-contact-voltage-tester-70-1000v-ac

Is there anything I can do before I have to drop a hundred bucks or so on an electrician?
Click to expand...
It says the bulbs are 120 volt, so there is not much to fry. I suspect a short in one of the other bulbs.
try unplugging all the bulbs, and then start with just 1, if it comes on start adding bulbs until it does not come on.
take the last bulb out and replace.
 
longview said:
It says the bulbs are 120 volt, so there is not much to fry. I suspect a short in one of the other bulbs.
try unplugging all the bulbs, and then start with just 1, if it comes on start adding bulbs until it does not come on.
take the last bulb out and replace.
Click to expand...
Will do.
 
RetiredUSN said:
Something shorted in the light can/body.

The socket components aren't exactly high quality in Noma.

If it's under warranty....take it back.

If not.....................dumpster.
Click to expand...
I tried longview's tip and that didn't work, so it looks like I'm opening up the fixture.

Yes, yes, I will shut off the power to the fixture first.
 
Cardinal said:
I tried longview's tip and that didn't work, so it looks like I'm opening up the fixture.

Yes, yes, I will shut off the power to the fixture first.
Click to expand...
Sorry, it was worth a try, the fixture may have some type of in line fuse, but those are sometimes difficult to see.
 
Cardinal said:
I tried longview's tip and that didn't work, so it looks like I'm opening up the fixture.

Yes, yes, I will shut off the power to the fixture first.
Click to expand...
Open up the can that made the pop and look for anything that may have touched. You'll know it when you see it. (blueish porous contact burn)
 
Cardinal said:
I have a ceiling light fixture in my studio, and it went *pop* and died after I removed a bulb from one of the sockets. This was done while the light was on. I know that wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but in my defense I’ve done this not-smart thing countless times in the past and never had this problem. I’ve gone through the house with a fine tooth comb and reset every breaker I could find, and nothing works. Every other outlet in the room is working -- not a single other thing anywhere isn't working. A voltage tester shows electricity going to the light switch, though the tester was unclear concerning the light fixture itself. The fixture works with six led gu10 mr16 bulbs. I swapped out the bulb with a new one, but that didn't do the trick.

I don't have anything against removing the fixture itself if I have to poke around in there to look for frayed or loose wires, but it's sort of a pain in the ass and I was wondering if there was something I could do first before going to that step.

This is the bulb:

The fixture is a NOMA led track light, but I can't link to it because it's no longer being produced. I've been using it on a daily basis for over two years, but it really didn't like me removing that bulb while it was on.


iu


And this is the voltage tester I'm using: https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/electrical-testers/non-contact-voltage-tester-70-1000v-ac

Is there anything I can do before I have to drop a hundred bucks or so on an electrician?
Click to expand...





I am at best a tinkerer. I built Heathkits back in the day, but my answer would have to be that it's doubtful you can do anything.

What I have found is the newer products, the slick LED based systems either work, or they don't. And 'repair' is word that does not exist in Asia I think.


Years ago I had a desk lamp that had three bulbs in one, circular rings with which you could change the pattern, mix the lights or indeed set it low to watch films. I had it for about 15 year then re did my entire workstation. When I re-installed the lamp I clicked on to the first position, a low level flood for film. I hit the invisible button once to bring up the light level and it made a sizzling sound and died.
A neighbor who is better at this shit looked at it and we determined there was no way to get into the works without breaking the whole device.

Later I broke it anyway just to see. All printed circuitry with a lot of components I did not recognize and an evil looking microchip which had obviously fried. I would check with an electrician before anything but I think anymore replace is the only option.

I just learned from a neighbor that the foreign car they have is engineered similarly. You can't service the battery without removing the cooling system with the radiator.

Do it yourself is a memory anymore...
 
Just call an electrician.

I don’t mess with electrical stuff.
 
Well shit. There's power going to the light switch but none to the fixture. The tester didn't pick up anything around the wires.
 
BirdinHand said:
Just call an electrician.

I don’t mess with electrical stuff.
Click to expand...

Yup, I've seen enough to know this problem is bigger than me. Welp, you gotta try.
 
Place your meter across the two screws on the light switch in the "Off" position. It should show 120 VAC
Now flip the switch and measure across the switch again. It should show 0 Vac but will likely show 120 VAC still. If this is true, the switch is failed open.

However don't just replace the switch until you determine what caused the switch to fail. That is your "root cause failure"....the switch was collateral damage.....

PM me if needed....
 
Minerva said:
Place your meter across the two screws on the light switch in the "Off" position. It should show 120 VAC
Now flip the switch and measure across the switch again. It should show 0 Vac but will likely show 120 VAC still. If this is true, the switch is failed open.

However don't just replace the switch until you determine what caused the switch to fail. That is your "root cause failure"....the switch was collateral damage.....

PM me if needed....
Click to expand...

I have a dumb voltage detector. It can tell me if there is or isn't a current, and that's it.
 
Cardinal said:
Yup, I've seen enough to know this problem is bigger than me. Welp, you gotta try.
Click to expand...
What Minerva said.

If the switch is good and if you have, and know how to use, a multimeter you could test the individual wires coming out of the ceiling to see if you have continuity to the switch. (disconnect the wires from your fixture and the switch first) If you do, you'll know which wire(s) are bad.

In any case, it's probably best if you just hired an electrician
 
Yes. You have a device that if you ground one probe and touch the other probe to a wire with voltage a light lights up.
 
Had electricity go out on a front porch inlet along with a part of the basement. Turned out it was a trip switch on another outlet in the basement that had gone out. So that one trip switch made some things not work. It is the kind that you find in a bathroom.
 
A likely "cause and effect" here is that while replacing the bulb hot, the line side of the socket touched the metal frame work of the fixture....you heard a "POP".

The current surge MAY have taken out the light switch since no breaker are tripped and everything else in the area works. Usually light fixtures are not single loads to a breaker so your assumption is valid.
 
Pippi Longstock said:
Had electricity go out on a front porch inlet along with a part of the basement. Turned out it was a trip switch on another outlet in the basement that had gone out. So that one trip switch made some things not work. It is the kind that you find in a bathroom.
Click to expand...

That was one of my first thoughts so I reset all of those. I've isolated the issue to the fixture or the wires coming out of the ceiling to the fixture. Either way I'm officially in over my head. I've done as much as I'm comfortable doing and it's on to an electrician now.
 
Pippi Longstock said:
Had electricity go out on a front porch inlet along with a part of the basement. Turned out it was a trip switch on another outlet in the basement that had gone out. So that one trip switch made some things not work. It is the kind that you find in a bathroom.
Click to expand...
Yep...Ground Fault Interrupt. Old codes allow one outlet in the house to be ganged to all other wet area outlets. If a ground fault was detected the outlet would trip and all outlets served by that circuit would go dead.
 
BirdinHand said:
Just call an electrician.

I don’t mess with electrical stuff.
Click to expand...
Not worth it for a fixture like that. Attempt to fix it or just replace it yourself.
 
Cardinal said:
Well shit. There's power going to the light switch but none to the fixture. The tester didn't pick up anything around the wires.
Click to expand...
All around the wires....so you have a device that is a non contact probe type.....that will work....care to go on?
 
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