How to change a....light bulb!

[kbcs6dpm]

Hi all. Ok, very embarrassing question coming up.

I've had my bathroom done up, and i have spotlights in the ceiling. One of the bulbs has gone, but i have no idea how to change it!

It looks identical to this bulb:

http://www.lightsmart.co.uk/bathroom-recessed-light-ip65.html

The bulb itself is set back about 1cm above the chrome and glass of the housing. It looks like there is a circular clip, but it's inside (behind) the glass, so i can't get to it.

I can pull the whole fitting down by about 3-4cm, but it won't pull all the way out, and it can't see any way of getting to the bulb from there.

I've tried turning the chrome clockwise and anticlockwise, but it doesn't budge. I've tried rotating the glass, that too doesn't budge.

Does anyone have any ideas, or a link to a guide/video showing how to do this?!!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Belboz]

The housing unit will normally unscrew counter-clockwise either fully or with a quarter turn.

They can stick however so may take a little bit getting it to turn.

At least that's how mine work.

 

[ericmark]

For the GU10 you can get a little sucker

to help you turn the lamp about 15° needed to remove and refit. The holder looks like this

but the MR16 which is extra low voltage looks the same from the outside and these are often held in with a ring. The socket behind them looks like this

and once the ring is removed they simply unplug again rubber sucker helps.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

There are number of differing downlights and not all bezels or lens covers remove the same. Most supplied for bathrooms require a quarter turn anti-clockwise of the bezel, sometime they require to be pushed upwards and twisted. Some require gently prising away from the fitting and others require the lamp sucker to assist.

 

[kbcs6dpm]

So with the tips you've replied with, I've managed to figure out how to change the bulbs! I had to turn the chrome cover about one quarter anti clockwise, and then it pulled away from the main housing. I did have to pull the housing down a couple of cm so that I could unscrew it, as it was quite tight. The bulb itself was held in place via some spring clips, and it had an mr16 connector that I pulled the bulb out of.

However, the replacement bulbs (exact same spec) do not work in three out of the four fittings in my bathroom, so I think I'll have to get on to the electrician to check out why that is.

But thanks for your advice anyway.

 

[EightyTwo]

Check that the pins on the new lamps are clean - try pushing them in and out of the connectzors a few times to make sure that they make good contact. You can test them before you put the glass and cover back...

 

[kbcs6dpm]

Ok, so i've tried 6 new mr16 (gu5.3) bulbs and none of them worked in two of the downlights. I then tried filing the ends as suggested, and one of the bulbs actually worked!

However, no amount of filing has allowed the final downlight to work. I can't believe that six new bulbs (albeit cheapo Tesco own brand ones) would not work in this downlight.

Perhaps the actual mr16 connector itself is dodgy? Is it easy to replace? It's exactly the same as the one in the pic above.

I'm no expert, so i may just have to call an electrician in.

 

[xr4x4]

Transformer.

 

[pjcomp]

... or lampholder. Not uncommon for the wires to the lampholder to frizzle out because of the heat. Wouldn't expect it to happen for three or four years so depends how old the installation is. Transformers should last some years, too.

pj

 

[securespark]

Yeah, it could be a dodgy lamp holder if the lamp is lifeless.

Try wiggling it around a bit in the holder (with the switch off) then turn it on and see what happens.

If they do work after faffing, they need changing for new.