primitive has lighting nightmare

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11581119

Oh my.

yardwork (33,667 posts)

The nightmare continues....lighting

So, as discussed in this thread, I had a problem with a replacement ceiling light fixture in my kitchen.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1158&pid=1087

I decided that the best approach would be to get another lighting fixture, one that is designed to hold more bulbs and put out more light. I talked it over with the guys in the electric lighting department at my local Lowes after work tonight. I got conflicting advice. In the end, I purchased a semi-flush ceiling fixture that holds three 60 watt bulbs. It's this model:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_143823-2121-P4747/3ASF_0__?productId=3096077&Ntt=bel+air+semi-flush&pl=1¤tURL=&facetInfo=

Obviously, I didn't read the reviews before I purchased it.

I took it home, and my son and I read the instructions, turned off the electricity, took down the fixture that we installed this past weekend that isn't bright enough, and began installing this new one. After screwing in the mounting hardware and attaching the wires, we started to install the light fixture and discovered that it was defective. It's supposed to be an "easy installation" but it didn't work - didn't hold the fixture to the mounting hardware, it was going to fall right off. So we took it all down, disconnected the wires, packed it back up, drove back to Lowes, showed the nice lady at Returns what was wrong, she agreed that it was defective, credited my credit card, and suggested that we open the package of another one to see if we could find one that worked. We did. It seemed fine. So we bought that and took it home.

Started all over again. Got the whole thing put together and discovered that (1) it's crooked - seems impossible to get the fixture to hang straight, and (2) the plate isn't flush with the ceiling and there's gaps in the drywall that will need to be replaced. But we needed to finish up for the night so we finished installing it, figuring we would fiddle with the way it hangs tomorrow, and turned back on the the electricity. Hit the light switch and it doesn't work. Don't know what the problem is. Entire fixture defective? Wires not installed correctly? Don't know, but I'm going to take it all down again tomorrow and return it to Lowes, because even if I could figure out what was wrong with it, I don't think I can get it to hang straight.

I just don't know what to replace it with. I need something that casts bright light. I need at least 180 watts. It seems like the best course of action is to return to a flush mount that is large enough to cover up the hole in the ceiling, that I don't have to worry about getting to hang straight. Maybe I should call an electrician. I've never installed light fixtures myself before. I'm a gardener. I know how to grow roses. I don't know anything about lighting or electricity.

Advise welcome. I needed to vent.

CaliforniaPeggy (96,743 posts)

1. Call an electrician that you know and trust.

That's what we do.

A good one will save you much distress and trouble. S/he might cost more money, but I always feel that competent workers are worth it.

Good luck!

^^for once, the CalPig primitive advises something franksolich would also advise.

Lionessa (2,758 posts)

2. Installing lights is generally pretty easy. If you're having this much trouble with Lowes,

I recommend trying somewhere else. I use HD and nary had a defective lamp, light, or ceiling fan and I bought many over the years.

You might check that the wire nuts are properly screwed onto both wires, sometimes when screwing them on, one wire will wiggle lose rather than screw in, check all wire nut connections.

Otherwise, yeah, get an electrician, but still someone has to provide a fixture that works for installation to be successful.

Lionessa (2,758 posts)

3. Additionally, if you switch to compact flourescent, you'll get more bright in less wattage and perhaps could use a two lamp light, which would put you back to standard flush mount dual light fixtures.

The defrocked warped primitive, who's as mean as a snake:

Warpy (63,900 posts)

4. You have to be careful with those

I still have a stash of incandescent bulbs here because I have two fixtures that won't accept CFL bulbs. Either the glass is too small or the whole business is just too tight to accept the large base of the CFL bulbs.

At this point I'd probably go to a store that specializes in lighting and try to find a fixture that's designed to accept CFL bulbs.

(Well, as a practical matter, I'd look around and find one online and get that)

A two CFL bulb fixture with 100W equivalents in it would give you enough light to sell jewelry by and keep the power bill lower.

yardwork (33,667 posts)

6. Thank you for that advice! UPDATE - I called an electrician, who solved all the problems.

I hadn't even posted that I bought two more fixtures from Lowe's. I gave up on the one that was too dim. I did buy a semi-flush model, which has three 60 watt bulbs. The nightmare continued....the first fixture was defective and had to be returned, the second we installed, but it didn't work and wasn't flush with the ceiling. So at that point I did call an electrician. He came last week and successfully installed the new fixture! He needed some hardware from his truck - some kind of spring-loaded washers - to get the fixture to align correctly with the ceiling so that the upper plate is flush and the fixture hangs straight. It is beautiful and very bright!

And Lowes gave me full credit for the other fixture and various lightbulbs I'd tried even though I didn't have the original packaging. They refunded my credit card on the basis of the receipts.

Thank you, everyone. Next time I call the electrician first.

yardwork (33,667 posts)

8. It's so great to have bright beautiful light. And know it is safely installed.

Never again will I try to diy an electrical project.

Good idea.

If franksolich were a primitive, he'd never mess with electricity, and call a professional instead.

If franksolich were a primitive, he'd even call a professional electrician to operate the light switches for him.

[Undies]

Even I -- little ol' dumbass me -- has changed out light fixtures.  It is pretty simple work.  But if you are intimidated by the thought of repairing or replacing anything electrical I suggest calling in a pro.  That intimidation factor will not work in your favor.

[JohnnyReb]

Solution: Stand in water, lick finger, stick in socket...be the light, go into the light.

[Bad Dog]

I certainly hope yardwork used a union electrician.  Helpless twits.

[GOBUCKS]

The DUmpmonkeys in this thread give a great illustration of why you should never pay attention to negative product reviews on Amazon or other online sources.

The vast majority of negative online product reviews are written by pinheads like this DUmmy.

[Carl]

Why does the DUmmy need such an energy consuming bright light?

[franksolich]

Why does the DUmmy need such an energy consuming bright light?

She uses the space to show off and sell her home-made jewelry.

For a minute, I thought the hippywife primitive, Mrs. Alfred Packer, had returned, but she didn't mention Wild Bill helping her.

[I_B_Perky]

CaliforniaPeggy (96,743 posts)

1. Call an electrician that you know and trust.

That's what we do.

A good one will save you much distress and trouble. S/he might cost more money, but I always feel that competent workers are worth it.

Good luck!

Make sure that he/she is union, now!!!!


Dad was a master electrician and despised the union electricians. Overpaid incompetent fools is what he always called them.

[NHSparky]

I still don't understand why DUmmies think CFL's are all that.  I've had them in the house for 4-5 years, and I'm pretty much meh.

About the only thing I'd like to do downstairs, particularly in the kitchen, is either do some recessed lighting or something where I've got more than the one central fixture.  Even during the daytime, when I turn on the light in the kitchen, it just doesn't seem bright enough.

And the dining room fixture has got to GO.  Soon.  It's not being used as a dining room, and it's a hanging fixture, so guess who's head keeps banging on it...lol.

[Ballygrl]

I have to say I love the CFL lightbulbs, I was constantly changing the ones in the kitchen, now I go many months without having to change them.

[NHSparky]

The light from a CFL sucks, especially on a cold morning.  Up here, I can't even use them outside, it gets that cold in the winter.

I still haven't seen any significant drop in my electric bill.  Meh.

[thundley4]

I have to say I love the CFL lightbulbs, I was constantly changing the ones in the kitchen, now I go many months without having to change them.

They may last longer, but I think they get dimmer as they get older. (sort of like politicians)

[GOBUCKS]

CFLs are okay if they are in a fixture where they are upright, if they are not enclosed at all, and if you can wait a few seconds for them to light up.

In other words, they suck.

But what do you expect for ten times the price of a good incandescent bulb?

They're sort of like organic lights.

[jukin]

As previously mentioned, I bet that the old fixture worked great with an incandescent bulb, not so well with the curlyque bulb. More unintended consequences from the big-gov totalitarians. In a few years we are going to see an epidemic of eye problems from the CFLs. That will require immediate government action.

If you think the problems that government creates are bad, wait until you see government's solutions

[GOBUCKS]

I remember an old joke about a baseball player who was so fast he could turn out the light and be in bed before the room got dark.

Maybe with CFLs that's possible.

[vesta111]

I remember an old joke about a baseball player who was so fast he could turn out the light and be in bed before the room got dark.

Maybe with CFLs that's possible.

Easy DIY thing they say is electrical wiring.   As in lamp kits , wiring for ceiling fans and changing out light in the bath room.

Problems is these new bulbs, nothing like the old ones that we grew up with.     Darn if one shatters  some directions say to open windows for 12+ hours or some crazy thing if the temp is 20 - out side.

Hubby replaced bathroom lights with track lighting, these bulbs get warm and I am afraid that as they are in front of big mirror's they will reflect and start a fire or crack the glass.

What was so wrong with filament bulbs,  there is at least one that is still alight after 75 years.  Why can we not have the old time safe lighting in our homes, today if something goes wrong have to call in Haze Mat.

[tanstaafl]

CFLs are okay if they are in a fixture where they are upright, if they are not enclosed at all, and if you can wait a few seconds for them to light up.

In other words, they suck.

But what do you expect for ten times the price of a good incandescent bulb?

They're sort of like organic lights.

Sort of..... except for their mercury content. Hazardous waste, y'know.

[thundley4]

Sort of..... except for their mercury content. Hazardous waste, y'know.

Has there been any time before when the government tried to make people purchase a hazardous/poisonous substance?

[Jasonw560]

Has there been any time before when the government tried to make people purchase a hazardous/poisonous substance?

Obamacare. 

[BlueStateSaint]

Obamacare. 

Ooooh!  That's gonna leave a mark!  H5!

[obumazombie]

Electricity is the opposite of a dog. No bark, and all bite.