light bulb / electric problem in attic

[tismyself]

Yesterday while I was in the attic, the light fixture hissed like a snake, flickered, then went out. The fixture is a bulb in a plain base, turned off and on with a pull chain. I've asked the land lord to come look at it, but am wondering if this is truly an emergency or am I over reacting. The thought of a fire in the attic just about pushes me over the edge.

[trotsky]

1. Sounds like it was just a plain old burned out lightbulb.

Don't worry. Those old ceramic bases are some of the most solid light fixtures ever made.

[tismyself]

2. thanks

That's exactly what it is too, an old ceramic base. I've just never heard a noise like that before, it really creeped me out!

[trotsky]

3. Yep, most filaments go with a pop.

There are a few though that sizzle when they sign off. Probably has something to do with where the filament breaks, I guess. Freaky sound, yes.

[Warpy]

4. The base can fail, too

especially with an incandescent bulb below. The wiring can also get cooked.

My advice is to cut the juice off, test it with a cheap little tester you can find at any hardware store to make sure it's off, and pick the whole business apart to find out what's wrong. A bad base will show heat damage around the part the bulb screws into. There's usually an insulating material around the threads and that's what cooks over a period of years and fails, allowing a short within the fixture. Wiring with damage will have brittle insulation.

It's easy to put a new ceramic base up, wires cut to wherever the insulation is intact to wire the whole business up.

I wouldn't use it until you find out what hissed at you, at any rate. It could be the bulb, but bulbs usually go with a pop or silently.

[tismyself]

5. oh brother

The 'what hissed at me' part was just fantastic. I mean, I'm up there in the attic, which is a little on the creepy side as it is, what with the creepies and crawlies and things that go... HISSSSS?! Oh, and then of course, it's pitch black dark.

There are a lot of things I'll tackle on my own with a house, but I've had a bad time with wires in the past, and I'm just flat out afraid of electrical stuff.

[Warpy]

6. Just get the tester and know how to use it

and you'll be fine. Unlike with plumbing, once you turn the electricity off, it's completely off, nothing remaining in the wires to drip onto your shoes.

A headlamp is a big help in a dark attic. It also comes in handy for puter repair and when the power goes out.

Or just tell the landlord that something electrical is wrong and you'd like to get him to check it out. Just be aware that you'll probably grow old and die waiting for him to get to it.

[tismyself]

7. ok then, I'll do it

I've got to get a grip on myself. I can deal with this.

I changed out the alternator in my VW Squareback, so good grief, surely this can't be as difficult!

I appreciate your sense of humor by the way. Thanks.