recessed lights (order info)

[stiles watson]

In the Big Sky, ceiling lighting is made up of two banks of small round recessed lights (Chinese made). One for the living area and one for the kitchen area. They have these little two prong (T3) halogen bulbs of either 10 watts or 20 watts which are a bear to replace.

The four recessed fixtures and the three bulb fixture above the entry are wired in parallel. After replacing a bulb in one fixture, I am now popping 15 amp fuses. Bottom line, is no overhead lighting in the kitchen.

I know the first thing to suspect is the fixture I messing with, but how do I go about testing stuff? I have a multimeter, but seldom use it and have to be retrained on it after coffee breaks. I never can find the blasted instruction manual. After I find it, it seems to be written in some foreign language (English) associated with electricity.

There is some urgency about this. I get better meals if Dianna doen't have to cook in the dark.

[BB_TX]

If you remove the bulb you replaced (leave the socket empty), does it still pop the fuse?

[snfexpress]

Stiles,

What you want to be checking for is a short. Unfortunately, using an Ohmeter to check for an open short will not help in this situation unless you can remove the fixture you have been messing with, OR all of the bulbs in all of the fixtures that are wired in parallel because the filament crosses each line, thus making controlled resistance and light.

I am wondering if, when you replaced the bulb, if you bent a prong and it is touching another? A good flashlight and a magnifying lens may help. As Bill asked, if the bulb is removed and you are popping fuses, then I would suspect a bent prong or other internal damage to the fixture. Do the fixtures come out easily?

Keep us posted,

[snfexpress]

Are these the lights?



Command Electronics Spec Sheet

[stiles watson]

That is the one. At least the dimensions are the same. It is nice to know a replacement is rather inexpensive should I need one.

[stiles watson]

Well, pulling the bulb and flipping the switch got me another blown fuse. Hecky darn. I suppose my next step is to replace the fixture and see what happens. In the interim, I suppose I could remove the fixture and connect the wires and see what happens.

[Ozz]

You are doing well, Stiles. It is a step by step process, hang in there, buddy.
Usually when we have a problem after an 'event', it is the 'event' that caused the problem.
Inspect the socket closely.
Good luck.

[BB_TX]

quote:Originally posted by stiles watson

In the interim, I suppose I could remove the fixture and connect the wires and see what happens.

I think I would just remove the fixture and tape off the wires and see if it pops the fuse again. If it does, then the problem is elsewhere. If it doesn't, then the fixture is probably the problem.

And while you have the fixture out, check it very closely to see if maybe a pin got bent and is touching metal some where. If the fixture frame is metal, use your ohm meter to check if there is a short from the lamp socket pins to the fixture frame (with the lamp removed). And check to see if there is a short from one lamp pin in the fixture to the other. Either one would indicate a bad fixture.

[stiles watson]

OK, removing the fixture solved the short, so looks like the damaged fixture diagnosis was correct. I will order a new one tomorrow. Thanks all.

[stiles watson]

Command Electronics sells what is supposed to be an improved version of the Halogen recessed light fixture. The improved version is supposed to make it easier to remove the lens. The OEM fixture bought from ITC Corp. would run $30+S&H. Command Electronics sells theirs for $12.95. They do have a $20 minimum, so I had them throw in some of the needed light bulbs to make the $20. By-the-way, the light bulbs were less than half the price of the ones in the hardware stores.

It looks like Command Electronics has very competitive pricing on a wide variety of light fixtures. They can be found at:
Command Electronics, Inc
15670 Morris Industrial Dr.
Schoolcraft, Michigan 49087
269-679-4011
http://www.commandelectronics.com

If any of you have had to replace one of these little bulbs, you know how awkward it is to get the bulb in. What I have decided to do is install it with my fingers for better control and then clean the bulb with alcohol. I discussed this with the salesman and he agreed that it would work. This may sound like a dumb discussion, but my bungling has cost me nearly $50 dollars and much consternation to resolve the issue.