Exposed lightbulb, base thread prep?

[JHZR2]

I have one light “fixture” on one of my garages, that is literally just a female socket hanging down…. Been there for probably 35 years, works fine. There’s no cover or enclosure.

I put in an LED bulb in the spring. I like the old school look. It has worked fine, until the combo of 5F and high winds before Christmas… it was just blown off and broken in the sidewalk below. I guess a combination of wind and water?

but that’s not what this is about…. I went up on my ladder to get it out… and couldn’t. It was the LED base…. Edison base, aluminum, circuit board, plastic. Couldn’t get it to unscrew. Ultimately had to destroy it and misshape it to get it to back out. My suspicion is that though the bulb says suitable for damp locations, it doesn’t get very hot and had slight corrosion.

The female base is brass. I have no idea if there are outdoor bulbs that are coated in nickel or something else. I like the look of my little LED bulb. What treatment woukd be best to help prevent corrosion? Do I dare use silicone dielectric grease? Just screw in not as tight?

All my other outdoor bulbs are in fixtures and have no issues… so this is a one off thing, I like the look, it’s old fashioned looking and fits the building, I just don’t want to have to deal with unscrewing a stuck lightbulb up on a ladder again, it’s kind of a precarious position….

Any recommendations?

 

[jhellwig]

Buy a better bulb. Put a very small amount of whatever grease you have around on the threads.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

I’d try dielectric grease on the threads.

Just my $0.02

 

[spasm3]

Maybe noalox ?

 

[PimTac]

Get a good bulb. Satco. Feit.

 

[eljefino]

Home depot sells a grease for aluminum house wiring. I know you don't have any aluminum involved, but it's probably a decent dielectric grease.

 

[JRed]

I just use whatever silicone grease I have on hand on exterior bulbs. Sil-glyde brake lube has been the flavor of choice for the last couple of years. Just a thin coating on the bulb threads helps quite a bit.

 

[RooflessVW]

DC 4!

 

[Snagglefoot]

If you had time you could cut the pipe with a cut-off wheel and mount a vintage lamp.

 

[earlyre]

If you had time you could cut the pipe with a cut-off wheel and mount a vintage lamp.

View attachment 133587

I'd be willing to bet that his fixture had a shade similar to that at some point in it's past...

 

[andrew_j]

LED bulbs are not built for that duty. They are glued etc inside . They need a fixture to protect them.

 

[mk378]

I'd be willing to bet that his fixture had a shade similar to that at some point in it's past...

Yes exactly. It's missing that part.

An outdoor PAR bulb is designed to be rained on and could be used here without the shade.

 

[eljefino]

If you had time you could cut the pipe with a cut-off wheel and mount a vintage lamp.

I had one of those lamps and it was utter junk. The wide shade is sandwiched in somehow really cheesily and the tin on everything is too thin. Put your hands on something and make sure it's quality.

 

[JHZR2]

If you had time you could cut the pipe with a cut-off wheel and mount a vintage lamp.

View attachment 133587

That has crossed my mind, and I may do so at some point when I repaint/reside the building…

I am a little concerned that such a fixture may blow away in a strong wind…

 

[JHZR2]

Yes exactly. It's missing that part.

An outdoor PAR bulb is designed to be rained on and could be used here without the shade.

I think this is what I needed… but I want to find one in a shape I like….

 

[55hambone]

Since light bulb manufacturers have moved from brass for the bases to aluminum, more bulbs get stuck in the socket due to galvanic corrosion. The two dissimilar metals (brass socket, aluminum bulb base) in contact with each other along with moisture (rain, high humidity) causes the metals to corrode. Dielectric grease isn't the product to use on an electrical connection as it doesn't conduct electricity. Ideal's Noalox or Gardner Bender's Ox-Gard or other electrical anti-oxidant greases are what electricians use for connections using aluminum wire. With LED's lasting longer there is more time for the corrosion to take place so I use this stuff on every bulb before it goes in the socket.

 

[dishdude]

Since light bulb manufacturers have moved from brass for the bases to aluminum, more bulbs get stuck in the socket due to galvanic corrosion. The two dissimilar metals (brass socket, aluminum bulb base) in contact with each other along with moisture (rain, high humidity) causes the metals to corrode. Dielectric grease isn't the product to use on an electrical connection as it doesn't conduct electricity. Ideal's Noalox or Gardner Bender's Ox-Gard or other electrical anti-oxidant greases are what electricians use for connections using aluminum wire. With LED's lasting longer there is more time for the corrosion to take place so I use this stuff on every bulb before it goes in the socket.

Yes, this was happening even with incandescent bulbs, usually the cheap off brand ones.

 

[George7941]

I use a bit of anti-seize (mine is nickel based) judiciously applied, keeping in mind it could conduct because of the metal particles and create a short between the contact and the base. I have been using anti-seize for years on outdoor bulbs and find it helps when it comes time to remove the bulbs

 

[JHZR2]

I didn’t apply much. May go heavier, probably will get one of those long reach bulb removal tools and just move it time to time. This bulb is probably 15 feet up…. Maybe higher.

I don’t really know why it broke off. Winds were only around 25-26.

I like the small bulb look. Camera doesn’t do the nice glow of it justice.

 

[mk378]

It should be noted that antiseize and Noalox contain metal particles. Apply sparingly and keep it off of the insulator on the live contact to prevent a short circuit.