Ask Me Help Desk - Hot Basement Light Fixture

My hubby and I recently replaced one of those standard ceramic single light bulb fixtures with a pull-chain present in old basements.

I noticed that it is getting very hot when only a 40 watt bulb is in it burning. When only the TV and VCR are plugged into it, it's fine - it doesn't get hot.

To cut our electrical bill, the other day I put a 25 watt bulb into it and the bulb immediately burned out. I'm thinking something is too hot or it's pulling too much electricity to the socket.

What could we have done wrong while hooking-up the inside wires or whatever?

I hope this is clear - not an electrician so not sure of the terminology to use.

Thanks...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xx-Jade-xX

Hey Sorry i dont have a clue about stuff like that either good luck tho :) xxx Jade :confused: :)

Well, thanks... :)

Only too high of voltage would cause a bulb to burn out instantly. Vibration can get to it after a while too. There is no way to wire it wrong changing the fixture to produce higher voltage unless you managed to wire it into a 240 volt circuit. If all you had were the same black and white wires as the old, it didn't happen. That would also cause the 40 watt bulb to burn out. I think the 25 watt bulb burning out was a coincidence. That happens sometimes with a brand new bulb. Is the pull chain fixture another simple porcelain fixture, but with a pull chain and outlet? Is it perhaps a more enclosed metal fixture that retains more heat? Even so, most of them are rated for 60 watts.

You may want to use some care on how much power you use. What else is on the circuit? Adding a VCR to a string of light on 14 gauge wire shouldn't be a problem, but a huge TV could be. It should tell on the back of it how much power it takes. On a 15 amp circuit, I think the total wattage must be below 1400.

Thank you so much labman for your reply. This web site is just the greatest find.

"Is the pull chain fixture another simple porcelain fixture, but with a pull chain and outlet?"
Yes - 1 outlet, only the pull chain pulled out not long after we installed it so the light comes on by itself by switching the plate at the top of the stairs and off the same way.

Right now, I have a small TV, VCR and a boom box plugged into the fixture so at touch it isn't hot. I remember it getting hot with only a TV and a 40 watt light bulb in it.

I'm deathly afraid of house fires so I just left the burnt out 25 watt bulb in it when I discovered how hot the fixture was getting until we find the problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by labman

Only too high of voltage would cause a bulb to burn out instantly. Vibration can get to it after a while too. There is no way to wire it wrong changing the fixture to produce higher voltage unless you managed to wire it into a 240 volt circuit. If all you had were the same black and white wires as the old, it didn't happen. That would also cause the 40 watt bulb to burn out. I think the 25 watt bulb burning out was a coincidence. That happens sometimes with a brand new bulb. Is the pull chain fixture another simple porcelain fixture, but with a pull chain and outlet? Is it perhaps a more enclosed metal fixture that retains more heat? Even so, most of them are rated for 60 watts.

You may want to use some care on how much power you use. What else is on the circuit? Adding a VCR to a string of light on 14 gauge wire shouldn't be a problem, but a huge TV could be. It should tell on the back of it how much power it takes. On a 15 amp circuit, I think the total wattage must be below 1400.