How to change a light bulb?

[jswillia]

Ive got down lights like the picture bellow in my bathroom and im struggling to change the bulb. I can pull it slightly down from the ceiling but do I need pull down hard so that the whole fitment comes out? I don’t really want to bring down half the ceiling!

[sherman]

Does that hold a GU10 bulb?

If so there is usually a springy retaining ring just on front of the bulb holding it in place. Squeeze the two ends of the ring to remove it and the bulb will fall out. Then take it out of its connector that is attached to the wiring. To fit the new bulb follow the removal instructions in reverse once you have found the retaining ring that will have pinged away when you removed it.

[jswillia]

I belive it is a GU10 as that is the spare bulb which was left when I moved in. There is no springy thing on the front. I can pull it away about 1cm from the ceiling and those spring things on the picture bend back and go into the roof space. I was wondering if I needed to pull the whole unit out? Its a fire rated unit if that helps?

Thanks

[mrsxllifts]

Try rotating the front lens of the bulb about 1/4 turn anti-clockwise. They have two small 'mushroom' pins on the back that need to line up with the big holes in the base for it to fall out. They can be tight but sticky finger and a bit of a push up normally help.

That's if it the bulb I think it is!

[jj333]

If it's anything like mine then roll up some sellotape into a ball and use it to twist the bulb until it releases, reverse it to fit the new one.

I learnt the hard way by pulling the whole fitting out, can't get it back up there now and can't be bothered to go into the attic to sort it out.

[jswillia]

The bulb is behind a glass lens, is this what I need to remove then?

[mrsxllifts]

The bulb I'm thinking of:

[jswillia]

thats the bulb, but it is behind a glass lens

[mrsxllifts]

The bulb inside is part of the bigger bulb! The lens and reflector are all in one and are sealed. Unless you have an old one that has no lens or a removeable one, but probably not in a bathroom.

Three sticky fingers on the lens part and twist.

Edited by mrsxllifts on Tuesday 5th April 23:31

[hairyben]

there are two types of fitting that look the same. on both types the bezel and glass section drops while the base (held by the springs) stays in the ceiling, most bezels simply pull out (ie they're on tension clips) but some need to be rotated, sounds like your is probably the latter.

[anonymous-user]

Ours in the bathroom areas are behind glass. That unscrews revealing the actual GU10 lamp, they just rotate out.

[jswillia]

Still cant get the bulb out or remove the glass. The glass will not budge at all and there are no clips. I can see the bulb which is about 1cm away from the glass and held in with 6 or so little clips.

[hairyben]

jswillia said:

Still cant get the bulb out or remove the glass. The glass will not budge at all and there are no clips. I can see the bulb which is about 1cm away from the glass and held in with 6 or so little clips.

Sounds like the bezel is stuck to the base, this could be paint or plaster (painter drops bezel, paints onto base then replaces bezel on wet paint) or if they're cheapies it could be warped. in both instances you'll have to remove the fitting (spings may try to crumble a little plaster away, usually unavoidable) and seperate the two parts when you can grip the base

[HONEYMON57ER]

Defo looks like a shower rated downlight. As said earlier quarter twist of the
front and when it comes out the lamp will come with it as there is a retaining clip
fixed behind the glass to hold the lamp in place. Don't pull it out too far as you
may dislodge the lampholder.

[jswillia]

Got there in the end, it was a case of unscrewing the bezel which was on very tight! Cheers for the tips !