The state of my Kitchen

[kitchenman]

As with most of my posts this one should start "I need help .." .... I've been getting some stick recently due to my over indulgence of all things bike related and my neglect of all things house related. The hot topic at the moment is the kitchen lighting. Its rubbish. Don't know whats wrong with them but suspect I need to throw all the fittings away. Seems that it too hot and dry for the current fittings. Out of the 12 lights only 2 are currently working! ... If I poke them with a broom handle I can get some of the others to come on if I'm lucky ..would like to have a go at getting them working but could use some advice from .. well .. anyone really! ...
Ideally I'd simply like to get the snips on the current fittings and wire up some new ones without replacing all the wiring in the ceiling. But don't want to fit like for like as they will probably just stop working again. I'm thinking LEDs purhaps? ....
Here are some photos:

 

[mike killay]

My daughter has those fancy things, I seem to always be picking up spares for her.
I have an old fashioned three bulb holder. It used to use those silvered things like photo flood lamps. I replaced them with cheaper ordinary tungsten and in due course by compact fluorescents. Have to say, the compacts have lasted ages.

 

[shemozzle999]

If I poke them with a broom handle I can get some of the others to come on if I'm lucky ..

Sounds like you have a dirty connector problem.
I would remove all bulbs, clean all bulbs pins with an abrasive (kitchen scourer sponge) then refit and remove bulbs into holders several times to wipe holder contacts clean.

Or wait for your accident compo to come through and get the whole kitchen remodelled.

 

[carpetbagger]

as long as the bike works ok,thats all that really matters !

 

[mikep]

Shemozzle is correct firstly check that the connections are clean on each bulb.

The next question is does each light fitting have a transformer, or do you have a number of lights being powered by a transformer/s?

 

[kitchenman]

Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The problem was the connectors. nearly all of them were heat affected such that the pins of the bulbs were not able to achieve a good connection. In the past I have been able to give them a prod with a broom handle and get some temporary lighting! ... Bought 12 new connectors for a tenner which come with leads like this:

I snipped off the old connectors and extended them with the junction boxes I had left over from doing the electrics on my bike. This saved me lifting the floor boards.
And then there was light!