9.01.2005
You ever hear the phrase: The light's on, but nobody's home? Yeah, I guess people might describe our household like that sometimes, but I learned a new phrase today at home.
The light's on, but if the bulb's not there, you just get zapped.
The light in my closet is one of those where you have to pull the little chain for it to work. But it hasn't been working well and it requires all sort of jiggling and banging for the light to stay on. So I decided I would use my Home Depot skills and just replace the light fixture. I removed the light bulb and the ceramic housing that held the light bulb in place, leaving just the metal socket exposed. I was trying to pull it away from the wall when I felt 50,000 volts of electricity (okay, maybe just 100 watts worth) buzz through my hand. Apparently, after all the on/off pulls to get the light to work left the socket in the on position, but because the light wasn't working, I had no idea.
Then I decided to put the bulb back without the original housing (so I would know when it was on or not) and it worked fine. So I left it there. It looks kind of ghetto with a bare bulb just hanging above the closet door. The metal socket is also exposed now, so the danger of electricution lurks every time I have to reach for a shirt on the top rack.
The light's on, but if the bulb's not there, you just get zapped.
The light in my closet is one of those where you have to pull the little chain for it to work. But it hasn't been working well and it requires all sort of jiggling and banging for the light to stay on. So I decided I would use my Home Depot skills and just replace the light fixture. I removed the light bulb and the ceramic housing that held the light bulb in place, leaving just the metal socket exposed. I was trying to pull it away from the wall when I felt 50,000 volts of electricity (okay, maybe just 100 watts worth) buzz through my hand. Apparently, after all the on/off pulls to get the light to work left the socket in the on position, but because the light wasn't working, I had no idea.
Then I decided to put the bulb back without the original housing (so I would know when it was on or not) and it worked fine. So I left it there. It looks kind of ghetto with a bare bulb just hanging above the closet door. The metal socket is also exposed now, so the danger of electricution lurks every time I have to reach for a shirt on the top rack.
