![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Apparently Australians don't have to change high lightbulbs.
We have a stairwell. There's a light right at the top of it, that's about 11 feet off the ground, if by ground you mean the step that's directly below it. The stairwell turns at this point, though, so there's not enough room on that stair to put a ladder.
You can brace a ladder across the short part of the stairwell, clamber up it, pray that it doesn't tip and throw you down the rest of the stairs, and change the lightbulb that way. It's scary as fuck.
Or you can rest a ladder from a lower step, resting against the wall above a window, hoping that the ladder base doesn't skid out and drop you onto the stairs, leaving you with a hand full of shattered lightbulb. It's scary as fuck-all.
Of course, if we had our lovely electrician friend down here, we'd pay him and his lovely wife a nommy dinner and a games night in exchange for changing the bulb. Alas, they're in Sydney.
And while we could book an electrician, we'd want it to be for a bundle of things rather than paying $200 just to have a lightbulb changed. And we don't really have a bundle of things at the moment.
I know there's such a thing as a lightbulb changer. I've seen them on the telly years back. I've been asking around all the hardware and lighting stores, and no-one has them. So I've searched on line.
Interestingly enough, you can buy them from professional cleaning suppliers. I imagine there's actually a market for them if you have to change the light bulbs in offices with fancy foyers and such. But I really didn't want to pay $155 for a device to change *one* light bulb.
Finally found them on Ebay for a half-reasonable price. Of course, the shipping has doubled the bloody thing, but it's still less than the other supplier I found, and this has the full set for all the different bulb types. They only deliver to houses (I wish I knew why they don't want to deliver to a post office box). So, after weeks of dark stairs, I'll finally be able to change the lightbulb.
You can brace a ladder across the short part of the stairwell, clamber up it, pray that it doesn't tip and throw you down the rest of the stairs, and change the lightbulb that way. It's scary as fuck.
Or you can rest a ladder from a lower step, resting against the wall above a window, hoping that the ladder base doesn't skid out and drop you onto the stairs, leaving you with a hand full of shattered lightbulb. It's scary as fuck-all.
Of course, if we had our lovely electrician friend down here, we'd pay him and his lovely wife a nommy dinner and a games night in exchange for changing the bulb. Alas, they're in Sydney.
And while we could book an electrician, we'd want it to be for a bundle of things rather than paying $200 just to have a lightbulb changed. And we don't really have a bundle of things at the moment.
I know there's such a thing as a lightbulb changer. I've seen them on the telly years back. I've been asking around all the hardware and lighting stores, and no-one has them. So I've searched on line.
Interestingly enough, you can buy them from professional cleaning suppliers. I imagine there's actually a market for them if you have to change the light bulbs in offices with fancy foyers and such. But I really didn't want to pay $155 for a device to change *one* light bulb.
Finally found them on Ebay for a half-reasonable price. Of course, the shipping has doubled the bloody thing, but it's still less than the other supplier I found, and this has the full set for all the different bulb types. They only deliver to houses (I wish I knew why they don't want to deliver to a post office box). So, after weeks of dark stairs, I'll finally be able to change the lightbulb.
no subject
Because post office boxes can't sign for proof of delivery.
Ever since Australia Post brought in this E-Post thingie, ALL parcels have to be signed for, not just Registered Post. That's why I have all my parcels delivered to work, because if there's nobody there to sign for it, then they just leave a little card in your post-box and you have to go and pick up the parcel yourself. Australia Post: we DON'T deliver.
(I do get rather ranty about this, don't I?)
(no subject)
no subject
I would suggest hiring the $200 electrician, get him to disconnect the tall socket and install a nice wall sconce thats easy to reach forevermore!
(no subject)
no subject
no subject
A: Just one, but they have to be dim for a very long time!
no subject
My solution was an a-frame ladder, some long pieces of angle iron, 6 G-clamps, and someone to help steady the whole contraption.
Can't say I really recommend it but there you go..
no subject
no subject
My friend bought a house with a similar light fitting situation and after several dangerous forays changing the bulb, I suggested that perhaps she could put an extension lead from the light fitting to lower the fitting to where she could reach it. Her reply was that it would then be too low and in the way. "Ahhhh" says I, "let me finish!" and then I told her the rest of the idea - "Then you arrange a small pulley type system to lift and lower the fitting". She thought on it a while and then after a bit of planning, installed the system and it works.
It came to me when I'd thought about the larger systems they have for raising and lowering chandaliers.
Hers is much less posh or heavy duty, but it works and doesn't look outlandish or too Rube Goldberg-ish.
Because the light isn't that heavy, she only needed to use small pulleys and that cord used to raise and lower venetian blinds. She used two pulleys to even the fitting once raised and one of those cord anchors you screw to the wall to lock it up there.
(no subject)