Stupid Question

There has to be a quick and easy way to install the wire clip style spot light bulb retainers. I think that I am making way too big of a job out of it and I would really rather not put an eye out or break a bulb doing this. Can someone help me out on this?

my stupid answer. you have to have the dexterity of a cub bear with boxing gloves on to do it. that being said it can be a challenge. here is my way that works sometimes.

4 clips, one ring, one bulb three will hold it in..

place the bulb in the rig making sure the it's down all the way and not cocked off to one side. the first clip is easy the second one is a bear. hook one end of the wire clip under the lip of the ring resting the tab keeper on the sealed beam leaving the other end up. push other end down and under the ring with your strong thunb. simple act that catches it under the lip while you hang onto the other side of the bulb with your other hand. now all you have to do is rotate the the new ring bulb and retainer around in your hand keep enough pressure on the lose side keeping the bulb in place.

then do it again. holding the loose side agents the tension created by the first clip you slip the other clip in place the same way. under the lip the tab agents the bulb and push it in place with your strong thumb. this results in one of three things.
#1 if you luckily it snaps into place and the the other 2 are a piece of cake.

#2 the clip snaps into place catching a small peace of they thumb between it and the lip. causing you to loose large amounts of blood and scream in pain. thus jerking your thumb out and sticking in your mouth dropping the ring, bulb and clips on the floor and braking the bulb, denting and scratching your new plated ring and loosing at least one clip. remember three will hold it in. you can avoid this by using a pair of needle nose plyers but then your have 4 things to hold on to one with moving parts.

#3 you get the first one in fine but every time you rotate the bulb around for the second one it pops out from under the clip. this caused you to go back to step one a number of times. until you finally get it turned around the other clip in place and as your pushing the loose end under the lip on the ring the bulb popes out. it drops to the floor smashing it so you stand in shards of glass. your loose the first clip out never to be found again remember you need at least 3. but you end up holding the ring in one hand bright and shinny and one clip in the other. the way to avoid this is the sit on a chair and hunch over things like a monkey on a foot ball. just maybe the bulb won't go to the floor.

the key is to remember after the first 100 of so it gets easier. are we having fun yet

Kurt, you're not making too big a deal out of a simple job.....IT IS A MAJOR PITA TO DO!!!! Ed described it perfectly, you need a tremendouis amount of dexterity, the patience of Job, and a loooonnnng attention span, and most of all, a lot of sticktoitiveness. One would think that after all these years they could have come up with a better way to retain the bulbs....just sayin'!!!

Ahhhh, sweet memories of days gone by. Really happy I don't have to deal with them on a regular basis anymore.Seems like my guys used to manage to break bulbs quite frequently, don't know how, they just did.

Thanks guys! I loved your response Ed! LMAO! I assumed that there had to be an easier way, but I guess there isn't. Safety glasses and a second set of hands might be a good idea!

If you put one clip in, then push the bulb into correct position, then put the second clip on directly opposite the first clip, all you need to do is press hard on one end of the second clip - then it will be held in place. Clips 3 & 4 go on much easier.

and if you have a friend handy to hold the bulb and assembly it might easier or harder.

Scott Crittenden said:

and if you have a friend handy to hold the bulb and assembly it might easier or harder.

Click to expand...

then you have four hands, 3 moving parts. the advantage is you can each blame the other when you break the bulb.

Steves method will work also. but one tends to get the bulb crooked in the ring and you still got the #2 problem.

lay a towel over the work bench. the hood of a 72 MM works for as a good work bench as any and it's flat enough. you keep the project close, it will normally prevent loosing the clips and braking the bulb. you can't do it by resting the bulb on the bench. but it only needs to be barely touching or a 1/4 in off.

I use Steve's method...put one clip in and then the other exactly opposite. That usually is enough. If you want to use all 4 then place the others the same way. If you want to use only 3, place the third one in the area you feel needs the extra securing.

As Ed mentioned, needle nose pliers help getting the tip of the unsecured end under the lip of the retaining ring.

These things really, really fly off with some force if they spring loose., so wearing eye protection is not a bad idea (I always do having seen how far they can travel)