Brezavaqt Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Hello All!! I've been on a mini hiatus, but I am back! :-) And of course...I need assistance. I blew ALL of the bulbs in a wall sconce that uses the bi-pin grain of rice flame bulbs. I cannot seem to get the two little wires back into the tiny holes of the chandelier. Does anyone have a trick of the trade? The wires keep bending when I attempt to get them in the little holes. I managed to get two back in, only to knock them out by accident again. Oh, and did I fail to mention the sconce is already installed in the dollhouse hallway (a tight space)-UGH!!! Please help!! (*Stressed!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Welcome home, Sabrina! I can't help you on getting the wires back through the holes, but I'll be interested in the answer when you get it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I've not had exactly this situation but I have had troubles threading wires through the small holes before. One thing that worked for me was putting the wires together and winding them onto a longer wire. Threading the longer piece, I was able to pull the others through and then separate them again on the other side. This could work with a single wire as well if you have to go through two separate holes. Having the longer wire made it easier for me to work with the difficult manipulation process without breaking the wires. I'd guess it's very hard with this already attached to the wall. Yikes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I wonder if it would work to tie a piece of sewing thread to the end of each wire and thread the other ends through small needles and try it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Holly & Selkie, I don't think the problem is threading the wire through a hole. It's getting each of two uncooperative thin wires into two microscopically tiny holes and having them stay there. Think plug in rather than pull through. It is extremely difficult to do this, as Bre has found out. I have a single bi-pin bulb that needs to be installed in the houseboat's kitchen. It has been lying in a bowl on the kitchen table for a few years now. Every once in a while I give it a try --- and then put it back in the bowl. Bre, I can't imagine having to replace multiple bulbs in a wall sconce! I'd like to have a little talk with the great brain who invented this kind of bulb. I have a few suggestions (none of which would help install a bulb in a tiny light fixture) I wonder if cutting the wires shorter might help to reduce the wiggly tendency of the wires. But then, how short is too short? I, too, hope somebody has an answer to this problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Ah, plugging in ... It looked like that in the picture but since I've never used them, I thought they still might have to "go through" the hole like the regular lights I wire. Sorry to be misinformed and lead you off track. After all the fiddling you've had to do and frustration you've gone through, if it were me I'd be tempted to buy a whole new unit with easier lighting options (for the next bulb problem), carefully take out the others, and install the new ones. Again, that is, no doubt, not an option because of wallpaper, internal wiring, location to reach, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I, too, misunderstood. Would it help if you could remove the sconce, or would it damage either the sconce or the section of wall where it's mounted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brezavaqt Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Update... I got two of the three bulbs in. I was under time constraints because my mom was coming to pick up the dollhouse to transport it to VA for the little darling that's getting it. So, what I ended up doing was using this little gadget I purchased at Big Lots a few years back, it's a lamp that clamps to any small surface and has a magnifying glass attached to it. I'll post a pic in a few. I was able to cut the two wires down and insert them. The magic is in how you cut the wires and how you hold it to get them in. Never-the-less, just like Kathie B said...someone needs to rethink these types of sconces. Because once installed, you would have to tear up your wallpaper to remove it. :-( Thanks EVERYONE for your encouragement and advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I'm glad you got the problem at least partially solved. I hope they don't vibrate loose during the transport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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