light bulb exploding

[karn]

i got asked to go look at this 100 year old house tomorrow with some wiring issues, all im told is theres light bulbs shattering from fluctuating voltage, and the shower keeps shocking them, and theres a lamp flickering, im not sure what to expect other than some knob and tube wiring lol

 

[infinity]

I would start with looking for an open neutral.

 

[Sahib]

Also brittle wire insulation with inherent fire risk.

 

[ptonsparky]

I would start with looking for an open neutral.

That is what I would start with.

 

[LarryFine]

I would start with looking for an open neutral.

Absolutely agree. Energized (what should be) grounded surfaces and voltage imbalances.

 

[ggunn]

i got asked to go look at this 100 year old house tomorrow with some wiring issues, all im told is theres light bulbs shattering from fluctuating voltage, and the shower keeps shocking them, and theres a lamp flickering, im not sure what to expect other than some knob and tube wiring lol

For a lightbulb to explode it has to experience an extreme overvoltage event. I agree that an open neutral is the first thing I would look for.

 

[ptonsparky]

Don't touch any metallic item without your voltage rated gloves on. Even to turn things off.

 

[Jraef]

Another thing to look at. With the advent of incandescent bulbs getting harder to find and a lot more expensive, I’ve seen people, especially the elderly, start buying the dirt cheap incandescents at the Dollar Stores (my mother was doing this because she claims she can’t see with CFL and can’t afford LED). Those are absolute garbage and the bulb easily separates from the base. Once air gets in, the bulb can shatter when turned on.