Help! Bathroom light cord broken and can't replace as previous owner has stuck fitting fast to ceiling

[INeedNewShoes]

Title says it all really. The pull cord for the bathroom light has broken, leaving just 1-2cm of cord hanging from the fitting. I've unscrewed the screws in the fitting to find it is absolutely stuck fast and can't separate it to replace the cord, I think because the previous owners painted the thing together.

I'm reluctant to put a hammer to it as there's a possibility there's asbestos in the ceiling.

Does anyone have any ideas?

A tad on the botched job side of things but would possibly work for now.. tie another bit of cord onto the small bit left? I’m sure there used to be ones that came with a clip to make them longer.. they’re probably a rare weird thing but it’d do until you can figure out getting it off without a hammer. Could just be wall papered ceilings overlapping or paint in the cracks.

Can you pry it off with something? Is it possible to run a stanley knife blade around and under. Another possibility might be to grip the fitting with some needle nose pliers via one of the screw fittings and pull. Although this has most potential to damage the fitting.

Gently go around the rose with emery paper then heat it up with a hairdryer it will still be stiff but shouldn't shatter.
Some new cords come with an inline coupler.

I've got what I assume is an 'inline coupler' but I can't get what is already there to tie to it. The top .5cm of cord is rigid with paint leaving only about 1.5cm to play with.

When I've got a bit of daylight to help (bulb has also gone) I will have a go at some of these suggestions.

Thank you!

@Singletomingle thank you for the Stanley knife suggestion - it worked!

So onto stage 2, I thought I'd made a mental note of how the components all fit together around the cord, but clearly not as now the new cord won't pull

There's: a washer, a spring, a vertical plastic thing that the spring nestles into then a wheel with spokes on it.

If anyone has any ideas I'd be most grateful. I think it must be very old as newer fittings look different (they're bigger and flatter than this one).

Currently the bathroom light is on and will be permanently until I work this out. At least DD didn't have her bath in the dark tonight which she has been unimpressed with previous evenings

just fit an LED bulb for now. The cost of electricity will be negligible.

Post some photos please.

You did turn off the electricity at the consumer unit before starting work, didn't you?

Yes I flicked the switches on the fusebox to off before I started messing around with it. It was only when I turned the electricity back on that I realised that the bathroom light is now permanently on until I sort this out.

I am attaching a picture that shows the switch casing but I will have to wait until daylight tomorrow to take the casing to bits again for a photo.

Sorry I'm being dense - I don't know what you mean by fitting an LED bulb (presumably that would still require the switch to operate, or are there LED lights I can get that operate independently without being wired in?)

Photo

Perhaps the poster is saying LED because it's low energy consumption?

Ah so then it doesn't matter that it's permanently on! I see - thanks. I think it is a low energy bulb anyway.

I'd be fitting a new one. Have you got a selection of small and medium screwdrivers?

Does the switch also operate an extractor fan or anything?

When I have problems with my bathroom light, I put a bedside lamp in there that I plug into the hallway socket, away from water of course.

I like the Crabtree but the MK is also popular

Other common brands in the high street are likely to be budget brands.

As your switch is very old, if you're shopping, buy the smallest pack of green-and-yellow sleeving because you may find bare, uninsulated earthwires.

You will need a very small driver for the terminal screws. Electrician's insulated screwdrivers are red and yellow. You must turn the power off anyway. If you expect to be doing more electrical work, you can buy a set that's better value.

I do have a selection of screwdrivers.

It's a simple light switch (no extractor/not for shower etc.)

I will pick up one of these Crabtree switches - thanks for that.

I don't have electrician's screwdrivers but presumably if the power is off that doesn't matter?

I'm pretty sure I didn't see any green and yellow sleeving on the existing wires so I'll add this to the list. Is it easy to put that on to existing wire?

I'm feeling intimidated by meddling with electrics. I'm wondering whether this is a job for an electrician. Generally I pay professionals where water and electricity are concerned as I worry about the damage I could cause but the reason I'm trying to do this myself is that money is particularly difficult this month. Argh!

the most important thing is to turn the power off and verify that all the wires are dead. Safest is to use the main switch on the CU. If you can lay your hands on a multimeter you can test all the connections before you start work.

Insulated screwdrivers are useful because, sooner or later, you will touch something that you thought was safe but isn't. Surprisingly, most injuries result from falling off the ladder in surprise.