Thermal Protector Removal

Last week one of our recessed can lights starting turning on and off. My friend, Branden, who is also an electrician, told me the light’s thermal protector was probably sensing too much heat and turning the light off, then turning it back on when it cooled. After removing the bulb, Melissa noticed a faint clicking sound, as if a piano string were being flicked. The sound only occurred when the empty can light was turned on. Since I couldn’t get to the light housing from above, I took it out from below and searched for the problem. There was no insulation near the housing and, in fact, I could feel a draft. I talked to Branden, and we concluded that the thermal protector had gone bad. I rewired the light to bypass the thermal protector and I removed it, thinking maybe I could get a replacement at Lowe’s. The bright people at Lowe’s had never heard of thermal protectors so I turned to Google. Apparently, the thermal protector I removed (pictured above) is old school. The new ones are much smaller. As with most little home repairs, I was happy to learn something new.