How to Fix Track Lighting
Before beginning any type of track lighting repair, you want to turn off the electricity to the circuit that powers your lights using the main service panel in the basement or outside your home. Once you are sure that the electricity is off, remove each lighting fixture from the track.
With the fixtures removed, examine the track itself. Remove any dust and dirt with a dry cloth. If your track lights are in the kitchen, you may also have to remove grease, so work carefully to be sure that the track is as clean as possible. Then, with a very fine grit sand paper, lightly sand the inside of the track in the area where the fixture hangs.
You also want to clean the contact terminals of the track lights themselves. To do this, again use the fine grit sandpaper to remove any residue. Then, using a flathead screwdriver, push the contact terminals up slightly to make sure that they will make contact with the track. Then replace the fixture.
Turn on the electricity to the service panel and test your track lighting to find out if cleaning has fixed the problem. If not, the second most likely problem is that the individual socket of the track light fixture has burned out. If this is the case, you can replace the socket without buying a new fixture.
To do this, turn off the electricity to the track lighting once more and remove the light fixture. Examine the stem of the lighting fixture, and remove the stem lighting cover to expose the wiring. Next remove the screws in the lighting fixture that are holding the socket into place so you can test the socket.
Testing the light fixture socket is easy if you have a continuity tester. To use a continuity tester, attach the clip to the brass track contact and use the tester probe to touch the black wire connection that is on the socket. The light of the tester should go one. If the tester does light, try the same thing with the white contact and the white wire. If either of these tests fail to light the continuity tester, you should replace the socket.
To replace the light socket, you should begin by disconnecting the socket wires from the contact arm. To do this, pull the contact arm out from the track lighting fixture. Then you should easily be able to untwist the wires connecting the light socket. Go to your local home improvement center to purchase a replacement socket for your track lighting. Be sure that the wattage rating is the same for this new light socket.
When you have the new socket, place it inside the track light, feeding the wires out of the light and towards the contact arm. Strip the ends of both the black and white wires, and attach them to the contact arm of the light in the same way as the old socket was attached. With the wiring attached, test your new light socket with the continuity tester using the same methods as before. If it passes the test, screw the socket into the light fixture and reattach the contact arm housing of the track lighting before replacing it.
If neither of these solutions fixes your lighting problem, call an electrician who will be able to diagnose the problem and make a repair. Keep in mind that most times the lighting will not have to be replaced, so even if you must call a professional, most fixes will be inexpensive.
