Spa Light Spring

[Gmattrouble]

I am replacing the bulb in my pool spa. There was a small amount of water in the fixture. After it dried out I tested the fixture and it showed 120V. I tested a new bulb in a house lamp. When I put the bulb in the spa fixture it does not light. Removed bulb and test 120V again, everything okay. There is a spring in the fixture embedded in the epoxy which is in the way of the bulb. A second spring is attached to the first forming a cross. Can someone explain what the spring is for?

 

[racket]

I have never confirmed this, but my understanding, is that that springs are supposed to ground the filament in case of the bulb breaking.

 

[Gmattrouble]

That would make sense since the surge would trip the GFI. Does that mean that not all fixtures have the spring feature?

Any ideas why the bulb works, and the socket has 120V but when put them together the bulb does not light? I have pried the socket center contact up slightly thinking the center of the bulb might not be making contact, but when I install and remove the bulb it is evident that the bulb has pushed the contact back down into the socket. There is also a small spring underneath the center contact. It's rusted and seems to serve no purpose since the 120V is measured at the center contact point even when the contact point is lifted up away from the spring.

I've reinstalled the assembly in the spa and will leave it for a few days to see if it leaks. From what I've read I understand that it may leak later once I get the bulb to light and the fixture expands and contracts when it is on and off, respectively.

 

[gmor]

Can someone explain what the spring is for?

Found this online regarding the spring as I was wondering the same thing since one of my lights has the spring and the other identical light didn't:

"Inside some fixtures you will find a bare coiled spring wire. This is non-electrical but is designed to break a circuit. ... The spring lays on the bulb itself. If the bulb bursts when in use, the spring sweeps across the filament, cutting the electricity in the circuit. In this way, if water has gotten into the fixture, a live electrical circuit won’t stay in contact with the water, ultimately electrocuting someone in the pool."