How to Rewire a Lamp.
You flick the switch and... everything's not illuminated?
It may be your lamp needs a quick overhaul.
Hey, lighten up, we're here to help.
You will need A lamp in need of re-wiring A flat surface A folded blanket or towel A
screwdriver Some electrical tape A pair of wire cutters and strippers A new lamp socket
with the switch of your choice 6.0 new lamp cord ending in a pre-molded plug And some
"hot glue" or glue dots suitable for felt A pair of scissors (optional) and
a sheet of felt larger than the lamp base (optional).
Step 1.
Unplug the lamp and remove its shade, harp, and bulb.
Step 2.
With the folded blanket or towel beneath it, turn the lamp on its side and peel back or
remove any felt covering the base.
Step 3.
Turn the lamp right side up and look for a screw at the base of the socket.
If there is one, loosen it with the screwdriver.
Some older sockets simply screw on to the lamp top and just need to be unscrewed.
For some lamps it may be necessary to unscrew and take out the knob in order to unscrew
the socket.
Step 4.
Pull the socket up about 6 inches above the lamp and cut the cord where it emerges from
the bottom of the socket.
Throw the socket away.
Step 5.
If it seems like threading the new cord up through the lamp will be difficult, tie a
knot in the old cord where it sticks out at the top, then cut the cord about 10 inches
from the bottom of the lamp.
If threading the new cord up through the lamp won't be difficult, don't tie a knot—simply
turn the lamp on its side, pull out the old cord, and thread through the new cord.
Then skip ahead to Step 9.
Step 6.
At the cut end of the old cord, pull apart the two strands for about 2 inches.
Use the stripper tool on your wire cutter to strip about half an inch of insulation
from each end, exposing each wire.
Do the same with the end of the new cord.
If you don't have a pair of wire cutters and strippers handy, use a sharp pair of scissors
to gently score the outer coating of insulation all the way around each wire and then pull
it off.
Step 7.
Twist—or "splice"—the exposed ends of the old cord around the exposed ends of the
new cord, and wrap the splice tightly with electrical tape.Don't use so much tape that
the splice ends up wider than the opening it needs to fit through.
Step 8.
Pull the old cord out through the top of the lamp until the splice emerges and the new
cord is about 6 inches above the top of the lamp.
Snip the electrical tape, undo the splice, and throw away the old cord.
Step 9.
Take the new socket apart by pinching the top part—or "shell"—near the base and
twisting it free.
Step 10.
Pass the two strands of cord up through the socket base, and tie an "Underwriters Knot"
by making a loop with each strand of the split cord, looping away from where the strands
meet, then passing the end of each strand through the opposite loop and pulling tight.
Step 11.
Determine which strand of wire is smooth, with no ribs—this is the "hot" or "positive"
wire.
Loosen the brass screw of the new socket and wrap the "hot" wire once around it.
Make sure the edge of the insulation is right up against the screw and no excess wire is
sticking out past it.
Tighten the screw to hold the wire in place.
Step 12.
Wrap the other (ribbed) wire—also known as the "neutral" wire—under the other screw
and tighten.
Step 13.
Reassemble the socket by twisting the shell back onto the base.
Pull the cord from the bottom of the lamp until the socket is back in place, then tighten
the base screw to secure it.
Step 14.
Re-affix the felt covering by lining the exposed part of the base with hot glue and pressing
the felt back into place.
If you completely removed the felt you can create a new covering to replace it.
Using the lamp base as a guide, cut the felt into the right shape, then glue it to the
base.
Step 15.
Screw in a light bulb, replace the harp and the shade, plug in your "new" lamp... and
bask in the glow of your success.
Did you know Indoor lights and light bulbs were widely available by 1900, but most homes
weren't wired for electricity until the 1920s and '30s.