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Intro: |
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| If the lamp has a nipple attached to its top, it might be easier to thread the cord through with the nipple detached. To remove it, loosen the nut above the nipple's rubber adapter, which will decompress the adapter and let you pull out the nipple. Thread the wire through the lamp's top and the nipple, then reattach it. If you hear a popping sound and/or the lightbulb burns out immediately when you turn the lamp on, this usually means there's a crossed wire or faulty connection within the socket. Unplug the lamp, reopen the socket, and check the connections for any loose or burnt wires. Try rewiring the socket, although you may need to buy a new one. Practice electrical safety when setting up your new lamp: Keep the cord out of the flow of traffic, with no objects (furniture, carpets, and so on) resting on it. |
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Time to get the juice flowing. Wiring a lamp is similar to dismantling a lamp, except it's done in reverse. If necessary, use the old lamp cord to thread the new split and stripped cord through the lamp body and nipple. To do this, use a knife to sever the plug from the old cord, attach the beginning of the new cord to the end of the old one with a piece of masking tape, then pull the new cord through. Note: If the lamp has a harp, check to see if the harp's base, or the whole harp, needs to be attached to the lamp before the cap.
Thread the new cord through the socket cap (remember to loosen the small screw located beside the cap's hole), then tie the cord in an Underwriters' knot. To make the knot, make a loop with each half of the split cord, looping away from where they join. Slip the stripped ends of each cord half through the opposite loop, and pull the ends tight.
Once the knot is tied, remove the socket's electrical insert from the shell and loosen the terminal screws with your screwdriver. Twist the exposed copper wires of each cord clockwise around a different screw, just below the screw's head. Connect the hot, smooth wire to the brass screw, and the neutral wire to the silver screw. Make sure the copper wire is wrapped tightly together under the screw head. Note: Precision is key here. Wrap the wire so the edge of the plastic sheath (where you cut to strip the wire) butts the screw head. There shouldn't be any stray copper wires running out from beneath the screws. Wires from one cord should never touch wires from another.
Tighten the screws so the heads clamp down on the copper wire to hold it in place. Slip the wired insert back into the shell and reattach the cap. (Secure the cap to the nipple first, if necessary.) The cord should pass through the cap into the shell. If the socket is plastic, the cap should screw on. If it's metal, it should fit snugly over the shell's end. Tighten the small screw where the cord enters the cap. When everything looks secure, plug in the lamp, screw in a lightbulb, and give it a test. If you have light, congratulations! You've successfully brought your lamp back to life. Read on for instructions to help you create either a hanging lamp (Step 4) or a glass bottle lamp (Step 5).
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Rewire the lamp
