Easy Lamp Repair, Replace Broken Socket and Switch

Easy Lamp Repair, Replace Broken Socket and Switch

This is going to be another thrift store fix.   And this time we’re tackling lamps.

I’m always on the lookout for unique lamps, especially those sold in pairs.  This is a pair of lamps I picked up just this week.  They weren’t exactly cheap at $13  a piece but they did come with shades that were in decent shape and I loved their shape.   New lamps are super expensive  and usually sold without shades which are another $20 or more each.

A lot of times you can test your lamp in store  to see if it works,  but this time I just did a grab and go knowing I would check the lamps out at home.

Over the past year, I’ve purchased 3 pairs of lamps and there is always one that doesn’t work.

This was the socket of the lamp on the right above.  It could have just come loose or it might not work.  Of course, this time  it didn’t work. 🙁

The lamp on the left was a little loose but the lamp still worked.   I just had to press the top of the socket back down into the base.

Most of the time, when the socket and switch no longer work it’s just a matter of replacing the socket, not a total rewire.

Pull the top of the socket off of the base.  When the lamp was assembled that top would have just clicked into the base.  Now it’s just a matter of pulling the top back off, maybe with a little effort.

You can now slide that top brass piece all the way off along with the cardboard underneath.

This is what you’re exposing.  This one has the lamp wires inserted directly into the socket.

Most of the time you’ll find the wires wrapped around a gold and silver screw.  It’s the same lamp wire, just attached two different ways.

Pull the wires out of the socket with pliers or unscrew your screws.

Pulling the wires out broke off the ends.  It would have been nice to have a little of the bare wire exposed but that’s an easy fix.

If there is any give in your lamp wire, pull it out an extra  1/2 inch to give yourself a little  room to work with.

Use wire cutters/ wire strippers to cut off about a half inch of the plastic ends off the 2 ends of your lamp wire exposing the bare copper wires.

The one that I’ve stripped is a little hard to see, just follow the arrow.

This is a better photo of the exposed ends.

Determine which wire has ridges, this will be the wire that attaches to the silver screw on your new socket.

The wire with no ridges will attach to the gold screw.

If you don’t already have one, you will have to purchase a replacement lamp socket available at Amazon, Walmart and any hardware store.

Loosen the screw on the socket and bend the exposed  ribbed wire around the screw.  Retighten the screw.

Do the same with the gold screw and the smooth wire.

If you did everything right and the socket was the only problem with the lamp you can now plug in the lamp and try it out.

Be careful to not touch any exposed wires.  Unplug the lamp to finish it off.

You can now replace the gold cap.  Just slide it back on and it should click in place on the base.

Time to enjoy your new set of lamps.

Until next time, stay inspired.

Just a reminder, if you’re creating your lamp from scratch, check out my post on wiring  a lamp here , and my gallery of upcycled lighting here.  So many ideas, so little time 🙂