Metal Desk Lamp with Broken Socket

Often newer lamps come in for repair. This metal desk lamp was brought in the other day with a broken socket. The socket on this lamp is made of plastic. We often refer to it as a phenolic or bakelite socket.

These types of sockets have a cap, shell, and screw collar. This old socket was broken where the shell and cap screw together. The only lamp part we will need for this repair is a replacement bakelite socket with screw collar.

This repair is fairly simple: we will feed extra cord up the lamp body, remove the old socket, and rewire the new one. Sometime things are easier said than done. Special note: We have found on these newer lamps, there is glue locking some of the threads.

To push more cord up the lamp we cut a small hole in the bottom felt and push the cord up the lamp.

Next the swivel is taken apart so the cord can be pulled up and pushed toward the socket.

Remove the key from the socket. Being cautious not to pull the socket from the cord, pull the interior of the socket away from the lamp body.

Once the socket interior is out, clip the lamp cord just below the socket. Note: This socket has quick connect style terminals for the lamp cord. We are going to replace it with a screw terminal style socket. The cord is going to be stripped so cutting it here gives it a nice edge to start with.

With the old socket interior removed, continue pulling more cord slack up to the top. Using a pair of pliers, the old socket cap is removed  from the lamp.

The old socket was cap was glued in the lamp. Some firm force was needed to get this interior out of the lamp.

We are replacing this socket cap with a bakelite socket that has a set screw. The set screw and a locking washer will be better than gluing the parts together.

The new socket cap is screwed into the lamp. Important Note: This lamp has a metal socket holder with a key hole. It is most important to line up the key holes on the metal holder and the socket cap and twist them together on the lamp.

The new socket interior is wired to the lamp. The lamp cord is stripped about 3/8 inch. The ribbed wire connects to the silver screw and the smooth wire connects to the gold screw. As mentioned earlier, the old socket interior had a quick type connection. We are not reusing the old socket interior.

With the new socket interior attached, it gets pulled into the socket cap by pulling the cord slack back down the lamp. Make sure to line up the key for the socket.

The cord slack is pulled through the swivel. Then the cord is pulled through the lamp base. The swivel is reattached and the socket shell is added to the socket.

The lamp shade is reattached and held into place with the socket ring. A bulb is added and the lamp is tested.

Better than new! Total Cost < $8.00 Total Time < 20 minutes

Small Table Lamp with Plastic Socket

A customer brought in this lamp the other day and it had a broken socket. This socket was a keyless screw top plastic socket (sometimes called a phenolic or bakelite socket). These sockets are the most common in today's lamps because they are inexpensive and have a neutral color. All it takes is a short fall, a slight tip or a move to have the socket crack like this one.

The only lamp part we need to fix this lamp is a replacement keyless bakelite socket with screw top collar.

First the cord has to be removed. The lamp it laid on its side and a hole is cut in the bottom felt.

The cord is removed from the socket interior. The socket cap twists off the lamp rod and the new socket cap is replaced. The socket cap is not moving and is probably glued to the threaded rod. The cord will need to be removed. Some of the cord is twisted and stiff. The cord will be reused, but cutting off the old UL knot will save time when removing and re-installing the cord. The old cord is pulled through the lamp body.

The bottom nut is removed and the base comes off the lamp body.

The rod is removed from the lamp body and placed in a vise.

Heat is applied to the rod just below the socket cap. The heat releases the glue and the socket cap screws off the rod.

The new socket cap has a set screw so no glue is used on the replacement.

The rod is placed back in the lamp body and lamp base. A nut is attached to the rod and the lamp is tightened.

The original cord is threaded through the lamp body. The wires are split, stripped and tipped.

A UL knot is tied in the the cord and it is attached to the socket interior. The ribbed cord attaches to the silver screw and the smooth wire goes on the brass screw.

The cord slack is pulled through the lamp  and the socket shell is screwed on the socket cap.

A bulb is added and the lamp is tested.

Great. Total Cost <$7.00 Total Time: < 30 minutes