Porcelain Table Lamp Socket Repair

A customer brought in this porcelain table lamp and wanted it to be repaired. The old socket wasn't working well and it needed a new lamp cord. They decided to go with an antique brass finish socket and a new harp with matching hardware. The lamp parts needed for this repair include:

1) Antique Brass Push-thru Socket

48341A - Push-Thru Med. Base Lamp Socket with Antique Brass finish

2) Antique Brass Finish Harp

12758A - 9" harp, heavy weight, antique brass finish

3) Brown 18/2 Lamp Cord Set

46710 - 8 ft. Length, Brown 18/2 Plastic Covered Lamp Cord Set, SPT-1

We start by disassembling the lamp. Remove the harp by pulling up on the locking couplings and squeezing the harp toward the socket.

Next, pry the socket shell from the socket cap. Most sockets are marked "push" on the side. Using a flat-head screwdriver, apply pressure to the socket shell and pull it out of the cap.

Unscrew the old socket from the lamp cord. Remove the old socket cap from the threaded rod.

Remove the old harp saddle from the threaded rod. Pull the old lamp cord down the lamp and out the base of the lamp.

With all the electrical parts removed from the lamp, now is a good time to do some extra cleaning and tighten the threaded rod. Start building the lamp back in reverse order on the disassembly. First, the new cord is pushed up from the bottom.

The new harp saddle slides over the threaded rod and the new socket cap threads on the rod. When the socket cap is snug, tighten the set screw.

Next, tie a UL knot in the cord and attach the new socket interior to the cord. The smooth cord connects to the brass screw terminal and the ribbed cord connects to the nickel screw terminal.

Next, pull the cord slack out the base of the lamp so the socket interior sets close to the socket cap. Slide the socket shell over the interior and snap it into the socket cap.

Add a bulb and test the lamp.

The new lamp harp connects to the harp saddle by lifting the locking couplings and squeezing the harp. This lamp is finished and ready to enjoy.

Total cost: <$ 10 Total time < 30 minutes

Porcelain Table Lamp Repair - New Socket and Cord

A customer brought in this table lamp the other day and said it needed a new socket and cord set. This is a common repair for any lamp. If you found a lamp at a yard sale, flea market, or online and it needed some basic repair, these are the steps to take.

First, always give the lamp a general inspection. This will help you prepare a list of needed parts. We like to only replace bad, worn out parts. Safety is also an issue. Loose hardware and non-polarized plugs should be addressed as part of any repair.

This lamp seems to be in decent shape so the only lamp parts needed for this repair are:

1) Brass lamp socket

40250 - On-Off Leviton Light Socket, Brass, Polished & Lacquered

2) Lamp cord set 

Antique Brass Color, 18/2 Plastic Covered Lamp Cord

The repair starts by unplugging the lamp and removing the light bulb.

Next, remove the harp from the lamp. Lift the locking couplings and squeeze the harp toward the socket.

Remove the socket shell from the socket cap. Using a flat head screw driver, apply pressure on the socket shell and lift it from the socket cap.

Unscrew the old lamp cord from the old socket interior and remove the socket interior.

Untie the old UL Knot and pull the old cord down to the lamp base.

Now you want to remove the old socket cap. Loosen any set screw and unscrew the socket cap from the lamp body. Screw the new socket cap on the threaded rod and tighten any set screw. If your lamp has a front and back, make sure your harp saddle is oriented side to side.

With the socket and cord removed, now is the best time to tighten the lamp body. The lamp will go back together the same way it came apart. First, push the new lamp cord up the lamp body to the socket cap.

Next, tie a UL Knot in the lamp cord.

Screw the wires onto the new socket interior. The smooth wire connects to the brass screw and the ribbed wire connects to the nickel screw.

Slip the socket shell over the interior. Pull any cord slack back down the bottom of the lamp body. Snap the socket shell into the socket cap making sure both sides are securely snapped into the cap.

Add a bulb and test the lamp.

This lamp is back in service for another 40 years. Total cost: < $25.00 total time < 45 minutes

Older Lamp With 3 Terminal Socket and Safety Concerns

A customer brought in this older Gone With The Wind lamp  with a bottom light the other day and asked for a repair.

Our initial inspection revealed some serious safety concerns with the lamp cord. The plug was not polarized and had some exposed wire near the plug.

The 3 terminal socket was working so we are only needing to replace the lamp cord.

48206i - 3-Terminal Medium Base Turn Knob Socket Interior

46701 - White, 18/2 Plastic Covered Lamp Cord Sets

First, we open the socket shell and unscrew the nickel and brass screw terminals. The old lamp cord pulls out from the base of the lamp.

The new lamp cord goes up the lamp through the same path as the old lamp cord. Tie a UL knot below the socket. Attach the smooth wire from the lamp cord to the brass screw and the ribbed wire to the nickel screw. The nickel screw (common wire) shares the screw terminal with the bottom light wire. The other bottom light wire (hot) connects to the black screw on the socket.

Pull any cord slack from the base of the lamp so the socket shell will easily snap into the socket cap.

Plug in the lamp and test all the lights.

Fixed and ready for the next 30 years.

Total Cost < $5.00 Total Time < 20 minutes