uired fields are marked *. If yo

Required fields are marked *. If you have a lamp with a loose socket that causes the lamp to flicker, to be difficult to turn on, or to just flat out refuse to light, you can replace the socket and give the lamp a new life. To get at this locknut you will have to cut a hole in the felt that lines the bottom of the base. Try more scraping and sanding on this section to cut through whatever is on the surface (water should soak in and wet the wood if it is porous enough for staining). This takes only minutes if you use one of the snap-on plugs, since they can be connected to the old wire without having to strip off the insulation. Loosen the terminal screws on each side of the socket body and disconnect the wires twisted around each of them. Have questions about how to replace a light socket? Chances are that you never did get all of the old rust off, especially around the back side of the pipes where you cannot reach easily. Press with your thumb at this point while squeezing the brass shell, then twist slightly as you continue squeezing. Twist the wire connector (wire nut) counterclockwise and remove it from each set of wires, then separate the wires. If there is a metal cover instead of felt, or under the felt, this will have to be pried off to get at the locknut on the inside. Thread the lamp wire through the cap or lower portion of the socket shell, then screw the cap on the lamp pipe. The cap attaches to the rod or post of the lamp while the shell covers socket mainly the wire connected to the terminals. Sockets can fail because they simply wear out and no longer make a good connection with the bulb, they can overheat (usually caused by a high-wattage bulb), and they can short out. The maximum wattage is posted on the side of the socket and should not be exceeded! Tighten this cap by hand until the whole lamp assembly feels solid again. Screw a light bulb into the new socket, clean the globe (this is convenient while it's removed), and reinstall it onto the fixture. 3), All of light bulb holder are 3 years guarantee. Dummies has always stood for taking on complex concepts and making them easy to understand. More thorough sanding or scraping in this area will probably solve that problem. If the screws are loose, tighten them and reassemble the lamp. To do this, look for the word ''press'' embossed in the upper half of the brass shell, usually near the switch (see the accompanying drawing). Timothy Thiele is an IBEW Local #176 Union Electrician with over 30 years of experience in residential, commercial, and industrial wiring. To replace the socket, remove the setscrew at its base. Fortunately, if a socket fails, you can take it out and replace it so your beautiful decorative fixture works like new again. When we renovated our basement, we painted all the exposed steam pipes leading from the boiler in our basement to the various radiators throughout the house. You can replace a socket so easily that, even if it's not your favorite lamp, you may want to fix it and give it to someone else, like your nosy neighbor.

You can purchase replacement lamp parts at any hardware store or home center. Also reconnect the ground wire, as applicable. Hold the globe in one hand while loosening the screw or nut with the other. If the shell doesn't budge, push the end of a screwdriver between the base of the socket and the side of the shell and then pull the shell up and off the socket base.