How much hive mind does it take to change a light socket?
April 10, 2022 4:21 PM Subscribe
I have 4 pendant lamps from 16 years ago with lovely orange glass shades. One lamp stopped working a few years ago. The electrician removed the whole fixture and told me he couldn't fix it because [mumble, mumble I can't remember] was wrong with the socket, maybe not enough clearance to expose more wire? Now one more of the lamps on the circuit has died, and it's time to see if I can fix these myself or do I need to throw these away and buy all new lamps?
Photos of the situation here. My goal is to keep the same orange shades. I'm a novice with the extent of my experience being installing smoke detectors and new lighting into receptacles using wire nuts. To fix these lamps, I assume I will at least need to buy some new bulb sockets, but there's this two-part metal base thingy that's attached to a threaded rod that doesn't want to easily come off. That rod screws into a cylinder at the top of the glass shade to keep the whole thing sandwiched together.
Is this something I could attempt myself or should I leave it to a pro? What parts can I buy that will easily fit with my lamp parts? I would love some links to products that could work, since it's overwhelming when I search for pendant light sockets.
Alternatively, I could replace the whole hanging apparatus, so are there brand new pendant fixture kits without shades that will fit this kind of glass with a flange at the top of the shade to keep it in place?
Photos of the situation here. My goal is to keep the same orange shades. I'm a novice with the extent of my experience being installing smoke detectors and new lighting into receptacles using wire nuts. To fix these lamps, I assume I will at least need to buy some new bulb sockets, but there's this two-part metal base thingy that's attached to a threaded rod that doesn't want to easily come off. That rod screws into a cylinder at the top of the glass shade to keep the whole thing sandwiched together.
Is this something I could attempt myself or should I leave it to a pro? What parts can I buy that will easily fit with my lamp parts? I would love some links to products that could work, since it's overwhelming when I search for pendant light sockets.
Alternatively, I could replace the whole hanging apparatus, so are there brand new pendant fixture kits without shades that will fit this kind of glass with a flange at the top of the shade to keep it in place?
Best answer: Re: the recalcitrant threaded rod, it looks like there might be one or more set screws securing it.
Have you figured out exactly where the circuit is broken?
posted by jon1270 at 4:37 PM on April 10, 2022
Have you figured out exactly where the circuit is broken?
posted by jon1270 at 4:37 PM on April 10, 2022
Best answer: There is a fellow here in Savannah that specializes in repairing light fixtures. Maybe there is someone near you that does the same. I sometimes do metal work for him.
From your description in para. 2, it sounds like maybe there is a lock nut somewhere on that rod that you haven't seen yet. The locknuts a typically very thin, like 1/8" on what I am guessing is hollow threaded rod about 1/2" in diameter, which is 1/4" National Pipe size.
Sometimes the sockets are hard to find custom stuff, sometimes they are stock items.
Ditto with the shades, except it is going to be harder to find a hanging fixture that fits those shades, or may be impossible if they did something custom, but it sounds like the shades just have a hole in them and are just held by gravity.
posted by rudd135 at 4:38 PM on April 10, 2022
From your description in para. 2, it sounds like maybe there is a lock nut somewhere on that rod that you haven't seen yet. The locknuts a typically very thin, like 1/8" on what I am guessing is hollow threaded rod about 1/2" in diameter, which is 1/4" National Pipe size.
Sometimes the sockets are hard to find custom stuff, sometimes they are stock items.
Ditto with the shades, except it is going to be harder to find a hanging fixture that fits those shades, or may be impossible if they did something custom, but it sounds like the shades just have a hole in them and are just held by gravity.
posted by rudd135 at 4:38 PM on April 10, 2022
Response by poster: Ah, I found the set screw, and if I cut the wires, I can release the base and socket. No, I haven’t found where the circuit is broken, but my electrician said it was somewhere in the socket. Looking in there it all seems kinda corroded to me.
posted by oxisos at 6:13 PM on April 10, 2022
posted by oxisos at 6:13 PM on April 10, 2022
Best answer: Those sockets are definitely past their use-by date and need to be replaced. If you want to keep the shades, the ones linked above by Mitheral look like they'll be just the thing, allowing you to replace all the electrical components and keep the pretty ones.
The shades should just slip over the bottom of the new socket, after removing the bottom ring. You may have to cut the wires to get the shades off the old fittings. The only question is whether the hole in the shades is near enough to the right size, which they should be as these things are more or less standard.
posted by dg at 8:57 PM on April 10, 2022
The shades should just slip over the bottom of the new socket, after removing the bottom ring. You may have to cut the wires to get the shades off the old fittings. The only question is whether the hole in the shades is near enough to the right size, which they should be as these things are more or less standard.
posted by dg at 8:57 PM on April 10, 2022
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posted by Mitheral at 4:34 PM on April 10, 2022 [1 favorite]