let there be light!
December 6, 2009 6:22 AM Subscribe
Help me re-wire a complicated old lamp.
Yes, yes, I've done it again. Taken something apart that I can now not put back together. This is a lamp with a single bulb on top and three smaller bulbs further down. I tried to rewire it and made a big pop. Oops.
The small print: The switch for the upper light is separate, and not a problem. I need to rewire the part in between the three smaller bulbs. What I have is two wires coming down from the top bulb, two wires coming up from the power source, two wires coming out of each small bulb, and one wire coming out of the switch that controls the three smaller bulbs. Total of 11 wires. When I took it apart these were connected in three groups. I thought I kept track of how they were configured but obviously I was wrong. There is probably a diagram of this somewhere on the internet but I couldn't find it. Any directions to such a diagram, or instructions about how to configure these 11 wires into three groups so that everything works, would be greatly appreciated!
Yes, yes, I've done it again. Taken something apart that I can now not put back together. This is a lamp with a single bulb on top and three smaller bulbs further down. I tried to rewire it and made a big pop. Oops.
The small print: The switch for the upper light is separate, and not a problem. I need to rewire the part in between the three smaller bulbs. What I have is two wires coming down from the top bulb, two wires coming up from the power source, two wires coming out of each small bulb, and one wire coming out of the switch that controls the three smaller bulbs. Total of 11 wires. When I took it apart these were connected in three groups. I thought I kept track of how they were configured but obviously I was wrong. There is probably a diagram of this somewhere on the internet but I couldn't find it. Any directions to such a diagram, or instructions about how to configure these 11 wires into three groups so that everything works, would be greatly appreciated!
Response by poster: Thanks for the reply. I've just found an extra bit of wire, which probably broke off the switch.
I've posted images here and here.
posted by crazylegs at 7:02 AM on December 6, 2009
I've posted images here and here.
posted by crazylegs at 7:02 AM on December 6, 2009
...an extra bit of wire, which probably broke off the switch.
That's what I was guessing. It might be possible to resolder the broken connection, but it's probably easier to replace the switch. Hardware store should be able to help you out.
That aside, here's how this should work:
One of the wires from the plug should connect to one wire from each of the three smaller bulbs and one of the wires from the larger bulb.
The other wire from the plug should connect to one side of the switch and the other wire from the main bulb.
The second wired from each of the three smaller bulbs should connect to the other side of the switch.
posted by jon1270 at 7:18 AM on December 6, 2009
That's what I was guessing. It might be possible to resolder the broken connection, but it's probably easier to replace the switch. Hardware store should be able to help you out.
That aside, here's how this should work:
One of the wires from the plug should connect to one wire from each of the three smaller bulbs and one of the wires from the larger bulb.
The other wire from the plug should connect to one side of the switch and the other wire from the main bulb.
The second wired from each of the three smaller bulbs should connect to the other side of the switch.
posted by jon1270 at 7:18 AM on December 6, 2009
I think, looking at those photos, that it would be a lot safer to remove all of the wiring and start over. That's some old wiring there.
You can buy new sockets and a new switch. I'm not sure if you could reuse the tubes the sockets are in, so maybe the better idea is to solder new wire to the old sockets.
Total cost would be under 20 bucks, I think.
New wiring will have color coding and will be lamp cord, which is a lot safer to use than cloth.
posted by disclaimer at 7:18 AM on December 6, 2009
You can buy new sockets and a new switch. I'm not sure if you could reuse the tubes the sockets are in, so maybe the better idea is to solder new wire to the old sockets.
Total cost would be under 20 bucks, I think.
New wiring will have color coding and will be lamp cord, which is a lot safer to use than cloth.
posted by disclaimer at 7:18 AM on December 6, 2009
Oh, and the 'big pop' you mentioned was probably a short; you may have blown a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker, so the outlet you're using may be dead at the moment.
posted by jon1270 at 7:20 AM on December 6, 2009
posted by jon1270 at 7:20 AM on December 6, 2009
I just sent you a .pdf that I made when I rewired my very similar lamp last week, hope that is ok.
I would agree with everyone else that you should probably change the wiring. Cloth wiring can get stripped when you gut the lamp.
I would also agree with the replace the switch advice - not only can you probably not re-solder the wire correctly, the small spring that controls it is probably worn out and could cause you problems.
posted by Tchad at 10:12 AM on December 6, 2009
I would agree with everyone else that you should probably change the wiring. Cloth wiring can get stripped when you gut the lamp.
I would also agree with the replace the switch advice - not only can you probably not re-solder the wire correctly, the small spring that controls it is probably worn out and could cause you problems.
posted by Tchad at 10:12 AM on December 6, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
This part doesn't make sense. A switch makes or breaks a circuit, which generally means there should be 2 conductors connected to it. Is there another wire from this switch that you haven't mentioned? Can you post a photograph of the switch?
posted by jon1270 at 6:44 AM on December 6, 2009