Rewiring a Lamp
Also see:Unplug the lamp and remove the shade and bulb. Examine the base. There should be a felt cover on the bottom. Lay the lamp on it's side and peel the edge of the felt up. Gently pull it free to expose the lamp cord and the nut and threaded rod holding the lamp together.
Turn the lamp over and remove the outer shell from the cap. Look for a mark on the shell indicating a pressure point to insert a pocket knife or small screwdriver while pulling the shell free. Remove the insulating sleeve and pull the socket out of the cap.
Make a note of the hot and neutral wires and which screw they are connected to. According to color codes the black wire is the hot and the white wire is the neutral. In most cases, the wires will not be color coded black and white but will be the same color. One of the wires will have a colored stripe or a textured bead imprinted on it. This is the neutral wire. The plain wire will be the hot. Different colored wire is another method that may be used to distinguish between hot and neutral. In these cases the brass colored wire is hot and the silver wire is neutral.
Loosen the contact screws holding the wires, turning counterclockwise. Remove the socket and set it aside. Untie the knot in the cord and pull it thru the threaded rod and out the bottom of the lamp.
Installing the New Cord
Tape the end of the cord into a point with electrician's tape to make it easier to push it thru the threaded rod. Put the cord thru the bottom nut first then thru the rod to the top of the lamp. Pull a few inches of excess cord thru the cap and remove the tape. Split the two cord wires about two inches from the end and tie the wires in a knot to keep the cord from pulling back from the base. Strip about ¾in. of insulation from each wire. Twist the strands of each wire in a clockwise direction.
Turn the wires into hooks and place them on their respective screws in a clockwise direction. Tighten the screws. Don't overtighten and cause the wire strands to flatten out too much.
Pull the excess cord back thru the base of the lamp and reseat the lamp socket. Slide the insulating sleeve over the screw heads and push the outer shell into the cap until it snaps in place. Pull the cord from the bottom and thighten the nut if it seems a little loose. Insert a light bulb and test the lamp. Glue the felt cover back over the base.
