Lamp Socket Question

[Mud]

I am replacing an 8" Lamp Harp with a 10" one. To do so, it looks like I have to remove the light socket from the wiring. My question is:

How do I remove the bottom piece of the socket that pushes into the top piece of the socket. The directions state to remove the socket shell from cap by pressing where noted on the shell. Well, I don't see it noted anywhere and I certainly can't find the place to press in order to enable pulling the socket shell out.

Any help is sincerely appreciated. Hopefully, you understand what I'm talking about. For those who may not recognize what a lamp harp is, it's the whole piece that the lamp shade screws onto. I didn't know that was what it was called until now.

[spamTHISbrp]

Doesn't seem like you'd need to disassemble the socket to replace the harp, if what you mean by 'harp' is the curved metal piece that attaches just below the socket in 2 places, and curves up to a spot above the bulb.

What I'm thinking of, you just slide up the 2 metal pieces at the bottom of the harp, which lets you remove the harp.

Dave

[Mud]

That's true but the new harp is bright brass and the old one is antique. To remove the antiqued bottom piece of the harp, I have to remove the socket to run the wiring, etc. back through the base of the new harp. My last resort it to do exactly what you say but I don't think the wife is going to let me do it. Just another "honey do" that I've never done before. Thanks!

[Rich256]

Sometimes you can press on the shell and lift the cap off. Normally I put a screwdriver into the slot between the cap and the shell and gentrly pry.

[Colbyt]

The OEM stuff may not have the press point labeled. Usually you press near where the switch comes out of the body. These units are held together by a bunch of ridges that snap into little grooves. As long as you compress the upper portion slightly while pulling on it, it will release.

The harp base is usually under the socket base. The socket base usually connected by a threaded connector which may or may not have a small set screw locking it to the shaft.

Colbyt

[RBM]

I would try Dave's suggestion first. When you lift up the two retainer sleeves, you squeeze the bottom of the harp together to remove it. If you must replace the lower section of the harp, there is a slot in the upper half of the shell socket. If you press on the slot and bend the socket at the same time, it'll pop out of the bottom section. The bottom section usually has a set screw and is threaded on.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Jeeze, is anybody but a would be proctologist ever going the see the bottom part of the harp?

But the advice you've already received is correct, press in on the upper part of the socket shell while "bending it".

The rest is just commentary.

Jeff

[George E. Cawthon]

I agree, if just changing the harp (top part) then one should not have to do anything but pull the old one out of the holder and push the new one in. If, however, the harp and the holder part are all one piece then the socket needs to be taken apart to run the wire through the holder.

The only purpose in taking the socket apart is to take the wires loose. But to answer the question, normally all you have to do is push laterally against the top part of the socket and it will pop out of the socket base. To put it back, just press down and it will pop into place.

[Mud]

In the end, I wound up taking my pliers and pressing gently around the base of the socket shell and then gently twisting the cap loose from the bottom. I hope that I got the names of the pieces correct in my answer but once I got the bottom out, then it was "duck soup" in doing the rest. Thanks again to everyone for your help.

[mm]

No. The top pushes into the bottom.

It's been called a harp for 60 years, probably 130. and probably when there were only gaslights. (Imagine the little harps they show angels playing.)

Some of these guys may be too young to know :) but they didn't have detachable harp tops until 1960 at least, or later. Prior to that they were all like yours.

Push on any part, various parts, of the base of the top until it comes out from the bottom. The bottom then unscrews from the threaded tube that runs up the center. You may have to loosen a set screw in the bottom part first.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.