Repairing Floor Lamp?

[cybercat]

It's not the best quality, came in one of those 3-lamp sets, but it is NEW--maybe a year old and barely used. When I turn it on, nothing happens. Yes, it is plugged in and I have tested the lightbulbs to make sure it is not the bulb. I have also tried different outlets.

I don't want to throw this lamp away! What is my first step in finding out what the problem is?

[Jeff Wisnia]

Get yourself a continuity tester (or an ohmmeter) and a little education about simple electrical circuits.

Then, find the open circuit in the cord, a "loose disconnection" somewhere or the bad switch or socket that's causing the problem, and fix or replace it.

Jeff

[cybercat]

Okay, to Google I will go. Thank you.

[HaLiGoOn]

"cybercat" wrote in news:482dd099$0$2974$ [e-mail]:

Make sure the lamp is UNPLUGGED, use your finger nail or some other implement and slightly pull upwards on the little silver tab inside the middle of the socket. It's a fairly common cause of lamp sockets not working. The base of the bulb may not be touching the tab resulting in your current problem.

[Anthony Diodati]

Hey good Idea!

If you do have to replace the cord or the socket, make sure the Hot wire is wired to the screw that goes to the center contact. Also make sure the plug has one wide and one narrow prong, so it can only be plugged in one way. It WILL work fine either way, but you don't want the side "shell" where the bulb screws into to be hot,in case you would be grounded and also contact the side "shell" say when changing a bulb. Tony

[HaLiGoOn]

"Anthony Diodati" wrote in news:1hzXj.98$IK5.79@trnddc04:

If the plug is to be replaced, the nuetral wire on lamp cord is generally idetified by a raised ridge on the cord or a small line of colour. This will ensure that the hot and neutral are connectted to their proper terminals.

[cybercat]

"HaLiGoOn" wrote:>>

This is good to know, thank you! I tried it, but in this case, it is not the problem.